jashanac's review against another edition
3.75
For the first 30-40% I was having a "fine" time, but wasn't getting super gripped by it.
Honestly, Phalue is incredibly annoying to me, and I don't care for the Phalue + Ranami relationship, at all. It makes no sense and they are so completely incompatible -- and I am still a hopeless romantic but I'm past the point of thinking "all you need is love and love conquers all." Compatibility freaking MATTERS.
I really enjoyed Jovis' chapters throughout the entire book, though. Mephi is THE CUTEST and I swear to god
Lin also doesn't do much for me as a character, but obviously as the story goes on her chapters got super interesting and mysterious.
And overall toward the last half of the book my interest was definitely piqued. I wasn't sure (toward the beginning) if I'd care enough to continue the series, but I definitely will be doing that.
I still don't think that it was needed for It felt a little bit "cheap" I guess?
Honestly, Phalue is incredibly annoying to me, and I don't care for the Phalue + Ranami relationship, at all. It makes no sense and they are so completely incompatible -- and I am still a hopeless romantic but I'm past the point of thinking "all you need is love and love conquers all." Compatibility freaking MATTERS.
I really enjoyed Jovis' chapters throughout the entire book, though. Mephi is THE CUTEST and I swear to god
Spoiler
if anything happens to Mephi I am going to riot.Lin also doesn't do much for me as a character, but obviously as the story goes on her chapters got super interesting and mysterious.
And overall toward the last half of the book my interest was definitely piqued. I wasn't sure (toward the beginning) if I'd care enough to continue the series, but I definitely will be doing that.
I still don't think that it was needed for
Spoiler
Nameen & his family to die like that.stephzilla's review against another edition
4.0
Come for the magic system, and stay for the political intrigue.
This was a pretty good debut novel. Yes, there were some pacing stumbles, but I felt like the threads were finally starting to come together towards the end of the book - which leaves me excited for another entry in the series.
The Bone Shard Daughter is very much a set-up book; introducing the reader to the world, magic, major players, and conflicts. This doesn't necessarily take away from the enjoyment of the novel - just don't expect to leave with too many answers.
This was a pretty good debut novel. Yes, there were some pacing stumbles, but I felt like the threads were finally starting to come together towards the end of the book - which leaves me excited for another entry in the series.
The Bone Shard Daughter is very much a set-up book; introducing the reader to the world, magic, major players, and conflicts. This doesn't necessarily take away from the enjoyment of the novel - just don't expect to leave with too many answers.
gw7's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Good book, not for me.
There were a lot of elements here, none particularly badly done, but the narrative was quite flitting with them. This book was almost written like a second book- reading through all the developments and backstory needed for the finale- but with a book 1 ending... which could almost have been a finale ending if it had been decided so by the author and written with more guts and confidence. For me there also grew to be more than I prefer cases of showing not telling- though some people do prefer that so I don't particularly find it as a fault.
What I personally would have wished for the book was there to have been more gutsy, adult fantasy, gory storytelling. The set up was ripe for it and, like I said, it was so well set up that the ending of this book could have been the end of the whole series if so chosen... which did mean that it being the ending of this book made it feel a little rushed, as well as all the set up details for the rest of the series feeling a little bit crammed in. It's all really very interesting, genuinely, but the way that certain plot arcs were handled in this book would not make me feel confident that I would appreciate the handling in the following books.
It''s very tricky for me to talk about because I do not feel this is a bad book, in fact it is really quite expertly crafted and that is certainly evident in the reading experience. And it's not like I felt there were TOO MANY elements, I definitely feel like they all could have been handled in this book in a way that would have made me want to read on... but I just don't think it's for me.
There were a lot of elements here, none particularly badly done, but the narrative was quite flitting with them. This book was almost written like a second book- reading through all the developments and backstory needed for the finale- but with a book 1 ending... which could almost have been a finale ending if it had been decided so by the author and written with more guts and confidence. For me there also grew to be more than I prefer cases of showing not telling- though some people do prefer that so I don't particularly find it as a fault.
