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3.63 AVERAGE
3.63 AVERAGE
Hmmm, I'm a bit torn on this one. I think for me it's ultimately a 3.5. The cover art gets a full 5 stars though, omg.
Aside from some grammatical issues that I hope will be edited out, the world-building felt lazy. I feel like Chupeco spent so much energy in crafting Tea & supporting characters that everything else became a convenient mish-mash of stuff that was inspired by (and, in many cases, entirely appropriated from) Earth cultures. I'm simply not impressed by Earth-sim fantasy worlds anymore, so this was disappointing.
On top of that, there's very little action in this book. It's clear from early on that this is meant to be the first book in a series, but going through page after page of exposition is just tedious! There are pages upon pages describing (in detail) the variety of fabric designs used in huas made for Tea, the dazzling array of hair combs, etc. etc. & I just...
It's doubly irritating because - again, as stated before, this is the first book in a series - there's little payoff at the end for all this.
There IS a great action moment & plot twist at the end, and the characters Chupeco creates are unique and diverse. I think this series has potential, but this first book left me lukewarm.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC!
I think I just need to quit YA fantasy forever. It's never good. Somehow, the writing always feels like it's trying too hard to be fantasy, and this book is no exception. The writing never flows naturally, it's a chore to get through. On top of that, the little bard chapters between the story chapters make it feel weirdly like some pulp/teen magazine interview, and that doesn't mesh well with the pompous 'look at me being high fantasy' writing style at all. Didn't get far enough in to really say something about the story, maybe that would have been a saving grace, but I just can't be bothered.
Really enjoyed this as a whole. I think the whole world, slightly borrowed from Geishas and having a very vague rune magic system gives you a bit of familiarity.
Truly magical! From the first few pages my mind was captivated by the world in which Tea lives. My heart ached for her losses, and rejoiced with her triumphs. I was, figuratively, sitting on the edge of my seat throughout. In a world that reminds me of the geisha I itched to learn more about the culture of these kingdoms. I look forward to a sequel and am dying (ironic I know) to see how it will continue on.
adventurous
dark
sad
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
It was true that I was born at the height of an eclipse, when the sky closed its only moon eye too wink back at the world, like my arrival was a private joke between old friends. Or perhaps the moon read my fate in the stars and hid, unwilling to bear witness to my birth. It is the kind of cataclysm people associate with bone witches. But surely normal children have been born under this cover of night, when the light refused to shine, and went on live perfectly normal lives?
The Bone Witch is set in a world where people wear their hearts around their neck. It is splendid, breathtaking, and uncharted. I love the fresh folklore and organic mythology Chupeco plaited.
The book is separated by two alternating lenses. The first took place in the past where the narrator recounts how did a small girl from a quaint village become an enigmatic asha. The second took place in the present where the narrator met an exiled asha in the Sea of Skulls, who seems to be hiding dark secrets in the slit of her dress.
We have a main character named, Tea, who accidentally resurrected her dead brother. It came as a surprise to her and her family. She didn’t know she has a tremendous amount of power. She’s a dark asha, a witch, a spellbinder. And, her kind is the strongest of them all. The people in her village, doesn't know how to hone her skills except for the powerful asha, Lady Mykaela, who serves the Kingdom. In order to be her apprentice, Tea had to move away in a faraway territory.
What I loved about this book is the worldbuilding, and the mythology that is attached to it. There’s influences of Zoroastrianism. I’m unfamiliar with the folklore and that’s one of the reasons why I loved it. I love learning new things. I also love the subtleties, and politics. I like it when fantasy books gently infuse sexism, racism, classism, into their plot. I don’t believe that privilege and social ranks will never matter in any setting, whether, it’s fantasy, or contemporary.
Somethings you need to know about this exquisite story:
Firstly, we have a lovely boy that has a silverglass that wants to become an asha, but couldn’t be because it’s only restricted for girls. It stems from the toxic masculinity their culture upholds to.
