Status
Available
Call number
Series
Genres
Collection
Publication
Bloomsbury USA (2013), Edition: First Edition/First Printing, Hardcover, 480 pages
Description
In the mid-21st century major world cities are controlled by a formidable security force and clairvoyant underworld cell member Paige commits acts of psychic treason before being captured by an otherworldly race that would make her a part of their supernatural army.
User reviews
LibraryThing member kohrmanmj
1 1/2 stars. The book had potential: an interesting world, a fully-realized concept. It COULD have been good if 1) the characters were more dynamic and not 2-dimensional husks that you either don't remember or don't care about 2) the concepts introduced in the book were fully explored instead of
I really struggled with how to rate this book. I might have actually semi-enjoyed the novel if I wasn't too distracted by the horrific use of YA tropes. Specifically, the brooding, controlling older man that makes a heroine act like an imbecile. Without delving too far into my disgust for the acceptance of this archetype, I was 100% NOT okay with turning the over-controlling authority figure who is 200 years older than the teenage girl into a love story (think of a cross between Twilight and 50 Shades of Grey, except without the racy bits). I don't even need to get into the inter-species aspect; it's less offensive. Why are we teaching teenage girls that it's okay to "love" and submit to men who try to control us? Even when she's "free" she still calls him "Warden" and not his real name. Beyond that, why are we teaching them that it's okay to be preyed on by older men? Sure, he may look 20, but I find it difficult to believe that over the hundreds of years that he's existed, he hasn't mentally matured past the point of a 20 year old. If the relationship aspect was limited to a mentor/mentee scope, I would have given this at least another star.
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just constantly dumping new, made-up terms with no definition or point and 3)(the biggest one) there was NO ROMANCE.I really struggled with how to rate this book. I might have actually semi-enjoyed the novel if I wasn't too distracted by the horrific use of YA tropes. Specifically, the brooding, controlling older man that makes a heroine act like an imbecile. Without delving too far into my disgust for the acceptance of this archetype, I was 100% NOT okay with turning the over-controlling authority figure who is 200 years older than the teenage girl into a love story (think of a cross between Twilight and 50 Shades of Grey, except without the racy bits). I don't even need to get into the inter-species aspect; it's less offensive. Why are we teaching teenage girls that it's okay to "love" and submit to men who try to control us? Even when she's "free" she still calls him "Warden" and not his real name. Beyond that, why are we teaching them that it's okay to be preyed on by older men? Sure, he may look 20, but I find it difficult to believe that over the hundreds of years that he's existed, he hasn't mentally matured past the point of a 20 year old. If the relationship aspect was limited to a mentor/mentee scope, I would have given this at least another star.
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LibraryThing member BBleil
This book is similar in nature to other young adult novels about dystopian societies; however, it does feature its own unique world and characters. There are essentially three types of humans: 1) regular, boring humans who think they are in control; 2) clairvoyant humans, the oppressed population;
Paige, the heroine and a dreamwalker, is what compelled me to keep reading. Paige is in high demand because of her rare ability to enter people’s minds. She does her job well and is proud of her abilities initially, but she becomes horrified by what she can accomplish. She also gets beat up a lot, and it’s her resilience that pulls the reader through the initial drudgery of the book. Of course, there is a little bit of romance to keep it interesting, too.
Samantha Shannon plans to make this novel the beginning of a seven-book series. This first book wasn’t perfect, but I think she probably learned a lot in writing her debut novel.
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and 3) alien-like humans who know they are dictating everything. The first third of the book is pretty confusing because Shannon ambitiously lays out the many different types of clairvoyants and utilizes her own terminology. To help her readers though, she includes a map, a chart of the seven orders of clairvoyance and a dictionary of terms.Paige, the heroine and a dreamwalker, is what compelled me to keep reading. Paige is in high demand because of her rare ability to enter people’s minds. She does her job well and is proud of her abilities initially, but she becomes horrified by what she can accomplish. She also gets beat up a lot, and it’s her resilience that pulls the reader through the initial drudgery of the book. Of course, there is a little bit of romance to keep it interesting, too.
Samantha Shannon plans to make this novel the beginning of a seven-book series. This first book wasn’t perfect, but I think she probably learned a lot in writing her debut novel.
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LibraryThing member michellebarton
Paige is a gifted clairvoyant living in a future London where clairvoyants are hunted down and executed. Seeking a way to protect herself she joined a criminal gang who become her teachers, co-conspirators, and de facto family. She is captured, surprised not to be killed but instead shipped off
I really liked Paige - she is a strong, independent, self-confident young woman. There is a hint of Steampunk flavor, just a wave of the Steampunk brush, that may appeal to Steampunk fans. I felt this story is more action than substance, and there is plenty of action. It is a weird mix of historical elements and fantasy, though some of the historical background seemed a bit mixed up, especially regarding King Edward VII. Hopefully this will just encourage readers, like me, to research a little deeper into the historical characters and time periods referenced in this book (one of the reasons I am a big historical fiction fan). The Bone Season caught my attention enough that I wanted to find out what happens next, but I also felt that it was somewhat convoluted and tended to meander around, with an unduly complicated layout and threads left hanging or not fully followed or fleshed out. This novel is the first in a planned series of seven novels, so this may have been necessary in order to have a strong structure built even if it is not fully explored in this book. All in all, despite some of the inconsistencies, I did enjoy reading this and it kept me turning pages.
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with many other prisoners to a secret, isolated detention center located in the old Oxford University buildings. She finds out that this penal colony is run by creatures from another world determined to train and use the clairvoyants as a defense against horrible, violent monsters making their way into the world through the same "rips" that allowed in her jailers.I really liked Paige - she is a strong, independent, self-confident young woman. There is a hint of Steampunk flavor, just a wave of the Steampunk brush, that may appeal to Steampunk fans. I felt this story is more action than substance, and there is plenty of action. It is a weird mix of historical elements and fantasy, though some of the historical background seemed a bit mixed up, especially regarding King Edward VII. Hopefully this will just encourage readers, like me, to research a little deeper into the historical characters and time periods referenced in this book (one of the reasons I am a big historical fiction fan). The Bone Season caught my attention enough that I wanted to find out what happens next, but I also felt that it was somewhat convoluted and tended to meander around, with an unduly complicated layout and threads left hanging or not fully followed or fleshed out. This novel is the first in a planned series of seven novels, so this may have been necessary in order to have a strong structure built even if it is not fully explored in this book. All in all, despite some of the inconsistencies, I did enjoy reading this and it kept me turning pages.
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LibraryThing member rubewrites
I want all of the books now please. Fantastic story telling.
LibraryThing member stefferoo
I've heard so much about The Bone Season, which was quite possibly one of this summer's most talked about debuts by author Samantha Shannon. Though I'm the kind of person who's generally wary of the hype machine, I won't deny I was quite curious to see for myself what all the fuss was about! And
Though not officially marketed as a Young Adult novel, I'm also not surprised to see so many categorize The Bone Season as such. The nature of its story, main character and dystopian setting all mingle to give it that distinctive YA vibe, yet that's not to say that adults won't be able to enjoy this too. The book's crossover appeal probably has a lot to do its protagonist and narrator, 19-year-old Paige Mahoney who is a strong, mature and level-headed heroine with whom a wide audience can relate.
