Scan barcode
whatjasread's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
• was encouraged to read by a pal and was very scared but honestly all worked out
• I adore Paige and Arcturus and the entire gang
• I think I cried twice which surprised me
• bit info dumpy at the start but gradually improves once the action starts
• don’t know if or when I’ll get to the next book but I won’t rule it out!
TWs: blood, child death, vomiting, gore, gun violence, kidnapping, medical content (inc. needles), drugging, murder, sexual assault, slavery (inc. master/slave relationships), torture, violence, xenophobia
• I adore Paige and Arcturus and the entire gang
• I think I cried twice which surprised me
• bit info dumpy at the start but gradually improves once the action starts
• don’t know if or when I’ll get to the next book but I won’t rule it out!
TWs: blood, child death, vomiting, gore, gun violence, kidnapping, medical content (inc. needles), drugging, murder, sexual assault, slavery (inc. master/slave relationships), torture, violence, xenophobia
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Child death, Gore, and Blood
Moderate: Vomit, Torture, Violence, Physical abuse, Medical content, Sexual assault, Slavery, Kidnapping, and Gun violence
Minor: Drug abuse, Drug use, and Xenophobia
thecourtofreading's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
"i can die when i want, become a spirit when i want. it makes people afraid of me. it makes me afraid of them."
i really liked the premise of this book. clairvoyants, avoiding the law, criminals, it seemed right up my alley, and the first chapters were; i was hooked almost instantly. i did enjoy this book, but i feel like i would have enjoyed it more if it wasn't set in sheol i and actually set in london and following paige's whereabouts and the gang. they were so much more interesting than the actual plot of the book, which is why i'm glad that the pale dreamer novella prequel is part of this book, because i found that so much more interesting. i also didn't like the romantic turn this book took toward the end. i didn't feel like paige and the love interest really had much chemistry at all and it kind of made me a little uncomfortable, because i just didn't feel like they fit. that's my one critique, i suppose. also that it was a little tiny bit predictable and cliche
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery, Death, and Violence
Moderate: Blood, Kidnapping, and Sexual assault
Minor: Drug use
lauramcc7's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood and Violence
Moderate: Drug use
Minor: Sexual assault and Sexual content
queer_bookwyrm's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
4 ⭐ CW: violence, slavery, murder, sexual assault
The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon is the first book in the Bone Season series. This book was not quite what I expected it to be, but I enjoyed it quite a lot anyway. It was fascinating learning about all the different types of clarivoyants.
We follow Paige Mahoney, a dreamwalker in the London underground clarivoyant gang, the Seven Seals. In this world, London has been taken over by the Scion regime, which has outlawed being a clarivoyant and has forced those who are to be extremely marginalized. The only voyants that seem to be doing okay in this world are the ones who work for Scion and arrest and attack other voyants. When Paige is captured, she is taken to Sheol I, a penal city for voyants run by otherworldly beings known as the Rephaite. What Paige finds is slavery and inhumane living conditions and horrific abuses.
This was such an in depth and complicated book. The world building was just so much. Luckily it came with its own glossary so I didn't have to Google words every five minutes lol. The beginning was a little slow at first, but things picked up once we got to Sheol I and we start learning about the Rephaite and the Emim. There is just a lot of information packed into the beginning.
I loved Paige's growth as a dreamwalker and learning about the different types of clarivoyants and their abilities. The character growth between Paige and Warden was excellent and complex. There were themes of don't judge someone just for what they are, instead get to know them and not assume. Survival is more important than defiance. Although romance wasn't the main point of the book, I though Shannon did a great job of depicting unrequited love and the experience aspecs have of trying to have sex but not really wanting it. Paige is definitely on the ace spectrum somewhere.
You all know I love a good revolution story, and this is just the beginning of a big one! Definitely looking forward to the rest of the books.
The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon is the first book in the Bone Season series. This book was not quite what I expected it to be, but I enjoyed it quite a lot anyway. It was fascinating learning about all the different types of clarivoyants.
We follow Paige Mahoney, a dreamwalker in the London underground clarivoyant gang, the Seven Seals. In this world, London has been taken over by the Scion regime, which has outlawed being a clarivoyant and has forced those who are to be extremely marginalized. The only voyants that seem to be doing okay in this world are the ones who work for Scion and arrest and attack other voyants. When Paige is captured, she is taken to Sheol I, a penal city for voyants run by otherworldly beings known as the Rephaite. What Paige finds is slavery and inhumane living conditions and horrific abuses.
This was such an in depth and complicated book. The world building was just so much. Luckily it came with its own glossary so I didn't have to Google words every five minutes lol. The beginning was a little slow at first, but things picked up once we got to Sheol I and we start learning about the Rephaite and the Emim. There is just a lot of information packed into the beginning.
