The Bone Witch Saga is a fantasy series written by Rin Chupeco. It is set in a world where magic exists and follows the journey of the main protagonist, Tea. In this series, the society is divided into two types of people: the asha, who possess magic and are trained to be powerful warriors, and the non-asha, who are considered ordinary. Tea, the main character, discovers her magical abilities at a young age when she accidentally raises her brother from the dead during his funeral. This event marks her as a bone witch, an extremely rare and feared type of asha who can control the dead. She is then taken under the wing of Lady Mykaela, an experienced bone witch, and begins her training to become an asha.
“YOU THINK IN THE SAME WAY MEN DRINK, TEA,” MY FATHER ONCE SAID, “FAR TOO MUCH—UNDER THE DELUSION IT IS TOO LITTLE.”
Another is the gender imbalances with regards to Ashas only recruiting women, and Deathseekers only taking in men in spite of the Ashas being trained in combat. She s also thinking beyond the constraints her role aims to impose on her and her friend, Likh, a boy who would rather dance than be trained to fight.
She is then taken under the wing of Lady Mykaela, an experienced bone witch, and begins her training to become an asha. Throughout the series, Tea’s journey as a bone witch is explored. Her abilities grow stronger, and she learns how to navigate the politics and power struggles within the asha community.
Review : The Bone Witch by Rin Chupeco
Tea Pahlavi : she is a young girl (thirteen years old) when she first uses her powers. When her brother dies because of a daeva (a creature), she succeeds in bringing him back from the dead, a feat not so simple from what we learn. The village residents begin to fear her as she finds that she is a dark asha (a necromancer if you would) and a few days later appear Lady Mykaela who was drawn to the magic. Then, she is taken away from her village Knightcross to Ankyo situated in the kingdom of Kion. There, she begins her training as a servant then an apprentice asha then an asha (girls who master magic, combat, dance, singing, floral arrangement and so on). She is sceptical because she doesn’t believe that she will make a good dark asha. But it turns out that there’s more to her than meets the eye. She becomes an asha in record time as Lady Parmina (the leader of House Valerian) said « you are the strongest asha I have ever seen in recent times« .
This is death magic, complicated and exclusive and implacable, and from the start, I wielded it with ease.
As for her personality, I have really liked her. She is bold, eager to be better and she questions herself. Moreover she is strong and she does not shy away from her life. I loved it when she stood up to people in order to defend what seemed right to her,she doesn’t let people walk all over her. She also develops feelings for someone high up in the hierarchy but the romance was not really a central part of the book. It might be detailed in book two. During her studies, she is shown to be gifted at almost everything and especially because she works hard. Except singing which is not her forte.
The secondary characters were also interesting. Whether it be her dead brother Fox, Lady Mykaela and Parmina, Polaire, Kalen and Likh and so on. Each character has a role to play and neither of them was useless. I quite loved Polaire who has a habit of speaking French (profanities especially) and who speaks her mind. Fox is a great brother who is comforting, protective, a good fighter, and rather quick-witted. Likh is a clerk who sells jewellery but his dream is to be an asha. He hides the colour of his heartsglass because grey means that you have to become part of the Dethseakers (soldiers with magic powers) but his frail build means certain death to him. We learn that he has been practising dancing for some years and that he is talented. However, men cannot become ashas. That’s why Tea says : « then perhaps we should carve a world one day where the strength lies in who you are rather than in what they expect you to be. »
The story :
The story is told from two points of view : one from a bard in the future (one to a few pages at a time) and one in the present from Tea. I really liked her older version. Her way of speaking also changes quite a lot, I had the impression that she had seen and experienced a lot of things. She is driven by a desire to kill the ones who took away her loved ones but also because something worse was coming.
A large part of the book is focused on Tea’s training from a thirteen-year-old girl living in a small village to being a fully fledged asha. Training as an asha means that one’s has to learn a variety of skills : from dancing, singing, history, politics, combat, how to entertain wealthy clients during parties. One House takes them in and money is spent on them for their formation (if you can succeed in being an asha apprentice) and you have to pay them back when you become an asha. Then there are the strange attacks on her and the population orchestrated by a group called the Faceless. Why are they trying to bring the ashas down ? Why are they so focused on Tea ? What secrets have the asha leaders been hiding ?
We are also introduced to some mythology. From that mythology, we can understand what the deavas are, who created them and why.