Paige is also known as a "Dreamwalker", in this alternate world set in the future where individuals like her who possess supernatural abilities are called "Voyants". The book takes place in London, 2059 where the security force Scion holds authority, declaring all voyants criminals simply by existing. Paige is forced to live a secret life, working for the underworld organization where she gathers information by using her rare powers to breaking into other people's minds.
When an unfortunate incident leads to her arrest, however, Paige finds herself imprisoned at a penal colony in Oxford, a city long forgotten. She finds out that Scion has been sending captured voyants here to become slaves and soldiers to an otherworldly race called the Rephaim. She is assigned to Warden, her Rephaim keeper in charge of her care and training. Now all Paige wants to do is to escape and find her way home, but as the days goes by she discovers there is a lot more at stake than just her freedom.
First, the good stuff: I really like Paige, a smart and capable young woman who is also not infallible. Her history is well-developed and written in such a way that the details about her past get revealed gradually throughout the course of the novel, keeping things interesting for those curious about her story. My Audible version of The Bone Season is narrated by Irish actress Alana Kerr, who brings Paige to life. This was the first experience I've had with her work, and I could be wrong but I believe she's new to reading audiobooks. Generally, I prefer narrators who can do a broader range of voices (because sometimes it was hard to tell which character was speaking) but I probably wouldn't be averse to checking out her future audiobook performances if she does any. Overall I was happy with her reading, because her voice did such a wonderful job conveying Paige's strength and poise.
The world Samantha Shannon has created is also amazingly detailed, but this also means an almost overwhelming amount of information to take in. This does cause some hitches in the pacing, especially during the first half of the novel which felt a lot slower than the second half. I also had to go back several times at the beginning to learn and familiarize myself with all the different names and terms of people, places, organizations, voyant types, and slang. That wasn't so easy to do with an audiobook, but you know what? It was worth it to get the full impact of the setting, and I got to appreciate just how rich it really is.
In the end, for a debut novel from a 21-year-old new author, I have to say The Bone Season was incredibly impressive! Hype can be a dangerous thing somtimes, and though it can be tough to ignore the comparisons calling this book the next Hunger Games or Samantha Shannon the next J.K. Rowling, I think going into this book with realistic expectations helped me a lot. I came out of this one pleasantly surprised, and I'm definitely open to reading more from this author and series.
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now that I've had the chance to finish the audiobook, I can certainly understand why readers have been so impressed by it. Though not officially marketed as a Young Adult novel, I'm also not surprised to see so many categorize The Bone Season as such. The nature of its story, main character and dystopian setting all mingle to give it that distinctive YA vibe, yet that's not to say that adults won't be able to enjoy this too. The book's crossover appeal probably has a lot to do its protagonist and narrator, 19-year-old Paige Mahoney who is a strong, mature and level-headed heroine with whom a wide audience can relate.
Paige is also known as a "Dreamwalker", in this alternate world set in the future where individuals like her who possess supernatural abilities are called "Voyants". The book takes place in London, 2059 where the security force Scion holds authority, declaring all voyants criminals simply by existing. Paige is forced to live a secret life, working for the underworld organization where she gathers information by using her rare powers to breaking into other people's minds.
When an unfortunate incident leads to her arrest, however, Paige finds herself imprisoned at a penal colony in Oxford, a city long forgotten. She finds out that Scion has been sending captured voyants here to become slaves and soldiers to an otherworldly race called the Rephaim. She is assigned to Warden, her Rephaim keeper in charge of her care and training. Now all Paige wants to do is to escape and find her way home, but as the days goes by she discovers there is a lot more at stake than just her freedom.
First, the good stuff: I really like Paige, a smart and capable young woman who is also not infallible. Her history is well-developed and written in such a way that the details about her past get revealed gradually throughout the course of the novel, keeping things interesting for those curious about her story. My Audible version of The Bone Season is narrated by Irish actress Alana Kerr, who brings Paige to life. This was the first experience I've had with her work, and I could be wrong but I believe she's new to reading audiobooks. Generally, I prefer narrators who can do a broader range of voices (because sometimes it was hard to tell which character was speaking) but I probably wouldn't be averse to checking out her future audiobook performances if she does any. Overall I was happy with her reading, because her voice did such a wonderful job conveying Paige's strength and poise.
The world Samantha Shannon has created is also amazingly detailed, but this also means an almost overwhelming amount of information to take in. This does cause some hitches in the pacing, especially during the first half of the novel which felt a lot slower than the second half. I also had to go back several times at the beginning to learn and familiarize myself with all the different names and terms of people, places, organizations, voyant types, and slang. That wasn't so easy to do with an audiobook, but you know what? It was worth it to get the full impact of the setting, and I got to appreciate just how rich it really is.
In the end, for a debut novel from a 21-year-old new author, I have to say The Bone Season was incredibly impressive! Hype can be a dangerous thing somtimes, and though it can be tough to ignore the comparisons calling this book the next Hunger Games or Samantha Shannon the next J.K. Rowling, I think going into this book with realistic expectations helped me a lot. I came out of this one pleasantly surprised, and I'm definitely open to reading more from this author and series.
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LibraryThing member PattyLouise
The Bone Season
by
Samantha Shannon
My " in a nutshell" summary...
Oh my...clairvoyants...trying to survive in a very Dystopian London...circa 2059!
My thoughts after reading this book...
Paige...OMG...her life has become a nightmare.
Paige...is a sort of underground clairvoyant who formerly worked for a
Paige has been captured in London because she accidentally killed someone on a London train. She was taken by these creatures who are now mentoring/monitoring her powers. The place she is in is horrible...no food, lots of training and a weird horrific caste system...and lots of death. It's scary and so far I don't yet get any kind of romance or sweet anything...it's pretty much been a book that is scaring me to pieces...
The training is all about getting Paige ready for this event...this life changing event that
It's difficult to write about this book but when I am reading it I am there in that world. Paige has to live with her mentor and he is not human. She has to pass certain training tests and hope to survive. She doesn't get food and has to go out to these slums and try to trade for food. There are rules and laws and flesh eating creatures after everyone, too...whew!
Conspiracies are everywhere, the class system is unbelievable and Paige is at the heart of everything.
What I loved about this book...
Warden is Paige's mentor/master and I loved him from the start. You will not truly understand their relationship until you are in the depths of this book. And even then it is exasperating and infuriating but you will be oddly drawn to it. I am totally sure of that!
In the beginning it is one without trust but the way Paige and Master begin to try to trust each other is the heart of this story. I loved it.
What I did not love...
There were some really sad devastating scary parts to this book. Nashira...was a leader to thoroughly hate. Again...you will understand all of this as you read this book. It's complicated, intense and unbelievably good!
Final thoughts...
