The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
4.5 stars!
Let me just start out saying that this book comes with a glossary. It is like ten pages. And you will most likely need it.
This is not something to pick up if you want a little light reading… but if you’re looking for something that is original, captivating and engaging then this is the book for you.
Samantha Shannon has a lot to live up to if the articles about The Bone Season are to be believed and for the first book in this series I think she’s done an amazing job. Please know that I’m going to review this in a vague sort of way because I’m hoping not to give any spoilers or major plot points away here!Â
In the year 2059 people are labeled either an Amaurotic or Clairvoyant. All Clairvoyants have been classified as criminals and shunned by society… Forced to find refuge and others of their kind, most find themselves working for criminals. Paige, our heroine works in the Underworld of Scion London for the syndicate the Seven Seals and Jaxon Hall. Paige is a rate kind of clairvoyant… a Dreamwalker – and she finds herself breaking into other people’s minds and scouting for information. But Paige is also still learning how to control and use her powers.
One mistake finds her hunted and arrested and then taken to Sheol 1.
But Sheol 1 isn’t your typical prison… instead she finds herself in Oxford, a city that was erased from maps years ago and she is now at the mercy of the Rephaim… who find that the only value a Clairvoyant has to them are as soldiers or entertainment. But The Rephaim want more from Paige than usual and she is determined to get back to London and save not only herself, but as many of the clairvoyants as well.
I found that I really liked Paige… she was strong, determined and smart. Something you don’t always find in a protagonist of her age. I even found myself liking Warden. The evolution of their relationship was intriguing and really well done… I didn’t think it was the least bit predictable either.
While this story is heavy with information in the first half, and to be honest, I can’t fault Shannon for that. There is a lot that needs to be explained in order to pull you into this fantastical world that she has created. I also think that as the series progresses it won’t be as noticeable. I struggle with the comparisons that people are making to J.K. Rowling and I think that’s actually kind of unfair to lay on someone’s shoulders, but what Shannon does here that could be comparable is pull the reader into an amazingly developed & complex world filled with amazingly developed characters.
I think that fans of fantasy and anyone who is looking for something unique and suspenseful is going to find themselves enjoying this incredible new series. I’m looking forward to more from Samantha Shannon and this world she has created!
Thank you to Bloomsbury for picking me to be a Bone Season Advocate and providing the advanced copy for an honest review.
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