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nee_cole's review against another edition
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
It wasn't the book for me, but I enjoyed the ending.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Transphobia
brookieblue's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
It’s SO weirdly paced. It’s a world building book with little to no action until the very end. I didn’t like the main character, who had no growth but could suddenly Mary Sue her way out of a dangerous situation. She was a coward and complained and whined the whole time, and I got so annoyed with her I almost quit this book. I will not be continuing, although the world could be interesting enough, if it was explained AT ALL. The characters are not fleshed out, the story is convoluted, and the world is confusing.
Also, the audiobook is terrible. DO NOT LISTEN TO IT.
Also, the audiobook is terrible. DO NOT LISTEN TO IT.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, and Death
jupiterlee's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
As morbid as it sounds, I am a sucker for any novel that includes "death" magic.
However, I will admit that there was not a massive amount of it in this novel, but I am willing to put that down to the first novel world building.
This is the first time (I believe) that I have read a book that alternatives between past and present narrative. I found that this kept my interest peaked because you begin to wonder things when reading the present narrative, and you start to wonder if maybe Tea is the villain of the story. However, I did find it slightly confusing as not only was the present time from a different perspective but at times it was all just too much to continuously try and wrap my head around: the different names of the dark items, the different names of the creatures that the dark asha are trained to put down, what each heartglass means and the colours associated with emotions, and the various names of places and people at times was just too much for my head to remember who was who and what the creatures were (but I supposed you can argue that that is not all that important, but it can be frustrating when you cannot visual what you are reading).
I do think that a glossary at the bad with heart glass colours and emotions would have been extremely helpful (others might have found this easier to understand than I did but at times I just gave up remember what silver heartglasses meant and what the colours displayed in them was supposed to represent).
Another thing I will admit is that, for me, it was a very slow paces book, which I am not a massive fan of. While I understand that chapters on Tea's classes and her struggles as a novice are there to build character, I felt that it could be underwhelming at times and it made me not so eager to pick up the book when I had the time.
I will certainly be picking up the next novel due to the ending and the facts that were revealed, but I hope that we get to see Tea using more of her magic and her mischievous nature (which it seems we may with what the information she has decided to withhold from others in the last few chapters). I will also be interested to see what happens with two characters :- one that seems to have went from her forever ally to her enemy, and one that seems to have went from her forever enemy to her ally!
However, I will admit that there was not a massive amount of it in this novel, but I am willing to put that down to the first novel world building.
This is the first time (I believe) that I have read a book that alternatives between past and present narrative. I found that this kept my interest peaked because you begin to wonder things when reading the present narrative, and you start to wonder if maybe Tea is the villain of the story. However, I did find it slightly confusing as not only was the present time from a different perspective but at times it was all just too much to continuously try and wrap my head around: the different names of the dark items, the different names of the creatures that the dark asha are trained to put down, what each heartglass means and the colours associated with emotions, and the various names of places and people at times was just too much for my head to remember who was who and what the creatures were (but I supposed you can argue that that is not all that important, but it can be frustrating when you cannot visual what you are reading).
I do think that a glossary at the bad with heart glass colours and emotions would have been extremely helpful (others might have found this easier to understand than I did but at times I just gave up remember what silver heartglasses meant and what the colours displayed in them was supposed to represent).
Another thing I will admit is that, for me, it was a very slow paces book, which I am not a massive fan of. While I understand that chapters on Tea's classes and her struggles as a novice are there to build character, I felt that it could be underwhelming at times and it made me not so eager to pick up the book when I had the time.
I will certainly be picking up the next novel due to the ending and the facts that were revealed, but I hope that we get to see Tea using more of her magic and her mischievous nature (which it seems we may with what the information she has decided to withhold from others in the last few chapters). I will also be interested to see what happens with two characters :- one that seems to have went from her forever ally to her enemy, and one that seems to have went from her forever enemy to her ally!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Animal death, War, and Violence
Minor: Bullying
aura_rurubele's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
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
4.5
This book is so sweet and I love exploring Tea's training, as slow as it may be it builds up beautifully and I'm always so excited to for following chapter. The ending is such a twist and I can't wait to read the sequel.
I love the way we explore a young girl's mind in the midst of such chaos and madness. I also love her relationship with her big brother, they're the perfect pair, so to find out what happens in the next book is absolutely heartbreaking.
It's absolutely unfathomable to me that they severed their bond and he's no longer her familiar, they adore each other, it depresses me greatly, what also shocks me is that KALEN DIES AND HE ENDS UP BEING HER LOVER?!? I really want to see how this relationship develops because it's a pure enemies to lovers, that was so shocking.
In other words, this book has phenomenal world building and beautiful descriptive language of all of scenery. It's not particularly over whelming and perfectly positioned to help us gain a sense of this beautiful and dangerous world. The ending is such a plot twist though, goodness I'm still in shock!
Essentially I love this book! Rin Chupeco is officially my favourite Chinese Filipino author, probably my favourite YA author next to Cassie Cassidy.
I love the way we explore a young girl's mind in the midst of such chaos and madness. I also love her relationship with her big brother, they're the perfect pair, so to find out what happens in the next book is absolutely heartbreaking.