I did not love this book when I started it...I questioned the hype...I literally struggled through the opening chapters but suddenly...I felt this intense attraction to this story and these characters. The ending knocked my literary socks off...I dream of Warden...and I can't wait for the next chapter...the next book...the movie! It is not Hunger Games but I read it with that same intensity. It is as good as Hunger Games in a unique and mesmerizing way!
by
Samantha Shannon
My " in a nutshell" summary...
Oh my...clairvoyants...trying to survive in a very Dystopian London...circa 2059!
My thoughts after reading this book...
Paige...OMG...her life has become a nightmare.
Paige...is a sort of underground clairvoyant who formerly worked for a
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sort of "spirit land lord"? Every clairvoyant in this book is a different type of clairvoyant and all of them do different complex things. The most amazing thing is the world this author created and the vocabulary she invented and how once you begin reading this book this world becomes a part of your life! Paige has been captured in London because she accidentally killed someone on a London train. She was taken by these creatures who are now mentoring/monitoring her powers. The place she is in is horrible...no food, lots of training and a weird horrific caste system...and lots of death. It's scary and so far I don't yet get any kind of romance or sweet anything...it's pretty much been a book that is scaring me to pieces...
The training is all about getting Paige ready for this event...this life changing event that
It's difficult to write about this book but when I am reading it I am there in that world. Paige has to live with her mentor and he is not human. She has to pass certain training tests and hope to survive. She doesn't get food and has to go out to these slums and try to trade for food. There are rules and laws and flesh eating creatures after everyone, too...whew!
Conspiracies are everywhere, the class system is unbelievable and Paige is at the heart of everything.
What I loved about this book...
Warden is Paige's mentor/master and I loved him from the start. You will not truly understand their relationship until you are in the depths of this book. And even then it is exasperating and infuriating but you will be oddly drawn to it. I am totally sure of that!
In the beginning it is one without trust but the way Paige and Master begin to try to trust each other is the heart of this story. I loved it.
What I did not love...
There were some really sad devastating scary parts to this book. Nashira...was a leader to thoroughly hate. Again...you will understand all of this as you read this book. It's complicated, intense and unbelievably good!
Final thoughts...
I did not love this book when I started it...I questioned the hype...I literally struggled through the opening chapters but suddenly...I felt this intense attraction to this story and these characters. The ending knocked my literary socks off...I dream of Warden...and I can't wait for the next chapter...the next book...the movie! It is not Hunger Games but I read it with that same intensity. It is as good as Hunger Games in a unique and mesmerizing way!
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LibraryThing member StephsStacks
First off, The Bone Season takes commitment. Go ahead and block some time out in your schedule right now to devour this novel. Please don't go in thinking you can just breeze through, skim, speed-read, or any other techniques you might use to quickly finish a book. The Bone Season has maps,
In all honesty, I started The Bone Season a couple of times, testing the water (if you will) before I dove right in. I had flashbacks to Mr. George R.R. Martin and a little series you might have heard of called A Song of Ice and Fire. With the memories of my near-obsession still fresh, I knew The Bone Season was destined to be just the same: a book where I would have to pay attention, and think, and learn new things and one that would invade my dreams.
As with A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire #1), The Bone Season is the first book of an intended series (a seven book series, actually) and as such, has the unique problem of having to familiarize the reader with the world, the characters and the situation quickly. Some may call this an info-dump, but there's really no way around it.
So, we are thrown into the world of Scion, voyants, mime-lords, and dreamwalkers with an alarming alacrity. But, don't let that put you off, Steph's Stackers, you have to put your head down, use your glossary (you'll thank me for that tip later) and go with the flow. Trust is key here, all will be explained and revealed, just go with it.
So, our heroine, Paige, is a dreamwalker, a type of voyant that can reach out into other people's mind over fairly long distances. Her talent (and those of many others) is forbidden by law and it's lights out for her if she is busted using it. Will this stop our plucky heroine? Um, no - what would the fun be in that?
Paige, at the start of the novel is working for an underground mob-like organization that uses her talent (and the various skills of others like her) to make friends and influence people in nefarious ways. She and her cohorts are like a gang of Mafioso Mind Control X-Men led by an unscrupulous Charles Xavier.
Mini-spoiler alert! This dysfunctional and magical home away from home doesn't last forever (you knew it wouldn't, right?) and through a slip-up, Paige is shanghaied to a different world that is considerably more dangerous than her previous one.
So, just when you had been studying the map and glossary and you were, like: "Cool, I've totally got this whole thing down." Um, no you don't. The party just starting, friends! We are introduced to a new cast of complex characters (Rephaim and Emin and more, oh my!) and Paige's very life (and the lives of her friends) is at stake at every turn. Drama? Danger? Intrigue? Yep. Yep. Yep.
It is in Paige's time at Oxford (yes, that Oxford, but...not really) that the pace of The Bone Season cranks up from an 7 out of 10 to an 11. Why has she been conscripted to this voyant army? Who is really the enemy? Is she a jerk just for participating? She hates her master on principle, but he seems pretty cool, but that makes her a jerk again, right? Is this all like M. Night Shyamalan's crazy movie, The Village, and the Emin are really just people with sticks making noises in the night?
At this point, the payoff for all of your earlier head-scratching comes in. Through a series of flashbacks, we learn more about Paige's previous life and more about the origin of her abilities. It is here that you can see the promise of the future installments. Many story threads are delicately teased out making you wanting to know more.
I don't want to ruin it for you, but let me just say that plots are hatched, friendships are betrayed, alliances are made and broken, battles (small and large) are fought, kisses are kissed and lessons are learned...in the most amazing way.
The Bone Season has all of the hallmarks of the start to a great series and will be buzzed about for many years to come.
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glossaries and appendices, people! In all honesty, I started The Bone Season a couple of times, testing the water (if you will) before I dove right in. I had flashbacks to Mr. George R.R. Martin and a little series you might have heard of called A Song of Ice and Fire. With the memories of my near-obsession still fresh, I knew The Bone Season was destined to be just the same: a book where I would have to pay attention, and think, and learn new things and one that would invade my dreams.
As with A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire #1), The Bone Season is the first book of an intended series (a seven book series, actually) and as such, has the unique problem of having to familiarize the reader with the world, the characters and the situation quickly. Some may call this an info-dump, but there's really no way around it.
So, we are thrown into the world of Scion, voyants, mime-lords, and dreamwalkers with an alarming alacrity. But, don't let that put you off, Steph's Stackers, you have to put your head down, use your glossary (you'll thank me for that tip later) and go with the flow. Trust is key here, all will be explained and revealed, just go with it.
So, our heroine, Paige, is a dreamwalker, a type of voyant that can reach out into other people's mind over fairly long distances. Her talent (and those of many others) is forbidden by law and it's lights out for her if she is busted using it. Will this stop our plucky heroine? Um, no - what would the fun be in that?
Paige, at the start of the novel is working for an underground mob-like organization that uses her talent (and the various skills of others like her) to make friends and influence people in nefarious ways. She and her cohorts are like a gang of Mafioso Mind Control X-Men led by an unscrupulous Charles Xavier.
