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mmidi's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Trafficking, War, Gun violence, Slavery, Xenophobia, Torture, and Physical abuse
loquaciousleon's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-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
5.0
Easily became one of my favorite books of all time. Captivating world-building, and personal connection to the characters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Trafficking, Violence, Confinement, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Slavery, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Drug use, Blood, Death, Deportation, Addiction, and Classism
nerdybookqueen's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
TW for holocaust mention, racism mention
The only reason I didn't DNF this is I had nothing else to read.
I remember mostly enjoying Priory, so I thought I would try the author's other series. I regret doing so.
There is something...very icky about a white woman writing a narrative of other white people becoming slaves/having segregation, combined with, as I saw one other reviewer point out, the fact their "masters" were POC. Gross. One of the rare times I wish I could say "no" to there being a diverse cast.
Combine that with the whole "striped of a name and replaced with a number that is branded into her, where she and others like her have to work to survive until they die or are killed?" That sounds an awful lot like a historical event that maybe shouldn't be copied as a plot point by a Christian (or at least raised Christian) author. (She mentions this in response to an anon on her tumblr)
Added to this mess is the fact that her two love interest options are a human man who was an adult when she was like 6, or the man who OWNS her, invades her mind and manipulates the shit out of her, so we have some stunning love interest options here. But clearly it's okay because he calls her by her name and feeds her. The bar is in hell. And maybe it was just because I was so skeeved out but the options, but the romance was also just suddenly there?
Beyond that, the plot was really not that exciting, the writing was a bit too dense, with a lot of info dumping and a lot of jumping back and forth in time without clear distinction which drives me nuts. I had trouble tracking what was going on, there were several times I had to reread parts and figure out what was happening.
I will not be reading the rest of the series, and I may need to reread and reassess Priory as well.
The only reason I didn't DNF this is I had nothing else to read.
I remember mostly enjoying Priory, so I thought I would try the author's other series. I regret doing so.
There is something...very icky about a white woman writing a narrative of other white people becoming slaves/having segregation, combined with, as I saw one other reviewer point out, the fact their "masters" were POC. Gross. One of the rare times I wish I could say "no" to there being a diverse cast.
Combine that with the whole "striped of a name and replaced with a number that is branded into her, where she and others like her have to work to survive until they die or are killed?" That sounds an awful lot like a historical event that maybe shouldn't be copied as a plot point by a Christian (or at least raised Christian) author. (She mentions this in response to an anon on her tumblr)
Added to this mess is the fact that her two love interest options are a human man who was an adult when she was like 6, or the man who OWNS her, invades her mind and manipulates the shit out of her, so we have some stunning love interest options here. But clearly it's okay because he calls her by her name and feeds her. The bar is in hell. And maybe it was just because I was so skeeved out but the options, but the romance was also just suddenly there?
Beyond that, the plot was really not that exciting, the writing was a bit too dense, with a lot of info dumping and a lot of jumping back and forth in time without clear distinction which drives me nuts. I had trouble tracking what was going on, there were several times I had to reread parts and figure out what was happening.
I will not be reading the rest of the series, and I may need to reread and reassess Priory as well.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Racism, Death, Murder, Confinement, Kidnapping, Trafficking, Violence, and Antisemitism
Moderate: Gaslighting, Blood, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Drug use, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Addiction, Fire/Fire injury, and Police brutality
katievallin's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
inspiring
mysterious
tense
medium-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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Violence, War, Physical abuse, Slavery, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Child death, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Police brutality, Blood, Bullying, Drug use, Murder, and Death
Moderate: Colonisation, Domestic abuse, Alcohol, Medical content, and Trafficking
Minor: Vomit, Torture, Addiction, and Death of parent
tlaynejones's review
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation, Violence, Trafficking, Torture, Slavery, Murder, Classism, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, and Physical abuse
risaleel's review against another edition
adventurous
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? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Torture, Kidnapping, Classism, Blood, Body horror, Colonisation, Violence, Death, Slavery, and Gore
Moderate: Confinement, Gun violence, and Trafficking
Minor: Sexual content, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, Mental illness, and Physical abuse
nolalee's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-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? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Murder, Blood, Forced institutionalization, Confinement, and Gun violence
Moderate: Sexual content, Trafficking, Vomit, Drug use, and Medical content
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
stwriter92's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This book was recommended to me by my flatmate, who ended up loving it so much that she bought the entire series (sans the fourth book, which she will be getting soon). I already had another book by Samantha Shannon on my TBR list (The Priory of the Orange Tree), and decided that this would be a good way to see her writing style before I dived into that behemoth of a book.
