![The Bone Witch by [Chupeco, Rin]](https://images-fe.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61JXLuNBGdL._SY346_.jpg)
Audible Narration:
THE BONE WITCH is slow to start. The worldbuilding is great, I love the world building and the descriptions are lovely. However, not a lot happens and it drags for a while in the middle before finally getting to the plot in the last ten to fifteen percent of the book.
There is so much world building; there's so much information on the cities, and the beliefs, and what each form of dress means to each person's role. But it's so much filler. I found myself skimming a lot of the time where Tea was preparing to become an apprentice and then learning to become an asha. I loved Tea learning the realities of being asha and finding out what could and couldn't be done with magic, but I preferred her learning it on the move with Mykaela rather than at House Valerian.
The characters were probably the best part, but even then there didn't seem to be too much to them. Tea seems to pick up what she needs mostly through instinct, but it was nice to know that as she was learning time was passing—although at times it didn't seem like it—and she wasn't instantly proficient at everything. I liked her relationship with Fox, and I liked that despite both of them being close siblings they still hid things from each other and each tried to keep the other from harm.
This book has girl hate. There are quite a few female characters, but many of the ones Tea's age are either mentioned in passing, rarely involved, or looked down on in some aspects. One of the rivalries seemingly gets resolved with no real interactions between the characters before the change; part of that could be excused as to how the asha system is set up with 'sisters', but I would have really liked to see the development within the book itself.
I liked the parts between chapters where Tea was talking to the Bard, I liked seeing where she is now and where younger Tea is going to end up. Speaking of, I liked seeing potential hints as to how she ended up where she did within the numbered chapters. I can't wait to see what paths she chooses and how things develop.
This book felt a lot like build up. There's a potential plot. There's a potential love triangle. There's a potential change coming. I felt like this book needed more, but the second one in the series may explore everything further. I just wish this one had more plot than it did, as it really felt like it was mostly filler.
Review
"Fans of high fantasy looking for diverse representation will be eager to get their hands on this book...this will become a series to be reckoned with." - School Library Connection
"Chupeco craftily weaves magic, intrigue, and mystery into a captivating tale that will leave readers begging for the promised sequel." - School Library Journal
"The Bone Witch is a fantasy lover's fantasy, with a rich history and hierarchy of its own. The secrets and workings of its magic are revealed slowly in a suspenseful novel that is sure to appeal to those with a love of serious, dark fairytales." - Foreword Reviews
"Readers who enjoy immersing themselves in detail will revel in Chupeco's finely wrought tale. Game of Thrones fans may see shades of Daenerys Targaryen in Tea, as she gathers a daeva army to unleash upon the world. Whether she is in the right remains a question unanswered, but the ending makes it clear her story is only beginning." - Booklist
"Readers intrigued by the carefully crafted magic and the evolution of Tea's character from a homesick, guilt-ridden girl into the fierce warrior who opens the tale will discover a multi-faceted drama of revenge and heartbreak." - RT Book Reviews
"A high-fantasy Memoirs of a Geisha, Chupeco's latest excels in originality... Chupeco is a writer to watch." - Kirkus
"Mesmerizing. Chupeco (The Suffering) does a magnificent job of balancing an intimate narrative perspective with sweeping worldbuilding, crafting her tale within a multicultural melting pot of influences as she presses toward a powerful cliffhanger." - Publishers Weekly, starred review
"An adventure with light romance that will appeal to fans of Leigh Bardugo and Sarah J. Maas." - VOYA Magazine
"In this sweeping high fantasy, Chupeco concocts a grim world of magic, both light and dark" - Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"Rin Chupeco already captivated and horrified us with The Girl from the Well, but she may have outdone herself on this one. The Bone Witch is the first in a new series about a young witch who realizes she has the dark gift of necromancy after she accidentally raises her brother from the dead. Now, an older bone witch has taken Tea under her wing to teach her the art. The story has been pitched as high fantasy meets Memoirs of a Geisha, so yes, you need your hands on it now." - Bustle.com
"Chupeco craftily weaves magic, intrigue, and mystery into a captivating tale that will leave readers begging for the promised sequel." - School Library Journal
"The Bone Witch is a fantasy lover's fantasy, with a rich history and hierarchy of its own. The secrets and workings of its magic are revealed slowly in a suspenseful novel that is sure to appeal to those with a love of serious, dark fairytales." - Foreword Reviews
"Readers who enjoy immersing themselves in detail will revel in Chupeco's finely wrought tale. Game of Thrones fans may see shades of Daenerys Targaryen in Tea, as she gathers a daeva army to unleash upon the world. Whether she is in the right remains a question unanswered, but the ending makes it clear her story is only beginning." - Booklist
"Readers intrigued by the carefully crafted magic and the evolution of Tea's character from a homesick, guilt-ridden girl into the fierce warrior who opens the tale will discover a multi-faceted drama of revenge and heartbreak." - RT Book Reviews
"A high-fantasy Memoirs of a Geisha, Chupeco's latest excels in originality... Chupeco is a writer to watch." - Kirkus
"Mesmerizing. Chupeco (The Suffering) does a magnificent job of balancing an intimate narrative perspective with sweeping worldbuilding, crafting her tale within a multicultural melting pot of influences as she presses toward a powerful cliffhanger." - Publishers Weekly, starred review
"An adventure with light romance that will appeal to fans of Leigh Bardugo and Sarah J. Maas." - VOYA Magazine
"In this sweeping high fantasy, Chupeco concocts a grim world of magic, both light and dark" - Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"Rin Chupeco already captivated and horrified us with The Girl from the Well, but she may have outdone herself on this one. The Bone Witch is the first in a new series about a young witch who realizes she has the dark gift of necromancy after she accidentally raises her brother from the dead. Now, an older bone witch has taken Tea under her wing to teach her the art. The story has been pitched as high fantasy meets Memoirs of a Geisha, so yes, you need your hands on it now." - Bustle.com
Product Description
A Publishers Weekly Most Anticipated Young Adult Book of Spring 2017!
In the captivating start to a new, darkly lyrical fantasy series for readers of Leigh Bardugo and Sabaa Tahir, Tea can raise the dead, but resurrection comes at a price...
Let me be clear: I never intended to raise my brother from his grave, though he may claim otherwise. If there’s anything I’ve learned from him in the years since, it’s that the dead hide truths as well as the living.
When Tea accidentally resurrects her brother from the dead, she learns she is different from the other witches in her family. Her gift for necromancy means that she’s a bone witch, a title that makes her feared and ostracized by her community. But Tea finds solace and guidance with an older, wiser bone witch, who takes Tea and her brother to another land for training.
In her new home, Tea puts all her energy into becoming an asha—one who can wield elemental magic. But dark forces are approaching quickly, and in the face of danger, Tea will have to overcome her obstacles…and make a powerful choice.
Memoirs of a Geisha meets The Name of the Wind in this brilliant new fantasy series by Rin Chupeco!