Mini-spoiler alert! This dysfunctional and magical home away from home doesn't last forever (you knew it wouldn't, right?) and through a slip-up, Paige is shanghaied to a different world that is considerably more dangerous than her previous one.
So, just when you had been studying the map and glossary and you were, like: "Cool, I've totally got this whole thing down." Um, no you don't. The party just starting, friends! We are introduced to a new cast of complex characters (Rephaim and Emin and more, oh my!) and Paige's very life (and the lives of her friends) is at stake at every turn. Drama? Danger? Intrigue? Yep. Yep. Yep.
It is in Paige's time at Oxford (yes, that Oxford, but...not really) that the pace of The Bone Season cranks up from an 7 out of 10 to an 11. Why has she been conscripted to this voyant army? Who is really the enemy? Is she a jerk just for participating? She hates her master on principle, but he seems pretty cool, but that makes her a jerk again, right? Is this all like M. Night Shyamalan's crazy movie, The Village, and the Emin are really just people with sticks making noises in the night?
At this point, the payoff for all of your earlier head-scratching comes in. Through a series of flashbacks, we learn more about Paige's previous life and more about the origin of her abilities. It is here that you can see the promise of the future installments. Many story threads are delicately teased out making you wanting to know more.
I don't want to ruin it for you, but let me just say that plots are hatched, friendships are betrayed, alliances are made and broken, battles (small and large) are fought, kisses are kissed and lessons are learned...in the most amazing way.
The Bone Season has all of the hallmarks of the start to a great series and will be buzzed about for many years to come.
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LibraryThing member shelleyraec
I wouldn’t advise beginning The Bone Season with the intention of reading just a few chapters before bedtime or you may find yourself still turning the pages at dawn as I did. With all the hype surrounding this novel written by twenty one year old debut author, Samantha Shannon I have to admit I
Set in future London following a timeline that splits from ours in the early 1900′s, The Bone Season introduces nineteen year old Paige Mahoney. Paige is a dreamwalker, fighting to survive in a world where possessing any clairvoyant ability is considered high treason. Forced underground, London’s clairvoyant’s have formed criminal enclaves and Paige has given her allegiance to Jaxon Hall, who collects those ‘voyants’ with the rarest and most useful talents.
During a rare journey to visit her father in London’s suburbs, the train Paige is traveling on is boarded by Scion Underguards searching for voyants and Paige is forced to flee but quickly caught, drugged and taken to the Tower. Paige expects to be executed, for no one that has been taken by the Scion has ever returned but is horrified to learn that captured voyants are handed over to a enigmatic otherworldly race that call themselves the Rephaite, to serve them as slaves or food or soldiers. Paige’s unique ability results in her being assigned to the Blood-Consort, Arcturus Warden, whom she is expected to obey unquestioningly. Paige though is not the type to meekly accept the strictures of her new life in Oxford, she wants to go home and she is determined to take as many other voyants as she can with her. TheBoneSeason_ReadingRoom_300x250
The plot of The Bone Season is actually quite straightforward and though there aren’t a lot of surprises, I still found it compelling. There is plenty of tension and a good mix of action and intrigue with just a touch of romance (thankfully left nearly to the end of the novel).
I liked Paige as the heroine – she is smart, resourceful, feisty and both her talent and her personality is interesting. Despite the inherent contradiction she has a core of incorruptible humanity, she cares even when it is in her best interest not to.
We learn only a little about her employer, Jax, and her colleagues given that she spends most of the book separated from them, but I am looking forward to getting to know more about them. Paige’s allies and enemies in Sheol I are reasonably well drawn but obviously temporary.
Warden is necessarily enigmatic, his allegiances unclear and his motives suspect. The issue of trust between Paige and Warden is a crucial element of the story and I think Shannon develops this very well.
The world building of The Bone Season is creative and interesting, though at times a little dense. I found it took a little while to get it all straight but I was intrigued by the variety of clairvoyant talents introduced ranging from Cartomancers to Binders and the ways in which the voyants are linked to the aether – the plane of existence where spirits dwell. The introduction of the enigmatic Rephaite, hidden in Oxford, adds another layer of interest especially as exactly what they are is shrouded in secrecy.
Despite it’s length, The Bone Season is well paced without much of the the forced compression most stories are hostage to. I think the writing is impressive, especially given Shannon’s age and experience. She is a natural storyteller and though a little more polish wouldn’t hurt, the flaws in the narrative are minor. I would think it would be harder for Americans than readers from the Commonwealth to understand some of the slang used in The Bone Season, though a glossary is available to be made use of.
The Bone Season is easily one of the most enjoyable paranormal/distopyian novels I have read, though admittedly I have read few – distopyia is not usually my thing. I’m excited about the development of the series and hope that Samantha Shannon can live up to its potential. I will definitely be picking up the next book.
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was a little wary going in but The Bone Season, though not perfect, is an impressive and engrossing fantasy novel.Set in future London following a timeline that splits from ours in the early 1900′s, The Bone Season introduces nineteen year old Paige Mahoney. Paige is a dreamwalker, fighting to survive in a world where possessing any clairvoyant ability is considered high treason. Forced underground, London’s clairvoyant’s have formed criminal enclaves and Paige has given her allegiance to Jaxon Hall, who collects those ‘voyants’ with the rarest and most useful talents.
During a rare journey to visit her father in London’s suburbs, the train Paige is traveling on is boarded by Scion Underguards searching for voyants and Paige is forced to flee but quickly caught, drugged and taken to the Tower. Paige expects to be executed, for no one that has been taken by the Scion has ever returned but is horrified to learn that captured voyants are handed over to a enigmatic otherworldly race that call themselves the Rephaite, to serve them as slaves or food or soldiers. Paige’s unique ability results in her being assigned to the Blood-Consort, Arcturus Warden, whom she is expected to obey unquestioningly. Paige though is not the type to meekly accept the strictures of her new life in Oxford, she wants to go home and she is determined to take as many other voyants as she can with her. TheBoneSeason_ReadingRoom_300x250
The plot of The Bone Season is actually quite straightforward and though there aren’t a lot of surprises, I still found it compelling. There is plenty of tension and a good mix of action and intrigue with just a touch of romance (thankfully left nearly to the end of the novel).
I liked Paige as the heroine – she is smart, resourceful, feisty and both her talent and her personality is interesting. Despite the inherent contradiction she has a core of incorruptible humanity, she cares even when it is in her best interest not to.
We learn only a little about her employer, Jax, and her colleagues given that she spends most of the book separated from them, but I am looking forward to getting to know more about them. Paige’s allies and enemies in Sheol I are reasonably well drawn but obviously temporary.
Warden is necessarily enigmatic, his allegiances unclear and his motives suspect. The issue of trust between Paige and Warden is a crucial element of the story and I think Shannon develops this very well.