The series takes part in the year 2059 during an alternate reality in which those who can use clairvoyant powers (voyants) are persecuted by those that cannot. Our protagonist, Paige, is one of the rarest and most hunted form of voyants: a dreamwalker. She can break into the dreamscapes of other people, and does so at the behest of her employer and head of the Seven Dials (a criminal voyant underworld gang) to gather information on other gang leaders. However, the inevitable happens and Paige is found out, kidnapped, and taken to a place that does not exist on any maps. A penal colony where she is taken as a slave to an otherworldly race called the Rephaite. She is assigned to Warden, a higher up and consort of the Queen Nashira. Paige must use her wits, her resources, and help from unexpected quarters to escape a life of eternal slavery to the ruthless Queen.
There were many things I loved about this book. The characters were well written and fleshed out really well. I actually cared for the characters and found myself second guessing others. I could feel everything the characters were feeling, which of course meant I had my heart ripped out of my chest on more than one occasion. I could feel the homesickness Paige felt as well as the distrust she felt towards he captors. I was also a fan of the worldbuilding. I thought it was very interesting to see that each of the criminal sectors in London were sort of “stuck” in the era they were created. It made for a very interesting mesh of Victorian slang, fashion, an mannerisms with the technology of the modern world.
This book was definitely a page turner and I oftentimes could not put it down. I am really looking forward to starting the second book soon. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of dystopian fantasy, found family tropes, and the feeling of getting one’s heart unceremoniously ripped out and stomped on.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery, Death, War, Violence, Trafficking, Injury/Injury detail, and Gore
Moderate: Physical abuse, Police brutality, and Kidnapping
alexa1804's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-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
Diversity: An #ownvoices book with notable diversity, given that the main character is queer and Irish (although her queerness has not been explicitly revealed in this book of the series), and two major characters are gay. Additionally, the series so far as book four has also included a Deaf signing character, a character who uses they/them pronouns, strong LOTE (language other than English) inclusion, and an increasingly ethnically diverse range of characters. The author has publicly identified as a queer person with a disability.
Paige is a rare type of clairvoyant, living under a repressive regime that actively hunts down people like her, with special abilities stemming from an intimate connection with the aether. For protection, she has joined a criminal underworld of clairvoyants and has worked her way up to being the heir of a powerful mime lord, Jaxon Hall. A simple ride on the London underground leads to her being detected by night vigiles, and soon she is captured and sent off to a concentration camp in the abandoned city of Oxford. Her captivity leads to discoveries about the true nature of Scion, and the otherworldly race that lingers in the shadows. Her escape becomes contingent on a rebellion.
I first bought this book as a signed copy when it was first released in stores as a paperback, drawn in by its vibrant cover and its promise of a fast-paced fantasy adventure. I was living at home at the time, and my mum had called my teenage self out on my slobby housework in my room. True to the nature of a strict parent, I was not going to be in her good graces until it was clean. My ADHD brain rebelled, and all I know is come sunset, I was turning the last pages of a book I'd started early that morning to avoid cleaning (the room wasn't cleaned that day, go figure). Paige, the clairvoyant criminal underworld, the strange futuristic London she lived in, and diving into a mystery that was fanning the flames of a rebellion had swept me away and left me reeling. I may have been sucked in for a day, but I would have to wait two years for the next book, a few more for the next two, and the wait continues.
