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4.05 AVERAGE
4.05 AVERAGE
The Bone Shard Daughter has been on my radar for a few years, but I never got around to picking it up because there was always something newer and shiner coming out. Focusing mainly on two points of view, the daughter of the emperor and a smuggler, the reader is transported to a world of moving islands where each citizen forcibly donates a shard of bone to the emperor to power his constructs. The constructs then slowly drain the life from the citizens.
I always enjoy new fantasy worlds, and this is no exception, so world building is solidly in the plus column. Unfortunately it reads almost a bit YA, with a surface level plot and relatively mediocre character building. As a reader nothing in the plot came as a surprise and I always think "would I really care if these characters died?" and generally the answer is no. Still it was at least entertaining and it fell solidly in the 3.5 star category.
I always enjoy new fantasy worlds, and this is no exception, so world building is solidly in the plus column. Unfortunately it reads almost a bit YA, with a surface level plot and relatively mediocre character building. As a reader nothing in the plot came as a surprise and I always think "would I really care if these characters died?" and generally the answer is no. Still it was at least entertaining and it fell solidly in the 3.5 star category.
This was one of the most beautifully written fantasy books that I have read. The world building and magic system were fascinating (it reminded me of coding!), and the character development and magical creatures had me picking it up several times each day.
I adored the author's use of water throughout the book, and the bond between the characters and certain creatures brought tenderness to the story that played perfectly.
I am eager to dive into book number two.
I adored the author's use of water throughout the book, and the bond between the characters and certain creatures brought tenderness to the story that played perfectly.
I am eager to dive into book number two.
The Bone Shard Daughter is easily one of my favourite fantasy book releases of 2020 so far. And to think it is a debut! Also, can I have the next book ASAP?!!!
Before I begin, let me list down a compact list of reasons you absolutely need to read this book!
A unique magic system powered by bone shards
An established, honest and very real f/f romance
Variety of intriguing magical creatures, ranging from adorable to fatally dangerous
Powerful, bold and fiery female protagonists
Themes of revolution and justice
Now that I have gotten you interested (I hope), lets about the plot! The Bone Shard Daughter is complex tale of an empire run by constructs, which are magical creatures created and controlled by the Emperor and fueled by the bone shards and life energy of the general public. Faced with the emperor’s apathy for his people and the widespread social injustice, Lin, his daughter, tries to win his respect and approval and ascend to the throne. At the same time, Ranami, a xx, is trying to do her part in helping the destitute farmers and making her partner Phalue, the Governer’s daughter, understand their plight, while somewhere in the endless Sea, Jovis is trying to find his wife. On yet another island, Sand is unsure about what she is doing collecting mangoes on the lonely island of Maila in the first place…
As you can see, this intricately carved tale has multiple characters exploring and bringing forth many facets of the ‘Drowning Empire’. Though it medium-paced and highly character-oriented, there is not a single dull moment in the plot. The tension and intrigue built by Stewart keeps the atmosphere taut with suspense makes you constantly wanting to know more. There are good number of twists and turns, many that made me gasp in surprise! In spite of having five PoVs, the narration is crisp, lucid and confusion-free, the characters and their stories fleshed out in a detailed manner.
Lets talk about the characters (literally the make-or-break parameter for me in any high fantasy)! If you haven’t noticed yet, the diversity quotient among characters is admirable. While Lin and Jovis’ storyline had more action and adventure, the relationship between Ranami and Phalue provided a very thought-provoking insight into the inevitable effect of social class and economic background on the world-view and relationship between two people. I laud Andrea Stewart for presenting such a balanced viewpoint to the entire conflict.
While the world-building is not as extensive and detailed as one would expect from a high fantasy, the entire bone shard magic system is extensively written about and very interesting to read. There is a perfect balance of magic, mystery, suspense and emotion. Andrea’s prose does perfect justice to the stunning plot, breathing life into each scene, be it the sights and smells of a coastal village or the opulence and infinite mysteries of the Emperor’s palace.
The ending is satisfying and neatly wrapped up without any pesky loose threads, but with more than enough potential for a glorious sequel. Overall, The Bone Shard Daughter is a must-read, especially for fans of high fantasy.
Disclaimer: I received a digital advance review copy of this book from the publisher (Orbit) via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Before I begin, let me list down a compact list of reasons you absolutely need to read this book!
A unique magic system powered by bone shards
An established, honest and very real f/f romance
Variety of intriguing magical creatures, ranging from adorable to fatally dangerous
Powerful, bold and fiery female protagonists
Themes of revolution and justice
Now that I have gotten you interested (I hope), lets about the plot! The Bone Shard Daughter is complex tale of an empire run by constructs, which are magical creatures created and controlled by the Emperor and fueled by the bone shards and life energy of the general public. Faced with the emperor’s apathy for his people and the widespread social injustice, Lin, his daughter, tries to win his respect and approval and ascend to the throne. At the same time, Ranami, a xx, is trying to do her part in helping the destitute farmers and making her partner Phalue, the Governer’s daughter, understand their plight, while somewhere in the endless Sea, Jovis is trying to find his wife. On yet another island, Sand is unsure about what she is doing collecting mangoes on the lonely island of Maila in the first place…
As you can see, this intricately carved tale has multiple characters exploring and bringing forth many facets of the ‘Drowning Empire’. Though it medium-paced and highly character-oriented, there is not a single dull moment in the plot. The tension and intrigue built by Stewart keeps the atmosphere taut with suspense makes you constantly wanting to know more. There are good number of twists and turns, many that made me gasp in surprise! In spite of having five PoVs, the narration is crisp, lucid and confusion-free, the characters and their stories fleshed out in a detailed manner.