The world building of The Bone Season is creative and interesting, though at times a little dense. I found it took a little while to get it all straight but I was intrigued by the variety of clairvoyant talents introduced ranging from Cartomancers to Binders and the ways in which the voyants are linked to the aether – the plane of existence where spirits dwell. The introduction of the enigmatic Rephaite, hidden in Oxford, adds another layer of interest especially as exactly what they are is shrouded in secrecy.
Despite it’s length, The Bone Season is well paced without much of the the forced compression most stories are hostage to. I think the writing is impressive, especially given Shannon’s age and experience. She is a natural storyteller and though a little more polish wouldn’t hurt, the flaws in the narrative are minor. I would think it would be harder for Americans than readers from the Commonwealth to understand some of the slang used in The Bone Season, though a glossary is available to be made use of.
The Bone Season is easily one of the most enjoyable paranormal/distopyian novels I have read, though admittedly I have read few – distopyia is not usually my thing. I’m excited about the development of the series and hope that Samantha Shannon can live up to its potential. I will definitely be picking up the next book.
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LibraryThing member LadyJai
I won a signed ARC copy from Tor. At first, it was highly intimidating. The size, the maps, the flowcharts, the glossary! Yes, the glossary!
I started reading the first few chapters and felt very overwhelmed with the language. It used old street/gangster slang combined with made-up slang. In the
Shannon's world building is in depth, sucking you into the London underground, but drawing an alternative reality, one in which requires all the maps at the beginning in order to keep straight. I've always loved alternate history, and Shannon does well with this aspect. Yes, it's in the future, but the history is different. Set in England 2059, which really isn't all that distant, the past history of the nation/world is marginally different, but still incorporates certain historical points and people that we can relate to, so we are not too removed from the story.
But the story...
The story drew me in. The conflict, the emotion, the action. All of it left me craving more with each turn of the page. Getting inside Paige's head, Shannon's first person POV, was definitely worth it. She knows how to instill the necessary emotion in Paige and the reader, while keeping everyone else at a safe distance.
Despite the complexity of the world and the language, I definitely would recommend giving this book a try. See for yourself.
For me, I can't wait to read more.
I started reading the first few chapters and felt very overwhelmed with the language. It used old street/gangster slang combined with made-up slang. In the
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beginning it made my head spin! I nearly stopped reading because of it. The glossary helped, yes. But having to reference it made it daunting, to say the least. But I got used to it, eventually. I still had to reference certain words, even towards the end, just to be sure I was correct. This did throw off the pacing, in my opinion.Shannon's world building is in depth, sucking you into the London underground, but drawing an alternative reality, one in which requires all the maps at the beginning in order to keep straight. I've always loved alternate history, and Shannon does well with this aspect. Yes, it's in the future, but the history is different. Set in England 2059, which really isn't all that distant, the past history of the nation/world is marginally different, but still incorporates certain historical points and people that we can relate to, so we are not too removed from the story.
But the story...
The story drew me in. The conflict, the emotion, the action. All of it left me craving more with each turn of the page. Getting inside Paige's head, Shannon's first person POV, was definitely worth it. She knows how to instill the necessary emotion in Paige and the reader, while keeping everyone else at a safe distance.
Despite the complexity of the world and the language, I definitely would recommend giving this book a try. See for yourself.
For me, I can't wait to read more.
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LibraryThing member AyleeArgh
3.5 Stars
In short: The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon has a highly ambitious and imaginative concept, but the execution of the world building was not up to par.
I am not one of those people who gets scared off from reading a book because of the immense buzz surrounding it. Quite the opposite: I am
And the result was that I was both impressed and disappointed by The Bone Season. The highly ambitious and complex world building in The Bone Season was somehow both its strength and its weakness. Samantha Shannon - at the tender age of nineteen, still a student at Oxford, when she wrote this book - has crafted one of the most original and visionary fantasy worlds I have ever come across. It was so unlike anything I have read that it was hard at first to even wrap my head around the concept. But it's hard not to appreciate such breadth and richness of imagination.
It was the execution of the creation of such a unique world that I found issue. Notice how I have not even attempted a brief summary of the world in The Bone Season. There is just SO MUCH there and it's all very complicated, and I couldn't possibly adequately explain even the basis of it. The world building was not nearly as clear as I would have liked. It felt like a chore at times, keeping track of all the lingo and rules. There is a glossary in the back, which might have been helpful, except I wasn't aware of its existence until the end and it would have been a pain to flip to in ebook format anyway.
Perhaps I would have liked The Bone Season better if I had more patience. As it was, I didn't feel like trying to take in massive loads of complicated information and making sense out of this highly complex world. I actually really like complicated concepts and world building, but only if they seem effortless; this seemed laboured. If I were the type to DNF books, I probably would've ditched this one early on when the info dumps were numerous and the many details convoluted. But as it is, I am utterly unable to ditch books part way through, so I stuck it out. Thankfully, the story did get a bit easier to follow in time, and therefore way more enjoyable.
Don't get me wrong, The Bone Season was a good book that I liked and admired for its ambition and imagination. It is also a very fast-paced and exciting book once you get past the initial intro to the world. Characters were another highlight here; many were complex and enigmatic. There is the beginnings of a romance here and I have a feeling it's one that a lot of people will really love for its tension and intensity. So there was a lot of good in The Bone Season. I'm just not completely positive I am ready to commit to a seven-book series when I am still a bit fuzzy on the details of the world.
In short: The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon has a highly ambitious and imaginative concept, but the execution of the world building was not up to par.
I am not one of those people who gets scared off from reading a book because of the immense buzz surrounding it. Quite the opposite: I am
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a total lemming and I become instantly curious in any book that receives massive amounts of hype. And with a seven-book six-figure deal, a nineteen-year-old debut author, film rights already optioned, and a ton of early buzz reviews, The Bone Season definitely fits the bill. I needed to involve myself in the hype of this book to see for myself what all the fuss is about.And the result was that I was both impressed and disappointed by The Bone Season. The highly ambitious and complex world building in The Bone Season was somehow both its strength and its weakness. Samantha Shannon - at the tender age of nineteen, still a student at Oxford, when she wrote this book - has crafted one of the most original and visionary fantasy worlds I have ever come across. It was so unlike anything I have read that it was hard at first to even wrap my head around the concept. But it's hard not to appreciate such breadth and richness of imagination.
It was the execution of the creation of such a unique world that I found issue. Notice how I have not even attempted a brief summary of the world in The Bone Season. There is just SO MUCH there and it's all very complicated, and I couldn't possibly adequately explain even the basis of it. The world building was not nearly as clear as I would have liked. It felt like a chore at times, keeping track of all the lingo and rules. There is a glossary in the back, which might have been helpful, except I wasn't aware of its existence until the end and it would have been a pain to flip to in ebook format anyway.
Perhaps I would have liked The Bone Season better if I had more patience. As it was, I didn't feel like trying to take in massive loads of complicated information and making sense out of this highly complex world. I actually really like complicated concepts and world building, but only if they seem effortless; this seemed laboured. If I were the type to DNF books, I probably would've ditched this one early on when the info dumps were numerous and the many details convoluted. But as it is, I am utterly unable to ditch books part way through, so I stuck it out. Thankfully, the story did get a bit easier to follow in time, and therefore way more enjoyable.
