Rating: 7.5/10
I was gifted a copy of this book by Orbit, in return for an honest review! To be honest, I was very close to DNFing this book halfway through. If I've ever read a book with a slow start, this one took its' place, high-key. There is so much build up to the action that takes place. But, with that warning in mind, I need to say that you need to keep going. This book ended up being so worth it in the end. The twist was so well-done that I legitimately can't wait to read the sequel for the book I nearly DNF'd! Let me begin my review the way I always do: with a summary.
Summary from Amazon:
"The emperor's reign has lasted for decades, his mastery of bone shard magic powering the animal-like constructs that maintain law and order. But now his rule is failing, and revolution is sweeping across the Empire's many islands.
Lin is the emperor's daughter and spends her days trapped in a palace of locked doors and dark secrets. When her father refuses to recognise her as heir to the throne, she vows to prove her worth by mastering the forbidden art of bone shard magic.
Yet such power carries a great cost, and when the revolution reaches the gates of the palace, Lin must decide how far she is willing to go to claim her birthright - and save her people."
This summary barely even scratches the surface of what the book truly encompasses. Even though you could reasonably call Lin the "protagonist," the book actually switches between the point-of-view of five different people. Each has a more compelling compelling story than the last (except Phalue's is kind of meh; her counterpart Ranami's POV is largely more interesting). Jovis and Sand were both also particularly interesting to read about (they, by far, were the most captivating to me). The story is based in Island nations that are all ruled by the same reclusive emperor. The story is based in the 1500s, and boasts elements of Asian culture. The plot was not tied up with some kind of romance plot line, any romantic aspect of the book is really only spoken of and not the focal point, which I like. True fantasies usually appeal to me more when they don't have a strong romance plot line. (There's nothing wrong with romance, but when you have a book with a lot of political turmoil, you obviously want to focus on that and not someone's personal, romantic feelings).
Stewart did a wonderful job writing this book. Her writing was strong, concise, and clear. The storytelling was very well done, there was a lot of world building woven into the storyline. I felt like I got a very good grip on the vibe of the empire that was within the book while also getting little bits of history. I also got a good idea of the social turmoil that was rife within the islands, particularly Nephilanu. I really enjoyed the Asiatic culture that was within the story. Too often, books (especially fantasy books) have very euro-centric values, culture, and characters. Getting a fantasy series with Asian culture and characters, made it a far more compelling read. It all also felt very true to the era in which it was placed. The characters all felt very temporally appropriate. I can't tell you how often I read books that are based some time in the past, but the speech patterns of the characters are very modern.
On the topic of the characters, they all felt very realistic and had relatable features about them. We're all used to larger-than-life, beautiful characters who are amazing at everything, and most things work out perfectly. This is not necessarily the case here. Jovis is a good example, by himself, he's just a plain smuggler. He isn't particularly beautiful or generous, he's mixed-race and looked down on because of it. But, that makes his character even more interesting. He's not perfect, he's seen as "less than" by many, and yet he's still able to do good things (particularly for his lost wife and Mephi). Lin isn't necessarily very remarkable either. Aside from being the emperor's daughter, she's really just small and regarded as unremarkable. It is her intelligence and cleverness that make her formidable. The way she uses her brain to master this bone shard magic by herself, makes her that much better a protagonist. All of the characters had their flaws out on display, yet they were also interesting and well-thought out. I'm eager to read about those who remain, in the next book.
Every book has flaws, I certainly will not be ending my review without pointing them out. As I said in my introduction, I very nearly DNF'd this book halfway through. It has an incredibly slow start. The very beginning is fine, but at some point, it just stagnates. The only perspectives that kept me going were Jovis and Sand. Before the halfway point, I really was having a hard time being invested in the story. Once it picks up, it really keeps you going, but until then it drags hardcore. Also, I don't really understand the magic system. In fact, I'm not wholly sure if it's an actual magic system. Of all the aspects of bone shard magic that were discussed, I felt like the nature/origin of the "magic" itself was left bare. Are the emperor, Bayan, and Lin the only people that possess it? Is it innate or is it learned? From what I gathered, I think it might be a skill that can be learned. But like why call it magic then? Clearly I have a lot of questions about the magic. The last thing, is that I think Ranami and Phalue are a bad couple and certainly should not be together. I won't dock any points for that, I just felt like I should say it. They just seem like a really bad match for one another.
In all, even though the book lost me in the first half, it really got me in the end. Once you start realizing that something is off, and that twist hits you, it's almost impossible not to keep reading. I was impressed with Stewart's storytelling, and the way that she was able to write such down-to-earth characters who were still able to do important things. The use of Asian culture as the base for this new world also made the book that much more interesting. I know that this is the first book in the series, and I can't wait for the next book to come out. I have a feeling that the story is going to pick up even more. I also have a feeling that we're going to learn more about the bone shard magic, which is very exciting to me. If you like a fantasy book with a lot of political turmoil, some magic, and even a fun talking animal-thing (I would die or kill for Mephi), please read this book. I implore you to read it, and not get hung up in the first half, the pay-off is worth it.
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