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The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon
Release Date – August 20, 2013
Publisher Website - Bloomsbury
Publisher Social Media - Twitter
Pages - 480 pages
My Rating- 5/5
**obtained for review from publisher**
Here is the Goodreads synopsis
It is the year 2059. Several major world cities are under the control of a security force called Scion. Paige Mahoney works in the criminal underworld of Scion London, part of a secret cell known as the Seven Seals. The work she does is unusual: scouting for information by breaking into others’ minds. Paige is a dreamwalker, a rare kind of clairvoyant, and in this world, the voyants commit treason simply by breathing.
But when Paige is captured and arrested, she encounters a power more sinister even than Scion. The voyant prison is a separate city—Oxford, erased from the map two centuries ago and now controlled by a powerful, otherworldly race. These creatures, the Rephaim, value the voyants highly—as soldiers in their army.
Paige is assigned to a Rephaite keeper, Warden, who will be in charge of her care and training. He is her master. Her natural enemy. But if she wants to regain her freedom, Paige will have to learn something of his mind and his own mysterious motives.
The Bone Season introduces a compelling heroine—a young woman learning to harness her powers in a world where everything has been taken from her. It also introduces an extraordinary young writer, with huge ambition and a teeming imagination. Samantha Shannon has created a bold new reality in this riveting debut.
Buzz is a tricky thing. It creates interest, and gets people talking. It can also leave people disenchanted, and the author with expectations that are almost impossible to fulfill. Luckily, Samantha Shannon's The Bone Season delivers on the hype.
The world that Paige Mahoney inhabits is brought to life by Samantha Shannon effortlessly. She's created a complex, layered world that is both grounded in reality and fantastical. Paige's time in Scion London is recognizable for the most part, and the re-imagined Oxford is brimming with creativity, and intrigue.
The politics in this novel are much more complex than you first think upon diving in. Once things begin unravel you see the careful work that went into creating something that would allow for plot advancement later on in what is to be a seven book series. The little details that are expanded upon give the world a rich, full realized feel that allows the reader to become lost within the pages. These two interconnected worlds - the one of mime crime, and the world of the Rephaite - are both so developed that I couldn't help but be in awe. It's a feeling reminiscent of a few fantasy novels, namely Harry Potter, in which the world is so encompassing that it becomes a character itself.
Paige stands up for what she believes it right. She doesn't back down when she believes it is important. She risks herself to protect others, and yet she would never consider herself a hero. She's flawed, and has her own skewed moral code. It's her inner strength that I loved most about her. She's resourceful, and capable, but isn't super woman. She's can't fix everything, and not everything comes easily to her. It was a refreshing to see a character like this.
Paige's life is controlled by others from the moment we meet her. She is constantly trading one form of prison for another. I can't wait for the strength and conviction that is glimpsed to fully take over, and for her to break free from both the Rephaim and the mime-lord who seek to own her. The spark is there, and the tease of the power she holds is electric. She could become a force to be reckoned with, if she gets out of her own way. She's hesitant, and reluctant to use her talents to fight back. It's this side of Paige that makes her relatable. It contrasts her criminal side. She has limits, and won't cross them. I loved the complexities of her character, and those surrounding her, and can't wait to see her grow and emerge as the series progresses.
The relationship between Warden and Paige had the potential to be problematic. A woman who is drawn to her captor is not something that normally sits well with me. It has the potential to appear abusive, and I was thrilled to be proven wrong. This relationship is unique because of Warden, and how unique he is. The Rephaim are ruthless, and strict. They are harsh and unforgiving. His treatment of Paige endeared him to me immediately, because he is everything the Raphaim are not. He's noble, honorable, and kind. Their relationship grows as the trust between them develops. Lust, and perhaps love, don't enter the picture until much later, when walls have come down, and confessions have been made. This slow build creates tension that when finally acted on is even steamier, and the connection feels earned.
Samantha Shannon is a debut author with much promise, and as a debut, The Bone Season left me stunned. The ending leaves me excited about where the story could lead. A world that is brimming with possibilities plot wise, and a carefully crafted political structure already in place, makes me think this is one series to keep an eye on.
The world that Paige Mahoney inhabits is brought to life by Samantha Shannon effortlessly. She's created a complex, layered world that is both grounded in reality and fantastical. Paige's time in Scion London is recognizable for the most part, and the re-imagined Oxford is brimming with creativity, and intrigue.
The politics in this novel are much more complex than you first think upon diving in. Once things begin unravel you see the careful work that went into creating something that would allow for plot advancement later on in what is to be a seven book series. The little details that are expanded upon give the world a rich, full realized feel that allows the reader to become lost within the pages. These two interconnected worlds - the one of mime crime, and the world of the Rephaite - are both so developed that I couldn't help but be in awe. It's a feeling reminiscent of a few fantasy novels, namely Harry Potter, in which the world is so encompassing that it becomes a character itself.
Paige stands up for what she believes it right. She doesn't back down when she believes it is important. She risks herself to protect others, and yet she would never consider herself a hero. She's flawed, and has her own skewed moral code. It's her inner strength that I loved most about her. She's resourceful, and capable, but isn't super woman. She's can't fix everything, and not everything comes easily to her. It was a refreshing to see a character like this.
Paige's life is controlled by others from the moment we meet her. She is constantly trading one form of prison for another. I can't wait for the strength and conviction that is glimpsed to fully take over, and for her to break free from both the Rephaim and the mime-lord who seek to own her. The spark is there, and the tease of the power she holds is electric. She could become a force to be reckoned with, if she gets out of her own way. She's hesitant, and reluctant to use her talents to fight back. It's this side of Paige that makes her relatable. It contrasts her criminal side. She has limits, and won't cross them. I loved the complexities of her character, and those surrounding her, and can't wait to see her grow and emerge as the series progresses.
The relationship between Warden and Paige had the potential to be problematic. A woman who is drawn to her captor is not something that normally sits well with me. It has the potential to appear abusive, and I was thrilled to be proven wrong. This relationship is unique because of Warden, and how unique he is. The Rephaim are ruthless, and strict. They are harsh and unforgiving. His treatment of Paige endeared him to me immediately, because he is everything the Raphaim are not. He's noble, honorable, and kind. Their relationship grows as the trust between them develops. Lust, and perhaps love, don't enter the picture until much later, when walls have come down, and confessions have been made. This slow build creates tension that when finally acted on is even steamier, and the connection feels earned.
Samantha Shannon is a debut author with much promise, and as a debut, The Bone Season left me stunned. The ending leaves me excited about where the story could lead. A world that is brimming with possibilities plot wise, and a carefully crafted political structure already in place, makes me think this is one series to keep an eye on.
This book is already in my wish list and now after reading your review it made me even more excited!
ReplyDeleteI`m really excited for this book, but there has been so much hype, and I'm starting to hear some people not liking it that much. I hope that it's this amazing and that the world building isn't too overpowering. Thanks for the review!
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad to hear that this one lives up to the hype. I've been a little skeptical and I've put off reading it. I'm also glad to hear that the relationship ends up being a great one. Fabulous review!
ReplyDeleteKatie @ Katie's Book Blog