Reviews

The Bone Shard War by Andrea Stewart

readravereview's review against another edition

adventurous emotional lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I enjoyed this final instalment to the Drowning Empire series. It’s the biggest one of the series and as with all the books in this series, I’ve really enjoyed the worldbuilding and politics this world has to offer. It really feels like a lived in world and the politics are so important to the progression of the plot in this one! 

There’s no new additions to the characters in this one, just the characters we’ve got to know through the series and how they’re going to settle their disputes. I loved Lin and Jovis - and especially Mephi as I have in all the previous books. I enjoyed the character exploration we got of Nisong and Ranami in this one too, but I would have loved more exploration of our ‘bad’ characters Dione and Ragan. 

The plot of this final book sort of stays at a steady pace up until the end. I enjoyed how all the politics came into play and how we finally got reveals that have been planted in the rest of the series, such as what’s causing the islands to sink. I really loved the atmosphere of this series, but as a final book in a series, it didn’t blow me away. It gave me a fairly satisfying, bittersweet ending but it felt like a lot of build up that was then over in a flash. 

I’m excited to see what Andrea Stewart has in store for her new series starting later this year, I’m hoping she’ll grow even further as a writer now she’s completed this initial series ☺️

scipulchre's review against another edition

adventurous 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

4.25

zogs's review against another edition

mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.5

faithoover's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny mysterious 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? It's complicated

4.0

grimmgay's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful tense fast-paced

jessicacragg's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious 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? It's complicated

3.5

matthew_pawlyszyn's review against another edition

adventurous medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

elisenoga's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful 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? It's complicated

4.0

allivenger's review against another edition

5.0

I loved this book. Sometimes you get a series that’s so strong throughout only to crap out at the end of the line. This book did not do that. It was a labor of love to get through but worth it at the end.

This book takes place two years after the events of the boneshard emperor and alot has changed. Lin is still struggling with keeping the empire together without using Whitstone while also trying to solve the mystery of the Alanga. Jovis is presumably dead after trying to rescue mephi from Kaphra. And Phalue and Ranami are flourishing on their island. But beneath the surface Ragan is plotting with Nisong and Dione is still hellbent on the empires destruction.

I think the series ended wonderfully. All of your questions about the islands and the alanga are answered. And all of our favorite characters come to a head in this epic finale. If you loved the first two books you’ll love this ones as well. It was beautifully written and a perfect ending.

malignantcactus's review against another edition

3.0

It's good, a serviceable ending to the series. War (and Emperor, for that matter) do not live up to the promise that The Bone Shard Daughter left for me. The questions I had were answered, I just didn't like the answer very much. And then there are questions I think should have been answered that weren't.

None of the villains are comparable at all to Shiyen Sukai. Ragan, Dione, and Nisong all come across as petulant children as opposed to strong, oppressive villains. Nisong does probably have the best arc in the trilogy, though. Weird, right?

I dunno, books 2 and 3 are good, just not great like the debut. Maybe others will get more out of this than me.