Don't get me wrong, The Bone Season was a good book that I liked and admired for its ambition and imagination. It is also a very fast-paced and exciting book once you get past the initial intro to the world. Characters were another highlight here; many were complex and enigmatic. There is the beginnings of a romance here and I have a feeling it's one that a lot of people will really love for its tension and intensity. So there was a lot of good in The Bone Season. I'm just not completely positive I am ready to commit to a seven-book series when I am still a bit fuzzy on the details of the world.
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LibraryThing member WorldforReading
Scion London is the result of history diverging from our own in the time of Edward VII with people suddenly developing psychic powers. The government, in an effort to control this phenomena, created Scion citadels. There purpose is to control the population and weed out anyone with clairvoyant
I'm normally the last person to complain about a complicated narrative, it's just that information in this one is provided so clumsily, and it seems to go on forever, largely at the expense of character. I understand the urge to share every detail about a world you've created, but some things seemed irrelevant or overly detailed. The description of the various sectors for example. As for clumsy exposition: Paige entertains herself on a train ride by reading the information on her ID and reflecting on the history of Scion. As one does. We learn about Sheol I through Paige wandering around having conversations with various helpful but one-dimensional characters. It's very hard to care about any of this. I feel this switch in setting would have had more impact had the narrative spent more time in Scion London at first. The rules of the world must be firmly established before breaking them can have any meaning, and its hard to care about characters you know very little about. Therefore, when Paige talks about missing her gang, it's meaningless because the reader has no idea who those people are or the nature of her relationships, beyond that it's a dangerous gang that works her to exhaustion.
The story does gain more momentum around the halfway point. We learn more about Paige's Raphaim keeper, Warden, and are finally introduced to the often-referenced gang members (via dream flashback). Finally actual characters with personalties! The action picks up as well as the Emim appear and Paige begins to take action. In the beginning I would pick this book up, read a few pages, then put it down, but the last 200 pages had me riveted. That's why despite the rocky first half I will definitely be reading the sequel and do give a tentative recommendation. The world is interesting, and now that most of the heavy exposition is out of the way, I'm curious how Shannon will continue. This is a debut novel, much of the information may be relevant in one of the projected sequels, and there were enough interesting character beats and originality that I'd like to read more about them.
Recommended for: People who enjoy reading about alternate worlds with a complicated mythology, a little romance, action, and lots of exposition.
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abilities: the people known as "voyants". There are many different kinds of voyants: soothsayers, palmists, oracles, tasseographers, julkies, with different abilities. A chart is provided at the start of the novel. In order to stay safe from the authorities many voyants join a crime syndicate with various gangs controlled by "mime-lords" who control various sectors of the city and engage in "mime-crime". One day she is caught and sent to the prison city Sheol I. Paige must now fight a war against otherworldly creatures (Emim)at the behest of a different race of otherworldly creatures (Rephaim). If all of this sounds very complicated, that's because it is. I'm normally the last person to complain about a complicated narrative, it's just that information in this one is provided so clumsily, and it seems to go on forever, largely at the expense of character. I understand the urge to share every detail about a world you've created, but some things seemed irrelevant or overly detailed. The description of the various sectors for example. As for clumsy exposition: Paige entertains herself on a train ride by reading the information on her ID and reflecting on the history of Scion. As one does. We learn about Sheol I through Paige wandering around having conversations with various helpful but one-dimensional characters. It's very hard to care about any of this. I feel this switch in setting would have had more impact had the narrative spent more time in Scion London at first. The rules of the world must be firmly established before breaking them can have any meaning, and its hard to care about characters you know very little about. Therefore, when Paige talks about missing her gang, it's meaningless because the reader has no idea who those people are or the nature of her relationships, beyond that it's a dangerous gang that works her to exhaustion.
The story does gain more momentum around the halfway point. We learn more about Paige's Raphaim keeper, Warden, and are finally introduced to the often-referenced gang members (via dream flashback). Finally actual characters with personalties! The action picks up as well as the Emim appear and Paige begins to take action. In the beginning I would pick this book up, read a few pages, then put it down, but the last 200 pages had me riveted. That's why despite the rocky first half I will definitely be reading the sequel and do give a tentative recommendation. The world is interesting, and now that most of the heavy exposition is out of the way, I'm curious how Shannon will continue. This is a debut novel, much of the information may be relevant in one of the projected sequels, and there were enough interesting character beats and originality that I'd like to read more about them.
Recommended for: People who enjoy reading about alternate worlds with a complicated mythology, a little romance, action, and lots of exposition.
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LibraryThing member wifilibrarian
So impressive that Samantha Shannon was still at university in her early 20s when she wrote this, her debut novel. It has had an amazing amount of publicity, including an author interview on Librarything. I admire the world building, the use of Victorian slang that had me baffled, but impressed,
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and a bit angry when I found there was a glossary at the back of the book after I had finished!). I appreciate the work that's gone into it but I didn't really enjoy this book. I don't think I liked any of the characters. And that this book in essence is a teen romance, disguised as a paranormal psychic mystery, with some well-researched history and an obvious love of oxford and England. Over promised and under delivered. Show Less
LibraryThing member Rowena_
Not so good. Overhyped.
LibraryThing member RGR
I really enjoyed this story. I didn't have a problem with the language so I didn't need the dictionary the book provides. This is the story of a young girl with paranormal abilities working for a criminal organization with other paranormals. Sentenced for a crime and sent to a prison, she has to
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battle with aliens who live on the planet in secret. I didn't care for the bit of romance thrown in at the end. The story stands on its own without being a romance for teens. Let's hope the nonsense stops in the next book. This is a brilliant world Ms. Shannon has created. I fear she will cater to the teens and go heavy on the hijinx to win them over. Read and enjoy. Show Less
LibraryThing member randalrh
A very good start, and a first book that is somewhat complete in itself, which is a bonus. The parameters of the alternate history of The Bone Season are well-established, while still leaving room for further revelation. Several of the characters have enough dimension that they could take off in
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subsequent novels. The main character, herself, though, changes quite a bit and somewhat unaccountably in what seems like a few days/weeks. Show Less
LibraryThing member jacquiemak
This book is hard to review, because I recognize that a big chunk of how I feel is based on my level of expectation going into it. It's one of the most hyped books of the year, the author has been compared to J.K. Rowling, and film rights have already been optioned. You can't really go into a book
This world takes place in a future society called Scion, where clairvoyant people known as "voyants" are condemned. Paige, our heroine, is a dreamwalker and has a very rare talent of being able to break into people's minds. She works in underground London in a secret "voyant" crew called the Seven Seals, but gets captured whisked off to Oxford, a hidden area controlled by another race call the Rephaim.
This book's greatest "strength" is probably in its world building. You can argue that the world building is sophisticated and complex. However, it was a bit confusing for me. I often felt bored, and inundated by a bunch of words that "told" me more than "showed" me. The author used a ton of made-up words that I grasped to understand the meaning of, even in context. Thankfully, I found a glossary at the end of the book which I referenced very often. But I felt that everything was a bit overdone. When you strip it down to the basic elements of character and plot, the story is actually quite formulaic and unoriginal.
