Wow… just wow… 
4.5 rounded up to 5
I will write a review tomorrow.

01/08/2023 
<Spoiler> involved!!
The first book of 2023 has been read. ‘The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon. It’s a dystopian and urban fantasy novel the first in a seven-book series, currently, there are 4 out right now and the 10th anniversary of this book comes out sometime this summer. I loved this book, the magic system and the world-building were so well written. The one critique I will give it is at times it felt like a lot happened and was sometimes confusing. I recommend reading the prequel ‘The Pale Dreamer’ before diving into the main story. It gives context to who the main character is and a little bit of the magic and history of the world. I can't wait to read the next three books. 

I love how we do get to see a little bit of enemies to friends to what is hinted at lovers. Warden is such a complex character especially since he is Rephaim, meaning he should be the main enemy but we see him gain the trust of Paige towards the last couple hundred pages of the book. Also, I enjoyed the whole “golden cord” that now connects Paige and Warden together. It reminds me of the red string of fate that is seen in Asian mythology. It’s also reveled that before Paige was even kidnapped that Warden had been watching her and rooting for her.

As a debut novel that was released in 2013 you do see quite a bit of the tropes that became quite popular around that time, especially in books such as ‘The Hunger Games’ and ‘A Court of Thrones and Roses’. I do not see it as a negative in The Bone Season I think it really pushes and deepens the world. It is clear to me this was a debut novel it shows in the writing but I actually loved it. 

Can’t wait to read the next 3 books!! 

P.S. 

David’s character is a mystery to me and I don’t know who he really is and if he will be important later on.

Okay I didn't know what to expect from this book, but wow it delivered! Can't wait to read more about Paige and her friends! 

why in the WORLD WAS THIS PITCHED WRONG. the blurb was literally the first 3 chapters and then it pivoted so hard and i hated it. the plot was just icky and about halfway i noticed the urgent need for an editor because things just didn't make sense. the plot climax was not good and i hate the 'romance' please no. i definitely won't be continuing with the series. 

Style/writing: 3 stars
Themes: 2 stars
Characters: 4 stars
Plot: 4 stars
Worldbuilding: 3.5 stars

Diversity: An #ownvoices book with notable diversity, given that the main character is queer and Irish (although her queerness has not been explicitly revealed in this book of the series), and two major characters are gay.  Additionally, the series so far as book four has also included a Deaf signing character, a character who uses they/them pronouns, strong LOTE (language other than English) inclusion, and an increasingly ethnically diverse range of characters. The author has publicly identified as a queer person with a disability.

Paige is a rare type of clairvoyant, living under a repressive regime that actively hunts down people like her, with special abilities stemming from an intimate connection with the aether. For protection, she has joined a criminal underworld of clairvoyants and has worked her way up to being the heir of a powerful mime lord, Jaxon Hall. A simple ride on the London underground leads to her being detected by night vigiles, and soon she is captured and sent off to a concentration camp in the abandoned city of Oxford. Her captivity leads to discoveries about the true nature of Scion, and the otherworldly race that lingers in the shadows. Her escape becomes contingent on a rebellion.

I first bought this book as a signed copy when it was first released in stores as a paperback, drawn in by its vibrant cover and its promise of a fast-paced fantasy adventure. I was living at home at the time, and my mum had called my teenage self out on my slobby housework in my room. True to the nature of a strict parent, I was not going to be in her good graces until it was clean. My ADHD brain rebelled, and all I know is come sunset, I was turning the last pages of a book I'd started early that morning to avoid cleaning (the room wasn't cleaned that day, go figure). Paige, the clairvoyant criminal underworld, the strange futuristic London she lived in, and diving into a mystery that was fanning the flames of a rebellion had swept me away and left me reeling. I may have been sucked in for a day, but I would have to wait two years for the next book, a few more for the next two, and the wait continues.

It goes without saying that a book (or series) that has held my attention (poor as it often is) for almost a decade and counting would sit amongst my favourites. Naturally, it seemed a wonderful choice for fulfilling one of the prompts for the Reading Women Challenge 2021 to "reread a favourite", and the reread of this and the second and third instalments proved to be vital revision for the release of book four earlier this year. I personally love it. I've been sitting here working myself into a headache trying to decide its flaws so that I can write a balanced review, but based on my experience, I reckon its bloody perfect. With that said, I gave a copy of this book to one of my closest bookish friends, and she's almost finished it. I asked for her impression to aid with the writing of this review, and she felt that it is worth noting that the world building and characters are quite complicated, and the set up required at the start to explain everything from the authoritarian republic of Scion and its history, the underworld, the orders of clairvoyance, and Sheol I are substantial. I would agree with this assessment. If the reader is able to be patient as this information is revealed, and hold onto these different threads as the story unfolds, it will come together. It does, however, remove it as a candidate for relaxing and breezy fantastical fiction lists. Another warning is that this book, and increasingly so in the series, is quite violent, and I have advised of a number of content warnings. Overall, as a dystopian fantasy novel set in real world locations and from an author becoming increasingly comfortable expressing her queer identity in her writing, The Bone Season is a highly original and excellently written contribution to the genre. It will have you cheering, holding your breath, crying, and screaming through a roller coaster ride of a mystery where nothing will turn out quite as you expect.

Recommended for: Dystopian lovers, those who want an inventive alternative to tired fantasy tropes, readers on board for an unpredictable adventure, and older teens and adults who value a queer-friendly story set-up.