Lets talk about the characters (literally the make-or-break parameter for me in any high fantasy)! If you haven’t noticed yet, the diversity quotient among characters is admirable. While Lin and Jovis’ storyline had more action and adventure, the relationship between Ranami and Phalue provided a very thought-provoking insight into the inevitable effect of social class and economic background on the world-view and relationship between two people. I laud Andrea Stewart for presenting such a balanced viewpoint to the entire conflict.
While the world-building is not as extensive and detailed as one would expect from a high fantasy, the entire bone shard magic system is extensively written about and very interesting to read. There is a perfect balance of magic, mystery, suspense and emotion. Andrea’s prose does perfect justice to the stunning plot, breathing life into each scene, be it the sights and smells of a coastal village or the opulence and infinite mysteries of the Emperor’s palace.
The ending is satisfying and neatly wrapped up without any pesky loose threads, but with more than enough potential for a glorious sequel. Overall, The Bone Shard Daughter is a must-read, especially for fans of high fantasy.
Disclaimer: I received a digital advance review copy of this book from the publisher (Orbit) via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
The Bone Shard Daughter reminded me of Five Broken Blades. I felt the writing was similar, both books had multiple perspectives, and unique magic and plots.
I was a bit confused my the multiple POVs, mainly because I listened to the book, but once I got into it, I really enjoyed the book. The magic system is really unique and I was honestly suprised multiple times at the turn of events! I will be reading the next in the series once it comes through on Libby.
I was a bit confused my the multiple POVs, mainly because I listened to the book, but once I got into it, I really enjoyed the book. The magic system is really unique and I was honestly suprised multiple times at the turn of events! I will be reading the next in the series once it comes through on Libby.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
medium-paced
Up front warning: the story doesn't end! You'll have to read at least book 2, which had a very different feel - I didn't finish it.
But THIS book: I liked it quite a bit! Sword and emperor magic fantasy, but the magic is creating little constructs and embuying them with life, which was an interesting take. Also, there are baby dragons.
It follows three characters, and the book switches between them - a smuggler, a girl on a magic island, and a girl who is next in line to be emperor IF she can master the magic. All three characters had totally different storylines which were eventually woven together.
It’s an intricate plot and a big world- each character was fleshed out - even the side characters were fleshed out!
But: Are you good at guessing stories? I figured out all the big reveals halfway through the book, so spent around an hour thinking “ugh now I just have to wait for THEM to figure it out”. But, then I got over it because the story was interesting enough that it was fun to see how they went about doing it. But there was about an hour where I was like “Maybe I should fast forward?”
But do note this is not a standalone book! It ended enough that it wrapped up most of the book’s plot but the overall story isn’t done unless you read the others (worth noting that it’s a trilogy and the third one isn't out as of writing this).
Spoilers overview of trilogy:
But THIS book: I liked it quite a bit! Sword and emperor magic fantasy, but the magic is creating little constructs and embuying them with life, which was an interesting take. Also, there are baby dragons.
It follows three characters, and the book switches between them - a smuggler, a girl on a magic island, and a girl who is next in line to be emperor IF she can master the magic. All three characters had totally different storylines which were eventually woven together.
It’s an intricate plot and a big world- each character was fleshed out - even the side characters were fleshed out!
But: Are you good at guessing stories? I figured out all the big reveals halfway through the book, so spent around an hour thinking “ugh now I just have to wait for THEM to figure it out”. But, then I got over it because the story was interesting enough that it was fun to see how they went about doing it. But there was about an hour where I was like “Maybe I should fast forward?”
But do note this is not a standalone book! It ended enough that it wrapped up most of the book’s plot but the overall story isn’t done unless you read the others (worth noting that it’s a trilogy and the third one isn't out as of writing this).
Spoilers overview of trilogy:
Spoiler
I think the trilogy structure will be similar to the mistborn plot: this ends with her becoming emperor (not a spoiler since it’s literally the title of the next book); the next book deals with her trying to put the empire in order and stopping all the others that want the throne; the third book (not yet out) is supposed to deal with the actual war. But, again, I didn't want a political book, so I didn't make it far into the second one.
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
OMG OMG OMG!!! This has quickly become one of my favorite fantasies! This book was so fast paced and the political intrigue was so well done. I usually don't love politics but this book ha dme hooked on all the politics! I can't begin to tell you how amazing this book was! I have already purchased book #2! lol how i am supposed to wait until 2023 for book 3! SOOO GOOD!!!