What I personally would have wished for the book was there to have been more gutsy, adult fantasy, gory storytelling. The set up was ripe for it and, like I said, it was so well set up that the ending of this book could have been the end of the whole series if so chosen... which did mean that it being the ending of this book made it feel a little rushed, as well as all the set up details for the rest of the series feeling a little bit crammed in. It's all really very interesting, genuinely, but the way that certain plot arcs were handled in this book would not make me feel confident that I would appreciate the handling in the following books.
It''s very tricky for me to talk about because I do not feel this is a bad book, in fact it is really quite expertly crafted and that is certainly evident in the reading experience. And it's not like I felt there were TOO MANY elements, I definitely feel like they all could have been handled in this book in a way that would have made me want to read on... but I just don't think it's for me.
allisondevine's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Not compelling enough for me. Characters kept switching around and I didn’t feel attached
thelilithjames's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
jaymertreg's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
mrfeeny's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
mysticslibrary's review against another edition
5.0
4.5 / 5
Absolutely loved this book so much. The world and political system is really interesting. I grew to really care about all of the characters, especially Mephi. Not only was this a well done fantasy novel, but it also had elements of mystery to it that really kept me guessing about what exactly is going on. I genuinely enjoyed this book and I can't wait to start The Bone Shard Emperor!
Thanks for getting me out of my reading slump Andrea Stewart!
Absolutely loved this book so much. The world and political system is really interesting. I grew to really care about all of the characters, especially Mephi. Not only was this a well done fantasy novel, but it also had elements of mystery to it that really kept me guessing about what exactly is going on. I genuinely enjoyed this book and I can't wait to start The Bone Shard Emperor!
Thanks for getting me out of my reading slump Andrea Stewart!
eggcatsreads's review against another edition
3.0
Too many povs and nothing really happened?
There was no need to constantly switch povs and half of them were for pointless chapters that mean nothing and all they do is over explain something that anyone even half paying attention could have learned. (Like yes, the tithing for the bone shard is bad we understand it, you don't need to give us an entire character arc and saying it 5 separate ways to understand it. If it was good the people wouldn't try to keep their kids from it. Obviously.) Also the constant switching of povs was confusing and made the story feel bulky and uncoordinated.
At least 100 pages should have been cut to keep this from dragging on as much as it did.
Phalue and Ranami's chapters could have been cut and nothing would be lost, and it would have made the story slightly more linear. There was at least one seemingly major plot thread with Sand's pov that never goes anywhere and the only connection we have to it is in the opposite direction.
I want to give the second book a chance as this one was a LOT of background/attempt at world building and hopefully after this the next one won't drag as much and will actually have a plot.
For a book called The Bone Shard Daughter, Lin is hardly in the story and when she is she's not doing anything interesting or important, instead just doing the same thing she was the last time we had a chapter for her.
There was no need to constantly switch povs and half of them were for pointless chapters that mean nothing and all they do is over explain something that anyone even half paying attention could have learned. (Like yes, the tithing for the bone shard is bad we understand it, you don't need to give us an entire character arc and saying it 5 separate ways to understand it. If it was good the people wouldn't try to keep their kids from it. Obviously.) Also the constant switching of povs was confusing and made the story feel bulky and uncoordinated.
At least 100 pages should have been cut to keep this from dragging on as much as it did.
Phalue and Ranami's chapters could have been cut and nothing would be lost, and it would have made the story slightly more linear. There was at least one seemingly major plot thread with Sand's pov that never goes anywhere and the only connection we have to it is in the opposite direction.
I want to give the second book a chance as this one was a LOT of background/attempt at world building and hopefully after this the next one won't drag as much and will actually have a plot.
For a book called The Bone Shard Daughter, Lin is hardly in the story and when she is she's not doing anything interesting or important, instead just doing the same thing she was the last time we had a chapter for her.