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4.05 AVERAGE
4.05 AVERAGE
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
4.5/5. Solid debut fantasy that walks the line between YA and "adult" fantasy. The characters are all in their twenties, but all of them have somewhat of a self-discovery/finding one's purpose arc that is the hallmark of YA fiction.
There are 5 POVs in this book--two in first person and three in 3rd--and for the most part they're all enjoyable with sympathetic narrators.
The bone shard magic system is interesting and horrifying and gets more and more so the farther you get in the plot. There are three main mysteries driving the plot:
What happened before Lin lost her memories?
What happened to Jovis' wife?
Who is Sand and how did she end up where she is?
All three get tied up in satisfying ways by the end of the book which makes it possible to read as a standalone alone (although there are plenty of threads for the sequel. Jovis in particular gets a WHAM! line in his last chapter.)
There are 5 POVs in this book--two in first person and three in 3rd--and for the most part they're all enjoyable with sympathetic narrators.
The bone shard magic system is interesting and horrifying and gets more and more so the farther you get in the plot. There are three main mysteries driving the plot:
What happened before Lin lost her memories?
What happened to Jovis' wife?
Who is Sand and how did she end up where she is?
All three get tied up in satisfying ways by the end of the book which makes it possible to read as a standalone alone (although there are plenty of threads for the sequel. Jovis in particular gets a WHAM! line in his last chapter.)
I was NOT expecting this book to be such a good read! I need time to digest, possibly re-read, cleanse my pallet and then I can write a proper review!
I absolutely loved this book! It's compelling, dark, intriguing. Such an immersive read. The magic is very unique. The characters are fantastic. I love Jovis and Mephi. This is one of my new faves. I highly recommend it to anyone who likes fantasy. I'm just sad I have to wait for the next one.
dark
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This was a very entertaining read.
The Bone Shard Daughter is an adult fantasy following four different characters. The main character is Lin, daughter of the emperor and heir to the empire. She lost all her memories due to a mysterious sickness a few years ago and is trying to get them back. Jovis is the second main point of view. Seven years ago his wife disappeared on board a dark boat with blue sails, and he has been hunting it down ever since. Then we have Phalue, a governor’s daughter who found herself in the middle of a conspiracy against the emperor. And finally we have Sand, a woman stranded on a mysterious island.
Writing a book with as many POVs and with each of them telling different stories that intertwine at different times, is no small feat. And Andrea Stewart masters it perfectly! Each character has their own voice and I never once wondered who we were following as the POVs changed with the chapters. It was easy to follow and gives the readers a much broader view of the world.
And what a complex world! Set in an empire, each citizen must give a bone shard to the emperor when they are children. This bone shard is then used to create and power animal-like constructs that will then serve the emperor. I found this magic system very unique and refreshing and it was so interesting to learn about it!
Some POVs have slower arcs than others, creating a difference in pacing between chapters, but it was handled so well that the whole story pacing was perfectly balanced. The slow beginning with the character introductions and world building was well balanced by all the twists and turns of the last chapters.
The Bone Shard Daughter was a very solid debut and I’m really looking forward to discovering more of this world alongside all these fascinating characters. And if you were wondering, yes, Mephi is 80% of the reason why I will read the sequel!
Writing a book with as many POVs and with each of them telling different stories that intertwine at different times, is no small feat. And Andrea Stewart masters it perfectly! Each character has their own voice and I never once wondered who we were following as the POVs changed with the chapters. It was easy to follow and gives the readers a much broader view of the world.
And what a complex world! Set in an empire, each citizen must give a bone shard to the emperor when they are children. This bone shard is then used to create and power animal-like constructs that will then serve the emperor. I found this magic system very unique and refreshing and it was so interesting to learn about it!
Some POVs have slower arcs than others, creating a difference in pacing between chapters, but it was handled so well that the whole story pacing was perfectly balanced. The slow beginning with the character introductions and world building was well balanced by all the twists and turns of the last chapters.
The Bone Shard Daughter was a very solid debut and I’m really looking forward to discovering more of this world alongside all these fascinating characters. And if you were wondering, yes, Mephi is 80% of the reason why I will read the sequel!
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
A little underdeveloped, perhaps. It took me several attempts to pick up this book, but it hooked me by the end.