I loved Paige's growth as a dreamwalker and learning about the different types of clarivoyants and their abilities. The character growth between Paige and Warden was excellent and complex. There were themes of don't judge someone just for what they are, instead get to know them and not assume. Survival is more important than defiance. Although romance wasn't the main point of the book, I though Shannon did a great job of depicting unrequited love and the experience aspecs have of trying to have sex but not really wanting it. Paige is definitely on the ace spectrum somewhere.
You all know I love a good revolution story, and this is just the beginning of a big one! Definitely looking forward to the rest of the books.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Torture, Slavery, and Murder
Moderate: Sexual assault
Minor: Sexual content
bookishchef's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Okay. So.
Up until about 60-70% of this book, I was ready to give it five stars.
I absolutely loved it.
But then it slowly but steadily started shitting the bed.
1. The gold cord plot point thing came out of nowhere and was never really explained. It just seemed like a convenient plot device that did not feel like it belonged in the grim world the author has created.
2. The rebound turned SA scene was completely unnecessary, and seemed like a weird attempt to bestow the main character with more trauma than she already had (and make her be pitied by Warden and the reader).
3. Loss of virginity being described as "an uppercut to the stomach". I hate this trope so much. No, having sex for the first time does not feel like dying. It might hurt (for many people it does not even do that). But it won't feel like being torn in half god dammit.
The average period cramp feels way way way worse unless you have a medical condition like vaginismus.
4. The main character falling in love with her captor/slave master does not sit quite right with me. Even if he treated her nicely, that is still a weird power inbalance that should never lead to a relationship.
5. Teenagers falling for century old creatures just makes me roll my eyes at this point. It weirds me out a bit, and it has been done so so so many times at this point.
Maybe I could deal with it if both characters seemed to be at the same level mentally, but Warden is practically a deity compared to Paige. Not immortal, but infinitely more intelligent and quite obviously so so so much older (and not to forget, her literal owner). From the way he behaves, to the way he speaks: it has middle aged man dating teenager vibes.
So yeah. This was a fun but very mixed bag. I ordered book 2 when I was about 60% into the book because I was sure I would love it at that point. But now that love has become a begrudging like.
I enjoyed this book for the most part, but some things cannot be unseen once you see them.
Up until about 60-70% of this book, I was ready to give it five stars.
I absolutely loved it.
But then it slowly but steadily started shitting the bed.
2. The rebound turned SA scene was completely unnecessary, and seemed like a weird attempt to bestow the main character with more trauma than she already had (and make her be pitied by Warden and the reader).
3. Loss of virginity being described as "an uppercut to the stomach". I hate this trope so much. No, having sex for the first time does not feel like dying. It might hurt (for many people it does not even do that). But it won't feel like being torn in half god dammit.
The average period cramp feels way way way worse unless you have a medical condition like vaginismus.
4. The main character falling in love with her captor/slave master does not sit quite right with me. Even if he treated her nicely, that is still a weird power inbalance that should never lead to a relationship.
5. Teenagers falling for century old creatures just makes me roll my eyes at this point. It weirds me out a bit, and it has been done so so so many times at this point.
Maybe I could deal with it if both characters seemed to be at the same level mentally, but Warden is practically a deity compared to Paige. Not immortal, but infinitely more intelligent and quite obviously so so so much older (and not to forget, her literal owner). From the way he behaves, to the way he speaks: it has middle aged man dating teenager vibes.
So yeah. This was a fun but very mixed bag. I ordered book 2 when I was about 60% into the book because I was sure I would love it at that point. But now that love has become a begrudging like.
I enjoyed this book for the most part, but some things cannot be unseen once you see them.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Slavery, and Violence
Moderate: Child death, Classism, Cursing, Kidnapping, Murder, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Animal cruelty, Gun violence, Police brutality, and Torture
readandfindout's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
3.25
Style/writing: 3 stars
Themes: 2 stars
Characters: 4 stars
Plot: 4 stars
Worldbuilding: 3.5 stars
Themes: 2 stars
Characters: 4 stars
Plot: 4 stars
Worldbuilding: 3.5 stars
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Confinement, Physical abuse, Torture, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Murder, Police brutality, Child death, Emotional abuse, Gore, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Sexual assault and Gun violence
ashfantastic98's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Murder
Moderate: Sexual assault
glenfleskie's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This book had more potential than it had anything else. Cool ideas, okay execution.
Spoiler for end-is of bookI hate hate hate it when the main character 19 year old girl falls in love with her 200 year old 'master'. Talk about a power imbalance. c'mon, there are humans right there if you want a love interest ,
also minor quibble: it's Éirinn go Brách or Erin go Bragh, not Erie go brah.
Spoiler for end-is of book
also minor quibble: it's Éirinn go Brách or Erin go Bragh, not Erie go brah.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Physical abuse, Slavery, Torture, Xenophobia, Death, and Gun violence
Moderate: Police brutality and Sexual assault
Minor: Drug use
lovelanie's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Gore, Grief, Kidnapping, Police brutality, Slavery, Torture, Trafficking, and Violence
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Confinement, Genocide, Gun violence, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, and Vomit