One big aspect that was missing for me was characterization. When characters are flat, I tend to feel emotionally disconnected with them . Paige was probably the most developed, and I did appreciate Paige for her boldness and strength. Yet her care for a young boy she meets by the name of Seb felt very forced, as if he were there only to show you she has a soft side for a kid and to make you like her. I've seen this trick before! I need a little more than that to make me feel a character. Also, I couldn't see Warden as much more (at this point) than a very beautiful looking robotic being with compelling eyes. Of course there is mystery and much more to uncover as we progress through the series, since this is only book 1 out of 7. Sometimes books need to build, but I would definitely like to see more complexity, growth, and some depth in a variety of characters that I can know and love (versus a focus on only one or two mains.)
I did find small douses of amazingness sprinkled in. I was interested enough to get through the very long book, in a very short amount of time. So it did keep my attention. I will continue reading the next in the series to see where it goes.
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knowing that and expect it to win and impress you. So let me put that aside, and try to break it down a bit.This world takes place in a future society called Scion, where clairvoyant people known as "voyants" are condemned. Paige, our heroine, is a dreamwalker and has a very rare talent of being able to break into people's minds. She works in underground London in a secret "voyant" crew called the Seven Seals, but gets captured whisked off to Oxford, a hidden area controlled by another race call the Rephaim.
This book's greatest "strength" is probably in its world building. You can argue that the world building is sophisticated and complex. However, it was a bit confusing for me. I often felt bored, and inundated by a bunch of words that "told" me more than "showed" me. The author used a ton of made-up words that I grasped to understand the meaning of, even in context. Thankfully, I found a glossary at the end of the book which I referenced very often. But I felt that everything was a bit overdone. When you strip it down to the basic elements of character and plot, the story is actually quite formulaic and unoriginal.
One big aspect that was missing for me was characterization. When characters are flat, I tend to feel emotionally disconnected with them . Paige was probably the most developed, and I did appreciate Paige for her boldness and strength. Yet her care for a young boy she meets by the name of Seb felt very forced, as if he were there only to show you she has a soft side for a kid and to make you like her. I've seen this trick before! I need a little more than that to make me feel a character. Also, I couldn't see Warden as much more (at this point) than a very beautiful looking robotic being with compelling eyes. Of course there is mystery and much more to uncover as we progress through the series, since this is only book 1 out of 7. Sometimes books need to build, but I would definitely like to see more complexity, growth, and some depth in a variety of characters that I can know and love (versus a focus on only one or two mains.)
I did find small douses of amazingness sprinkled in. I was interested enough to get through the very long book, in a very short amount of time. So it did keep my attention. I will continue reading the next in the series to see where it goes.
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LibraryThing member capiam1234
I was bored and uninterested halfway through and it never changed all the way to the end. I am impressed at how expansive the world building has been attempted at such a young age. But throw in uninteresting characters the plot just cant survive.
LibraryThing member laughingcarol
The Bone Season is one of the best new books I’ve read. Samantha Shannon has taken familiar ground, the cities of London and Oxford, and turned it upside down. Although it’s categorized as Steam Punk, I’d place it firmly in Urban Fantasy.
The British are no longer ruled by a parliamentary
One day, on the way to visit her father – he’s an Irish doctor who was conscripted into service to Scion – her life changes forever. When Scion troops come in the front door, she goes out a window, over the roofs, fleeing for her life. She’s captured, drugged, and wakes up a slave in Oxford, a city that’s not even supposed to exist anymore.
At an orientation she learns that the Rephaim, her new masters, keep both clairvoyants and humans for their own purposes. They have an arrangement with Scion, which sends most captured clairvoyants to Oxford every year during Bone Season. Humans without clairvoyance who are captured are the real victims, they have no value at all except as drudges who can be (literally) worked to death.
Most clairvoyants will be conscripted into a sort of army called the Red Jackets which fights the Rephaim’s natural enemies, the Emim. The Emim are horrible formless creatures, which eat human flesh. The Rephaim, on the other hand, can feed on clairvoyants’ energy. Clairvoyants who can’t pass the Red Jacket tests become entertainers in a grim circus.
Paige, now known as XX-59-40, is assigned to the Warden, an enigmatic Rephaim who doesn’t usually keep humans. He’s not cruel to her, but he’s not kind either. Although she has a room in his dwelling, he never gives her any food. She’s free to wander and interact with people while scrounging for food, but if she’s not back in his dwelling exactly on time, the Red Jackets will bring her back.
Paige soon figures out that her particular talent – she’s a dreamwalker – is one the Scions have never captured before. The Scion leader, who can absorb clairvoyant talents into herself (killing the clairvoyant), wants a dreamwalker. Paige needs to keep her talent hidden, but she’s afraid the Warden has guessed her power.
Under his training program, Paige passes her tests, but she doesn’t keep her Red Jacket long. When she’s sent back to London on a mission to capture her friends, she tries to escape, but doesn’t get far. Punishment is swift and cruel. After watching her friends cruelly killed or dying from neglect, Paige and her friends and allies foment a rebellion against the cruel Rephaim.
Although The Bone Season comes to a satisfying conclusion, it is clearly the first book in a series, since plenty of things were left hanging. This book kept me up until the very early hours of the morning! I definitely recommend it.
The British are no longer ruled by a parliamentary
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government, in fact that government fell over a hundred years ago to something called Scion. Paige Mahoney is part of the criminal underground in Scion London. She’s not a thief or a murderer, she’s a clairvoyant, a class of people who commit treason just by breathing. One day, on the way to visit her father – he’s an Irish doctor who was conscripted into service to Scion – her life changes forever. When Scion troops come in the front door, she goes out a window, over the roofs, fleeing for her life. She’s captured, drugged, and wakes up a slave in Oxford, a city that’s not even supposed to exist anymore.
At an orientation she learns that the Rephaim, her new masters, keep both clairvoyants and humans for their own purposes. They have an arrangement with Scion, which sends most captured clairvoyants to Oxford every year during Bone Season. Humans without clairvoyance who are captured are the real victims, they have no value at all except as drudges who can be (literally) worked to death.
Most clairvoyants will be conscripted into a sort of army called the Red Jackets which fights the Rephaim’s natural enemies, the Emim. The Emim are horrible formless creatures, which eat human flesh. The Rephaim, on the other hand, can feed on clairvoyants’ energy. Clairvoyants who can’t pass the Red Jacket tests become entertainers in a grim circus.
Paige, now known as XX-59-40, is assigned to the Warden, an enigmatic Rephaim who doesn’t usually keep humans. He’s not cruel to her, but he’s not kind either. Although she has a room in his dwelling, he never gives her any food. She’s free to wander and interact with people while scrounging for food, but if she’s not back in his dwelling exactly on time, the Red Jackets will bring her back.