It goes without saying that a book (or series) that has held my attention (poor as it often is) for almost a decade and counting would sit amongst my favourites. Naturally, it seemed a wonderful choice for fulfilling one of the prompts for the Reading Women Challenge 2021 to "reread a favourite", and the reread of this and the second and third instalments proved to be vital revision for the release of book four earlier this year. I personally love it. I've been sitting here working myself into a headache trying to decide its flaws so that I can write a balanced review, but based on my experience, I reckon its bloody perfect. With that said, I gave a copy of this book to one of my closest bookish friends, and she's almost finished it. I asked for her impression to aid with the writing of this review, and she felt that it is worth noting that the world building and characters are quite complicated, and the set up required at the start to explain everything from the authoritarian republic of Scion and its history, the underworld, the orders of clairvoyance, and Sheol I are substantial. I would agree with this assessment. If the reader is able to be patient as this information is revealed, and hold onto these different threads as the story unfolds, it will come together. It does, however, remove it as a candidate for relaxing and breezy fantastical fiction lists. Another warning is that this book, and increasingly so in the series, is quite violent, and I have advised of a number of content warnings. Overall, as a dystopian fantasy novel set in real world locations and from an author becoming increasingly comfortable expressing her queer identity in her writing, The Bone Season is a highly original and excellently written contribution to the genre. It will have you cheering, holding your breath, crying, and screaming through a roller coaster ride of a mystery where nothing will turn out quite as you expect.
Recommended for: Dystopian lovers, those who want an inventive alternative to tired fantasy tropes, readers on board for an unpredictable adventure, and older teens and adults who value a queer-friendly story set-up.
Paige is a rare type of clairvoyant, living under a repressive regime that actively hunts down people like her, with special abilities stemming from an intimate connection with the aether. For protection, she has joined a criminal underworld of clairvoyants and has worked her way up to being the heir of a powerful mime lord, Jaxon Hall. A simple ride on the London underground leads to her being detected by night vigiles, and soon she is captured and sent off to a concentration camp in the abandoned city of Oxford. Her captivity leads to discoveries about the true nature of Scion, and the otherworldly race that lingers in the shadows. Her escape becomes contingent on a rebellion.
I first bought this book as a signed copy when it was first released in stores as a paperback, drawn in by its vibrant cover and its promise of a fast-paced fantasy adventure. I was living at home at the time, and my mum had called my teenage self out on my slobby housework in my room. True to the nature of a strict parent, I was not going to be in her good graces until it was clean. My ADHD brain rebelled, and all I know is come sunset, I was turning the last pages of a book I'd started early that morning to avoid cleaning (the room wasn't cleaned that day, go figure). Paige, the clairvoyant criminal underworld, the strange futuristic London she lived in, and diving into a mystery that was fanning the flames of a rebellion had swept me away and left me reeling. I may have been sucked in for a day, but I would have to wait two years for the next book, a few more for the next two, and the wait continues.
It goes without saying that a book (or series) that has held my attention (poor as it often is) for almost a decade and counting would sit amongst my favourites. Naturally, it seemed a wonderful choice for fulfilling one of the prompts for the Reading Women Challenge 2021 to "reread a favourite", and the reread of this and the second and third instalments proved to be vital revision for the release of book four earlier this year. I personally love it. I've been sitting here working myself into a headache trying to decide its flaws so that I can write a balanced review, but based on my experience, I reckon its bloody perfect. With that said, I gave a copy of this book to one of my closest bookish friends, and she's almost finished it. I asked for her impression to aid with the writing of this review, and she felt that it is worth noting that the world building and characters are quite complicated, and the set up required at the start to explain everything from the authoritarian republic of Scion and its history, the underworld, the orders of clairvoyance, and Sheol I are substantial. I would agree with this assessment. If the reader is able to be patient as this information is revealed, and hold onto these different threads as the story unfolds, it will come together. It does, however, remove it as a candidate for relaxing and breezy fantastical fiction lists. Another warning is that this book, and increasingly so in the series, is quite violent, and I have advised of a number of content warnings. Overall, as a dystopian fantasy novel set in real world locations and from an author becoming increasingly comfortable expressing her queer identity in her writing, The Bone Season is a highly original and excellently written contribution to the genre. It will have you cheering, holding your breath, crying, and screaming through a roller coaster ride of a mystery where nothing will turn out quite as you expect.
Recommended for: Dystopian lovers, those who want an inventive alternative to tired fantasy tropes, readers on board for an unpredictable adventure, and older teens and adults who value a queer-friendly story set-up.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Colonisation, Physical abuse, War, Trafficking, and Slavery
Minor: Genocide