What was on point was the world-building. From clothes, to buildings, to monsters, the descriptions were really vivid and most of the time, I could almost picture what I was reading. We are introduced to what is called a hua. A fully-fledged asha owns a lot of personalised huas with different patterns-matching one’s hair, eyes or what she likes (but always matching them). They own as many huas because during their tea parties, they have to entertain people from different cultures and the dress code is not the same everywhere.
She wore a beautiful hua of a deep coral that made an elegant contrast against her dark skin. Blue-green bamboo swayed against swirling, silver cloud patterns on the rich cloth, and she had on a gray waist wrap with embroidered sparrows set in gold.
As for the monsters, we have the Akvan, the Indar, the Nanghait, the Azi, the Taurvi and some others. You wouldn’t want to meet them as they are very impressive and one of them is enough to wreak havoc throughout the continent.
Rin Chupeco has also implemented a system called the Heartsglass which, essentially, is a part of your heart. And it was a great idea ! They show one’s feelings and powers. It can be red, blue, silver, black and so on. When they are thirteen, a ceremony is held for boys and girls and each one of them receives one. For instance, those whose Heartsglass shines purple will be an artisan, If it is silver, then you will be a Deathseeker or an Asha depending on if you are a boy or a girl.
The last few pages indicate that the second book will have much more action and I was gaping at the ending because I was not expecting this.
I love girls with just the right balance of being ruthless and tender. Falling in to Rin Chupeco’s The Bone Witch was inevitable! The Bone Witch with its endearing prose and diverse culture seduced me entirely. When I first picked up the book, I had assumed the plot would follow the “Chosen One” trope, in fact, it seemed very likely that it was going to be a “girl saves kingdom” kind of book. And while many, many events lead to this assumption, my thoughts slowly wavered as I realized this a book about a girl being consumed by vengeance.
Along the way, she also encounters various friends and enemies, including a charming prince and a powerful enemy who threatens the entire kingdom. Tea’s powers and the choices she makes have far-reaching consequences for herself and those around her. One of the main themes in The Bone Witch Saga is the exploration of power and its consequences. Tea’s abilities as a bone witch give her great power, but also come with a great responsibility. As she learns to use her powers, she grapples with the ethical implications of controlling the dead and the impact her choices have on the world around her. The series also delves into themes of identity, love, and the struggle for acceptance. Overall, The Bone Witch Saga is a captivating and intricate fantasy series that weaves magic, politics, and personal growth into a complex narrative. Through Tea’s journey, readers are taken on a thrilling adventure filled with intrigue, romance, and a dose of darkness..
Reviews for "Exploring the Moral Dilemmas in The Bone Witch Saga"
1. Sarah - 2/5
I was really disappointed with "The Bone Witch Saga." The story had so much potential with its unique magic system and world-building, but the execution fell flat for me. The pacing was incredibly slow, and there were long stretches of nothing happening. The main character, Tea, was also hard for me to connect with. I found her to be distant and cold, and her actions often felt unjustified. Overall, I was left feeling underwhelmed by this series.
2. Mike - 2/5
"The Bone Witch Saga" was a letdown for me. While the concept of necromancy and dark magic sounded intriguing, the actual story lacked excitement and depth. The plot moved at a snail's pace, and the world-building felt underdeveloped. The characters were also disappointing, with many of them lacking depth and failing to evoke any sort of emotional connection. I struggled to stay engaged with the story and, ultimately, felt no desire to continue with the series.
3. Emily - 3/5
I had high hopes for "The Bone Witch Saga," but unfortunately, it didn't live up to my expectations. The story had an interesting premise and some intriguing elements, but it was overshadowed by a lack of character development and weak plot progression. Tea, the main character, had great potential, but her growth felt static, and I couldn't fully invest in her journey. Additionally, the pacing felt inconsistent, with long stretches of slow development followed by rushed and confusing events. While the book had its moments, it ultimately left me wanting more.
4. Jason - 2/5
I found "The Bone Witch Saga" to be a chore to get through. The writing style was overly descriptive to the point of being tedious, and the constant shifts between past and present made the narrative feel disjointed. The world-building, while imaginative, lacked cohesion, and I struggled to immerse myself in the story. The characters failed to capture my interest, with their motivations feeling shallow and their actions often feeling forced. Overall, I found this series to be lacking in both substance and entertainment value.