Paige soon figures out that her particular talent – she’s a dreamwalker – is one the Scions have never captured before. The Scion leader, who can absorb clairvoyant talents into herself (killing the clairvoyant), wants a dreamwalker. Paige needs to keep her talent hidden, but she’s afraid the Warden has guessed her power.
Under his training program, Paige passes her tests, but she doesn’t keep her Red Jacket long. When she’s sent back to London on a mission to capture her friends, she tries to escape, but doesn’t get far. Punishment is swift and cruel. After watching her friends cruelly killed or dying from neglect, Paige and her friends and allies foment a rebellion against the cruel Rephaim.
Although The Bone Season comes to a satisfying conclusion, it is clearly the first book in a series, since plenty of things were left hanging. This book kept me up until the very early hours of the morning! I definitely recommend it.
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LibraryThing member leeanne.pedersen
It's not often these days that I manage to concentrate enough to read a novel in one week, but The Bone Season was that compelling. The future setting immediately reminded me of The Hunger Games, but that's where the comparison ended. Set in England, clairvoyants of this future are criminals that
Upon completing the book, I am very much looking forward to the continuation of the series, and also to see this story turned into a movie.
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are rounded up and never heard from again. Paige is a very strong clairvoyant working for an underground syndicate. When captured, Paige discovers that all manner of clairvoyants are delivered to the now secret city of Oxford, where they are trained as a slave army to fight an invader from a different reality. With the guidance of her master/mentor, Warden, she develops her powers further and yearns to return to her old life.Upon completing the book, I am very much looking forward to the continuation of the series, and also to see this story turned into a movie.
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LibraryThing member CurrerBell
2** instead of just 1½* . . . out of respect for the author's success despite her youth and immaturity. But this book was a very grinding read that I only finished because I wanted to see what all the hoopla was about.
Sometimes a book has too many characters to make sense. Here, the problem is
And of course there's the "beauty and the beast" element – Paige (great name, so sexily sophisticated?) and the demonic Warden, that turns into quite a bodice ripper.
This thing's a confusing mess, and I hope Samantha Shannon can get her act together in later books of this series (six more coming, most likely, though I won't be reading them), because throwing around the names of four dozen or so sub-species of clairvoyants isn't going to cut the cake on a clichéd plot and (when the "romance" begins) purple prose.
Samantha Shannon – the next JKR she ain't!
Sometimes a book has too many characters to make sense. Here, the problem is
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that the book has too many species to make sense – species of clairvoyants, that is. In fact, it's not just species of clairvoyants to keep track of, it's sub-species, and the author includes a detailed diagram of the whole mess of four dozen or so of them.And of course there's the "beauty and the beast" element – Paige (great name, so sexily sophisticated?) and the demonic Warden, that turns into quite a bodice ripper.
This thing's a confusing mess, and I hope Samantha Shannon can get her act together in later books of this series (six more coming, most likely, though I won't be reading them), because throwing around the names of four dozen or so sub-species of clairvoyants isn't going to cut the cake on a clichéd plot and (when the "romance" begins) purple prose.
Samantha Shannon – the next JKR she ain't!
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LibraryThing member andreaf17
The Bone Season is the first in a new series. Although it is being marketed as an adult book, the book itself reads more like YA or "new adult" fiction.
The main character, Paige, lives in a distopian future where many people are born with clairvoyant capabilities. The government attempts to
I thought the book was interesting, though not as fantastic as I was hoping. I recommend this book for people who like supernatural/distopian novels.
The main character, Paige, lives in a distopian future where many people are born with clairvoyant capabilities. The government attempts to
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eradicate all clairvoyants, so Paige and others like her are forced underground. Paige is captured and finds that there is a whole other "world" ruled by Rephaims who wish to collect clairvoyants and use them for their capabilities. Paige attempts to fight back and escape and in the process learns that not all Rephaims are bad.I thought the book was interesting, though not as fantastic as I was hoping. I recommend this book for people who like supernatural/distopian novels.
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LibraryThing member RosanneE
Absolutely brilliant novel by a new young Author! This is the first in the series and I am looking forward to reading more.
LibraryThing member Jaylia3
Impressive debut that requires some extra effort
Bone Season has a fascinating story, both the actual book and its backstory about the twenty-one year old author, but while the series has a lot of potential and will most likely get stronger, for me this book is more impressive and interesting than
A few things about the book dampened my enthusiasm. There are intricate distinctions between different types of psychic ability that are clearly significant but sometimes tedious. The glossary in the back of the book is both a relief, I can think of other books that could use one, and a mild irritant, it interrupts the flow of the story to have to keep looking things up. Though it's been compared to Harry Potter it's a much grimmer story--Hogwarts had some severe problems but it wasn't a dystopia and Bone Season may be the most dystopian novel I've read.
In spite of some shortcomings Bone Season is a powerful story and I'll definitely be following this series. Those who enjoy immersing themselves in books with harsh realities and densely detailed world building will love Bone Season and Samantha Shannon is an author to watch.
Bone Season has a fascinating story, both the actual book and its backstory about the twenty-one year old author, but while the series has a lot of potential and will most likely get stronger, for me this book is more impressive and interesting than
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engaging or engrossing. It takes work and commitment to read because there is a lot to learn about the alternate reality it's set in, and early on after you think you've got the general idea of the world that's been built, everything is turned on its head because it turns out your original understanding is just an illusion of how things actually are. Impressive for sure, because the author has built two full, connecting alternate realities. A few things about the book dampened my enthusiasm. There are intricate distinctions between different types of psychic ability that are clearly significant but sometimes tedious. The glossary in the back of the book is both a relief, I can think of other books that could use one, and a mild irritant, it interrupts the flow of the story to have to keep looking things up. Though it's been compared to Harry Potter it's a much grimmer story--Hogwarts had some severe problems but it wasn't a dystopia and Bone Season may be the most dystopian novel I've read.
In spite of some shortcomings Bone Season is a powerful story and I'll definitely be following this series. Those who enjoy immersing themselves in books with harsh realities and densely detailed world building will love Bone Season and Samantha Shannon is an author to watch.
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LibraryThing member ahappybooker
Maybe try to pick this up again another time.
LibraryThing member JBD1
With her imaginative and well-written debut, The Bone Season (Bloomsbury, 2013), Samantha Shannon bursts onto the literary scene (and I suspect the bestseller lists as well). This book had me hooked right from the first pages and didn't let up even for a moment. Shannon's crafted a richly-detailed
The gripping and entirely enjoyable start to what promises to be a captivating series.
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dystopian world where clairvoyance is real but those who exhibit it are treated as criminals, forced to eke out a meager existence or take up with London's criminal underclass. But when young, powerful voyant Paige Mahoney is captured by the authorities, it's no regular prison for her: she's removed to the secret city of Oxford, where she learns of a force much darker and more powerful than any human captors. The gripping and entirely enjoyable start to what promises to be a captivating series.
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Awards
British Book Award (Shortlist — New Writer — 2013)
Language
Original publication date
2013-08-20
Physical description
480 p.; 9.2 inches
ISBN
1620401398 / 9781620401392