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A review by the_bookishkat
Silver in the Bone by Alexandra Bracken
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
What a brilliant read! Bracken's latest series follows the myth of Arthurian legend, such as Avalon, reimagined into a mixture of the modern world and mythical lands, forged together by rifts and magic. The first book in the series, Silver in the Bone, follows the main character, Tamsin, and her group as they explore how time has changed these worlds through curses and strange magical happenings.
I absolutely flew through this book - once I got about 20% of the way in, it became impossible to put it down. The action was fast-paced and Bracken has a real talent for weaving incredible world-building into the story without it feeling bulky and misplaced. The world was so well built and vivid that I often felt as if I could already imagine a movie made of it in my mind.
In terms of the characters, the storytelling is brilliant. Tamsin's personality is perfect for how she goes about doing everything: whether it be the decisions she makes, the people she trusts (or more accurately, not) or even just her thought process, it felt clear, and true to her character. Her relationships with other people, including Cabell (her brother), and Emrys were so complex and tangled that I loved to read on to see where she'd end up next. The depictions of the trauma that Tamsin has experienced felt so real and deeply explored throughout the novel, allowing us as the reader a much deeper insight into who she truly is. Emrys as a character was incredible and I loved the dynamic between him and Tamsin throughout the book, almost like a rollercoaster!
The plot gave the perfect amount of setting up a new world, resolving one element that was important to this book but still giving the reader far more to expect in the rest of the series. I'm going to need a second book release as soon as possible because I am absolutely desperate to read it! I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a quick-paced fantasy read where you want to entirely invest yourself in a world and characters intensely.
Thanks to Hachette UK, Team BKMRK and NetGalley for early access to this book!
I absolutely flew through this book - once I got about 20% of the way in, it became impossible to put it down. The action was fast-paced and Bracken has a real talent for weaving incredible world-building into the story without it feeling bulky and misplaced. The world was so well built and vivid that I often felt as if I could already imagine a movie made of it in my mind.
In terms of the characters, the storytelling is brilliant. Tamsin's personality is perfect for how she goes about doing everything: whether it be the decisions she makes, the people she trusts (or more accurately, not) or even just her thought process, it felt clear, and true to her character. Her relationships with other people, including Cabell (her brother), and Emrys were so complex and tangled that I loved to read on to see where she'd end up next. The depictions of the trauma that Tamsin has experienced felt so real and deeply explored throughout the novel, allowing us as the reader a much deeper insight into who she truly is. Emrys as a character was incredible and I loved the dynamic between him and Tamsin throughout the book, almost like a rollercoaster!
The plot gave the perfect amount of setting up a new world, resolving one element that was important to this book but still giving the reader far more to expect in the rest of the series. I'm going to need a second book release as soon as possible because I am absolutely desperate to read it! I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a quick-paced fantasy read where you want to entirely invest yourself in a world and characters intensely.
Thanks to Hachette UK, Team BKMRK and NetGalley for early access to this book!