In other words, this book has phenomenal world building and beautiful descriptive language of all of scenery. It's not particularly over whelming and perfectly positioned to help us gain a sense of this beautiful and dangerous world. The ending is such a plot twist though, goodness I'm still in shock!
Essentially I love this book! Rin Chupeco is officially my favourite Chinese Filipino author, probably my favourite YA author next to Cassie Cassidy.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Sexism, and War
Minor: Xenophobia
ashleycmms's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
Angie don’t look at this.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Xenophobia, Death, Grief, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Transphobia
britgirlreading's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
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
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Misogyny
Minor: Alcohol and Body horror
ariel790's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
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
4.25
This book is about a girl named Tea. Tea experiences loss and then has a re-birth that is comparable of Daenerys Targaryen's of Game of Thrones. Done by trial by fire with everyone questioning her motives. Tea is similar to the beauty and cleverness Daenerys has, but I think is so much stronger. I thoroughly enjoyed this tail of her beginnings, with a glimpse of the terror she may wrought in the future.
Rin Chupeco kept an easy pace with enough detail to imagine Tea's world with ease. Although, not a unique technique, I did enjoy Tea's humble beginning told as if in the past while jumping back to the present at the end of each chapter. This gave a sense of mystery to be solved in how Tea ended up exiled. While this wasn't revealed, enough to keep Tea interesting is. Looking forward to book 2.
Rin Chupeco kept an easy pace with enough detail to imagine Tea's world with ease. Although, not a unique technique, I did enjoy Tea's humble beginning told as if in the past while jumping back to the present at the end of each chapter. This gave a sense of mystery to be solved in how Tea ended up exiled. While this wasn't revealed, enough to keep Tea interesting is. Looking forward to book 2.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, Emotional abuse, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: War and Bullying
Minor: Animal death, Terminal illness, and Violence
ofbooksandechos's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, and Blood
Moderate: Sexism
Minor: Grief and Bullying
caseofspades's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-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
4.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Death, and Violence
nytephoenyx's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
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? It's complicated
3.75
The Bone Witch is an immediately dark and stunning book, filled with powerful characters and a world stubbornly set in its ways. I liked Tea from the early pages of the book, and fell in love with Lady Mykaela the moment she was introduced. As a whole I enjoyed this story, though it is very much a setup story with greater things to come.
I’ve only read one other book (series, really) with the same storytelling style as The Bone Witch – the Kingkiller Chronicle by Patrick Rothfuss. While I think it’s a style that only maintains its charm if used sparingly, I like the way the layers of storytelling peel back history in a race to get to the present. For some people, it’s the end of the book that drives them forward. As a longtime fan of fantasy and especially epic fantasy and magic-driven tales, I am just as interested in the journey as I am in the end. There’s certainly a lot that has happened between fledgling Tea and the graceful, powerful, confident woman we see sharing her story with the bard. How did she come to be? Read more and find out.
While I found it easy to fall into The Bone Witch as I read it, there are parts that have sunk in after completion that leave me a bit aggravated. The biggest of these things is the simplicity with which Tea wields her magic. We only ever see her draw dark runes for something big and powerful. While each incident drains her, she is otherwise left with no consequences for her actions, and although she’s technically in training, we see little to none of this. Tea is all chaos and good fortune in her casting. She does what she wants in life and has no consequences. She’s a “chosen one” trope and while that’s fine… I’m not feeling the struggle she needs to overcome in order to earn her status. It’s a bit of a pet peeve for me when characters essentially snap their fingers and have everything they need. Make me root for Tea because she’s strong and relentless, not just because she’s powerful.
This wasn’t a big enough annoyance to keep me from enjoying the book, but it’s one that I can’t stop thinking about now. There are a lot of moving pieces in The Bone Witch and other characters to be interested in as well – not to mention that I’m always interested in a book about necromancers. Although the term “Dark Asha” is used, in common speak Tea and Lady Mykaela are necromancers. They’re reviled by the other people of the world, or so w’re told. We see a couple instances early in the book where Tea is insulted, but for the most part, the Dark Ashas are revered where this particular book takes place. It’s possible that the prejudice comes into play later in the book, but it’s not something Tea faces frequently or affects her growth in any way. I mention this because a good chunk of the book blurb suggests prejudice takes a larger role than it did in actuality.
The Bone Witch didn’t follow the path I expected. There was more action and less schooling than I anticipated given the early storytelling and the patterns for similar books in this genre. It wasn’t so much surprising as it was extra interesting for this point. The pacing was a little rocky – it starts up steady then speeds up dramatically to the point where I had to go and rewind the audiobook to make sure I didn’t miss something. I don’t know that this would be as much of a concern in the physical copy, but something to be aware of. It’s funny – all the reviews I read said this was slow paced, but I didn’t feel that was the case. Maybe I read a lot of really slow paced books and comparatively this was fine?
I have some criticisms, but I can’t deny The Bone Witch was an interesting book and that I enjoyed it. I liked the threads of darkness that wove through the story, I liked the world, and I liked Tea’s cast of supporting characters. I will be going on to read The Heart Forger. Unless the series goes horribly wrong somewhere – which I doubt – I anticipate enjoying the trilogy and believe The Bone Witch is a book I’d read again. I recommend it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Grief and War