Secondly, despite being a sword wielding, and a weaver of magic, asha must abide to their traditions. Most of them undergo training to make them more refine, and skilled at standards that are usually considered feminine, such as singing, dancing, mastering the language of flowers, and more. Because even though, they’re powerful within their own, they know they must learn how to coax a patronizing man in order to put him in his place. That’s a power.
Thirdly, we have a girl who is the last thread of dark ashas and she’s reinventing a way to save her kind.
Fourthly, we have an apprentice of the forger of hearts, who has so much to give.
Fifthly, we have a prince who is kind, but seems clueless; and a duke who is overly protective with the said brother.
Sixthly, we have an undead brother who has an unyielding bond with his sister that resurrected him.
Lastly, we have four witch-sisters whose bond has been fortified by time.
This book is a magical ride for me from page one to the last. I can’t wait to read the sequel. There’s countless of unresolved thread needed to be answered.
Review also posted at Hollywood News Source.
The Bone Witch is definitely not a standalone story, but is an excellent teaser for the series. It is heavily focused on building a detailed and robust world, sometimes to excess. The plot is mainly driven by the format of parallel past and present timelines, which is used effectively to build suspense and anticipation, but belies the weakness of the plot in driving itself.
I'm conflicted about stars but I'll give it a 4.
This book was nothing like I ever read before about witches.
But weirdly I liked it.
It was slow paced and did not ended with a bang but nevertheless it ended greatly with a wanting to read the following one.
And I love the confusing two timelines.
If I have to hint anything and really try not to spoil anything for next reader, for me The Bone Witch is an interesting bookcrossing between [b:Memoirs of a Geisha|929|Memoirs of a Geisha|Arthur Golden|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1409595968l/929._SY75_.jpg|1558965], Maddie ([b:Runemarks|633446|Runemarks (Runemarks, #1)|Joanne Harris|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1322757188l/633446._SY75_.jpg|619740]) and Daenerys ([b:A Game of Thrones|409207|A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire, #1)|George R.R. Martin|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1518271740l/409207._SY75_.jpg|1466917]).
I'm really glad I found it. Or did it found me?
This book was nothing like I ever read before about witches.
But weirdly I liked it.
It was slow paced and did not ended with a bang but nevertheless it ended greatly with a wanting to read the following one.
And I love the confusing two timelines.
If I have to hint anything and really try not to spoil anything for next reader, for me The Bone Witch is an interesting bookcrossing between [b:Memoirs of a Geisha|929|Memoirs of a Geisha|Arthur Golden|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1409595968l/929._SY75_.jpg|1558965], Maddie ([b:Runemarks|633446|Runemarks (Runemarks, #1)|Joanne Harris|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1322757188l/633446._SY75_.jpg|619740]) and Daenerys ([b:A Game of Thrones|409207|A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire, #1)|George R.R. Martin|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1518271740l/409207._SY75_.jpg|1466917]).
I'm really glad I found it. Or did it found me?
I really loved this book. So incredibly detailed which can be so awesome! I only gave it a 3 because of the excess of detailing. Sometimes the story was all detail and no plot movement. I will be definitely reading the next book but hopefully the excess details are through.
3 stars is too harsh. 4 is too many. I wish I could give 3.5.
I think my personal downfall was listening to this as an audiobook. Normally audiobooks are fine, but I think I did a disservice by not reading it personally.
My biggest complaint is how abruptly it ended. And there was an attempt at a WTF moment at the end, but it just didn’t work for me. I could tell around the halfway mark that we weren’t going to be given a complete ending, but the quick abruptness with which the book ended and the dramatic shift in tone was just jarring.
I think my personal downfall was listening to this as an audiobook. Normally audiobooks are fine, but I think I did a disservice by not reading it personally.
My biggest complaint is how abruptly it ended. And there was an attempt at a WTF moment at the end, but it just didn’t work for me. I could tell around the halfway mark that we weren’t going to be given a complete ending, but the quick abruptness with which the book ended and the dramatic shift in tone was just jarring.