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A review by _jared_19_
The Bone Maker by Sarah Beth Durst
1.0
When I read the description of the book I was instantly drawn to it... I knew I had to read it as soon as physically possible.
Alas, it was extremely disappointed.
Before talking about my problems with the book I would like to give credit where credit is due:
1. The magic system of the world the author has built is exceptionally intriguing;
2. The prose is positively GORGEOUS
The concept of this book is so intresting and it had me gripped as soon as I read it but unfortunately, the book rang hollow.
The characters were one dimensional and we don't see them actually grow or change... They remain the type cut outs that they started as.
Secondly, there was absolutely no world building whatsoever. We have no idea how the society in Vis functions: what is it's hierarchy, what is it's outlook towards race, gender, sexuality, religion or anything really that should exist in any layered world. We don't find out much about the country's history or geopolitics.
Thirdly, I went into the book with the expectation that a book that deals with the aftermath of war and genocide would discuss the futility and destruction of war, the trauma that comes for it and maybe even touch upon the capitalist machine that funds it but there just was nothing of the sort.
I think this ties into my next problem with the book: the book was all tell and no show. How do we know that our protagonists have trauma from the war they faught? Why of course the pov character will tell you about it. How do we know that these characters love each other? The characters will say it... Constantly...
But my final criticism for this book is that it just has no consequences. Without going into any spoilers here, I would just like to say that the characters seem to breeze through the conflict without paying any real price for their actions.
Overall, like I said before, I was EXTREMELY disappointed with this book, likely because it just had so much potential, all of which was wasted over a hollow and insincere plot with equally hollow and insincere characters and world building.
Alas, it was extremely disappointed.
Before talking about my problems with the book I would like to give credit where credit is due:
1. The magic system of the world the author has built is exceptionally intriguing;
2. The prose is positively GORGEOUS
The concept of this book is so intresting and it had me gripped as soon as I read it but unfortunately, the book rang hollow.
The characters were one dimensional and we don't see them actually grow or change... They remain the type cut outs that they started as.
Secondly, there was absolutely no world building whatsoever. We have no idea how the society in Vis functions: what is it's hierarchy, what is it's outlook towards race, gender, sexuality, religion or anything really that should exist in any layered world. We don't find out much about the country's history or geopolitics.
Thirdly, I went into the book with the expectation that a book that deals with the aftermath of war and genocide would discuss the futility and destruction of war, the trauma that comes for it and maybe even touch upon the capitalist machine that funds it but there just was nothing of the sort.
I think this ties into my next problem with the book: the book was all tell and no show. How do we know that our protagonists have trauma from the war they faught? Why of course the pov character will tell you about it. How do we know that these characters love each other? The characters will say it... Constantly...
But my final criticism for this book is that it just has no consequences. Without going into any spoilers here, I would just like to say that the characters seem to breeze through the conflict without paying any real price for their actions.
Overall, like I said before, I was EXTREMELY disappointed with this book, likely because it just had so much potential, all of which was wasted over a hollow and insincere plot with equally hollow and insincere characters and world building.