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A review by penandswordinn
Castles in Their Bones by Laura Sebastian
5.0
YALL IM SCREAMING
*Update 8.19.22*
I am always a big fan of multiple points of view. For me, I think it holds my attention a lot more. For another, it gives me a better look at the world or situation the protagonists find themselves in. Granted, sometimes I find myself wanting to read one pov over another, but that is how connecting with characters works.
With Castles in Their Bones, we follow triplet sister princesses, each being shipped off to a kingdom after their sixteenth birthday. While the public thinks they will reunite a fractured continent, each girl is actually a ploy in their mother's plan to take control of everything.
Something I found really fascinating with this story was that I could pinpoint which country represented a real-life one. I will go into more detail about that with each character.
First, let's start with Sophronia. She is the oldest of the triplets and the sweetest. She has been exchanging letters with her betrothed Leopold and has genuinely fallen in love with him. She knows she must do as her mother says, but she thinks everything will turn out right in the end. Sophronia represents Russia with the last Tsar Nicholas and his Tsarina Alexandria. Sophronia does everything she can to make the situation better for her new people, but it backfires each time. I wasn't surprised when she was the first sister to turn on their mother, though her ending was just as tragic as the Romanov's (no specific spoilers, but I cried).
Next, we have Daphne, who is sent to the clan lands in the North. When she arrives, her betrothed has died, and she is given to his bastard brother. Daphne is the one that is the most dedicated to her mother's plans and thinks of herself to be the next empress. In her Scotland-like land, the people don't want a united kingdom and want their independence back. It was interesting to watch Daphne finally come to the conclusion that she was just her mother's pawn and not this beloved daughter she built herself up to be.
Finally, we have Beatriz, who is sent off to a France-like kingdom with a wild court and extravagant fashions. Beatriz is trained to seduce men and have them begging at her feet. But this backfires on her the moment her fiance won't kiss her or even look at her. Though stuck in the palace and its grounds, Beatriz realizes not all is right in this kingdom and the plans her mother made for her. And she soon finds herself being pulled between the love of her sisters and freedom she never had.
I'm going to hop into spoilers real quick, so if you don't want to be spoiled, don't continue on.
What was the Empress' plan when all of her daughters were dead? Sure she would be the overall Empress of the continent, but she would have no heirs to follow after her. Her reign and legacy would end with her last breath. I know this is the first in a trilogy, so I'm curious if there is a secret sibling or possibly some immortality wish that was made.
When Sophronia was executed, I cried. I knew it was coming, but I still held out hope that the empress had some kind of backup wish where Sophronia would appear alive and well, though a prisoner, back in her home. But alas, she lost her head telling her sisters goodbye. I know worry a certain character may die in the sequel, mainly from the title alone.
Overall this was a great read, and I recommend it to all who feel like they are in a book slump right now.
*Update 8.19.22*
I am always a big fan of multiple points of view. For me, I think it holds my attention a lot more. For another, it gives me a better look at the world or situation the protagonists find themselves in. Granted, sometimes I find myself wanting to read one pov over another, but that is how connecting with characters works.
With Castles in Their Bones, we follow triplet sister princesses, each being shipped off to a kingdom after their sixteenth birthday. While the public thinks they will reunite a fractured continent, each girl is actually a ploy in their mother's plan to take control of everything.
Something I found really fascinating with this story was that I could pinpoint which country represented a real-life one. I will go into more detail about that with each character.
First, let's start with Sophronia. She is the oldest of the triplets and the sweetest. She has been exchanging letters with her betrothed Leopold and has genuinely fallen in love with him. She knows she must do as her mother says, but she thinks everything will turn out right in the end. Sophronia represents Russia with the last Tsar Nicholas and his Tsarina Alexandria. Sophronia does everything she can to make the situation better for her new people, but it backfires each time. I wasn't surprised when she was the first sister to turn on their mother, though her ending was just as tragic as the Romanov's (no specific spoilers, but I cried).
Next, we have Daphne, who is sent to the clan lands in the North. When she arrives, her betrothed has died, and she is given to his bastard brother. Daphne is the one that is the most dedicated to her mother's plans and thinks of herself to be the next empress. In her Scotland-like land, the people don't want a united kingdom and want their independence back. It was interesting to watch Daphne finally come to the conclusion that she was just her mother's pawn and not this beloved daughter she built herself up to be.
Finally, we have Beatriz, who is sent off to a France-like kingdom with a wild court and extravagant fashions. Beatriz is trained to seduce men and have them begging at her feet. But this backfires on her the moment her fiance won't kiss her or even look at her. Though stuck in the palace and its grounds, Beatriz realizes not all is right in this kingdom and the plans her mother made for her. And she soon finds herself being pulled between the love of her sisters and freedom she never had.
I'm going to hop into spoilers real quick, so if you don't want to be spoiled, don't continue on.
What was the Empress' plan when all of her daughters were dead? Sure she would be the overall Empress of the continent, but she would have no heirs to follow after her. Her reign and legacy would end with her last breath. I know this is the first in a trilogy, so I'm curious if there is a secret sibling or possibly some immortality wish that was made.
When Sophronia was executed, I cried. I knew it was coming, but I still held out hope that the empress had some kind of backup wish where Sophronia would appear alive and well, though a prisoner, back in her home. But alas, she lost her head telling her sisters goodbye. I know worry a certain character may die in the sequel, mainly from the title alone.
Overall this was a great read, and I recommend it to all who feel like they are in a book slump right now.