The Bone Witch series is a fantasy novel series written by Rin Chupeco, consisting of three books: The Bone Witch, The Heart Forger, and The Shadowglass. Set in a unique and enchanting world, the series follows the journey of a young bone witch named Tea as she discovers her powers and navigates the dangerous political landscape of her kingdom. In the first book, The Bone Witch, readers are introduced to Tea, a young girl who accidentally resurrects her brother and discovers her necromancy powers. She is then taken in by Lady Mykaela, a powerful bone witch who helps her learn how to control her abilities. The story alternates between Tea's past and present, as she recounts her experiences to a wandering bard. Tea's powers catch the attention of powerful individuals, both good and evil, and she finds herself embroiled in a brewing war.
Faye Bi is the director of publicity at Bloomsbury Children’s Books, and spends the rest of her time reading, cycling, pondering her next meal, and being part of the Sirens communications team. She’s yet to read an immigrant story she hasn’t cried over, and is equally happy in walkable cities and sprawling natural vistas. You can follow her on Twitter @faye_bi.
The biggest and most satisfying arc in this book is Tea s relationship with her brother, Fox, where they learn these nice things called healthy boundaries and how to be a family despite the supernatural link between them. The novel s structure demands time and patience, as it flips between short italicized chapters in the present, and longer, more narrative chapters set in the past before the storylines converge.
Tea's powers catch the attention of powerful individuals, both good and evil, and she finds herself embroiled in a brewing war. The second book, The Heart Forger, continues Tea's journey as she seeks revenge against those who have wronged her and her loved ones. She uncovers dark secrets and faces betrayal, all while learning to control her powers and the dangerous consequences they bring.
Bring Out Your Dead: A Review of The Bone Witch by Rin Chupeco
Hey there, Book Nerds! Welcome back to Reading Has Ruined My Life, or welcome if you are new. As always, my name is Hannah and I am your captain on this journey into my bookcases.
Can you believe that it’s nearly the end of 2021? Next week is December, it’s almost RHRML’s two-year anniversary, it’s almost the new year! Time is truly an illusion. Time isn’t real. I’m still in Spooky Season mode and will be until December 1st when I then shift into Christmas mode.
Despite hanging on to the last bits of Halloween for way longer than I probably should, I do not have a horror novel for you this week. Instead, I bring you some high fantasy. Please welcome to the stage The Bone Witch by Rin Chupeco!
I delved into some of Rin Chupeco’s work earlier this year with a review on The Girl From the Well; go check that one out if you missed it. You can find it here. If you did read that review, then you may remember I briefly mentioned The Bone Witch. I basically said I could not get into this one and I wasn’t a fan. But going back to it a few years later with a clear mind, I enjoyed it. Maybe I was just paying more attention to it this time around. Maybe my tastes have changed in those few years. Maybe it's because I forgot most of what happens throughout the book. I don’t know exactly, but current me liked it more than past me.
Before I talk more about that, I gotta include a synopsis. As always, a spoiler alert is in order. A content warning is also in order. The Bone Witch includes moments of self-harm for ritualistic purposes. These moments are few and far between, but please be aware of them. This review will not touch on this subject matter though. Onto the synopsis now.
Meet Tea, our titular Bone Witch. At the age of 12, her older brother Fox dies in battle. He was caught off guard by a magical creature that we'll talk about a little later. Anyway, during his funeral, something awakens in Tea and, next thing you know, she’s raising her brother from his grave. It’s traumatic for everyone involved to say the least.
Good news though! Fox is a fun zombie!What Tea has done is something very rare, and is something very feared. Tea is the rarest of Asha. By the way, Asha are women who can wield magic by drawing runes to control elements or to heal. Tea is not an elemental Asha though, she technically can’t wield those runes. Tea is one of the few Asha who can resurrect the dead, and currently, there is only one other like her in the world.
Enter Lady Mykaela, the Bone Witch who is to be our heroine’s mentor for the course of the hero’s journey. Lady Mykaela is the one who teaches Tea how to wield the dark runes and take over for her. Oh yeah, spoiler alert, Lady Mykaela is dying thanks to the power it takes to be a Bone Witch. These few women are in charge of raising and killing monsters known as daeva in order to protect the land; it's one of these things that killed Fox. Of course, when our young Tea learns of all that she questions why things don’t change and why the Asha don’t learn how to tame these beasts or kill them once and for all.
Tea makes a lot of good points, yet everyone ignores her.Listen, there are a lot of politics in this book that I don’t have time to get to in this synopsis or in this review in general. I’m sorry, you’re going to have to read the book yourself if you want to learn about all that cause I simply don’t have time to cover it in a five-to-six minute review.
To give you the main points, there is a group of evil people known as the Faceless who want to take over the eight kingdoms in this book through the use of the daeva. Basically they want to raze every land until anyone who can stop them is dead and they once again have control over the world. They haven’t been a major problem for hundreds of years, but they naturally are stirring when the strongest Asha in many generations comes into her own. It’s your pretty standard hero’s journey. Evil is evil for the sake of being evil, and only Tea has the power to stop them. But there’s a twist!
Tea is very young at the start of the book; her journey begins when she turns twelve. She’s naïve and impressionable. The Asha elders and politicians can easily manipulate her into doing what they want. But intercut with her training, are snippets of what becomes of her in just a few years. By the age of 17, she is bitter and angry with the world. She has lost countless loved ones, including her true love. By this time, the world has turned on her. She is too powerful, too dark, for them. To the world, she is a villain, and she’s going to get her revenge on those who have wronged her.
Praise for The Bone Witch:
The story dives deeper into the world of the asha - powerful women with different elemental powers - and explores the political tensions and hidden agendas within their ranks. The final book in the series, The Shadowglass, brings Tea's story to its epic conclusion. As the threat of war looms, Tea faces difficult choices and sacrifices to protect her loved ones and the kingdom. The story delves into the origins of Tea's powers and a deeper understanding of the magic system in the world of the bone witches. Throughout the series, Chupeco's writing is vivid and atmospheric, immersing readers in a world filled with magic, intrigue, and powerful women. The characters are complex and multi-dimensional, with their own ambitions and flaws that drive the plot forward. The series explores themes of power, identity, and the consequences of one's choices. Overall, The Bone Witch series is a captivating and beautifully written fantasy series that will keep readers hooked from beginning to end. With its rich world-building, complex characters, and intricate plot, it is a must-read for fans of fantasy and magic..
Reviews for "The Impact of Fate and Prophecy in The Bone Witch"
1. Jane - 2/5 stars - I had high hopes for "The Bone Witch" series, but unfortunately, it fell flat for me. The plot felt disjointed and confusing, with too many unnecessary flashbacks that made it difficult to follow the main storyline. Additionally, the pacing was slow and the action scenes lacked excitement and intensity. The characters also lacked depth and development, making it hard for me to connect with them on any level. Overall, I found "The Bone Witch" series to be underwhelming and wouldn't recommend it to others.
2. Michael - 2/5 stars - As a fan of fantasy novels, I was excited to dive into "The Bone Witch" series. However, I found myself struggling to get through the books. The world-building felt haphazard and inconsistent, leaving me feeling confused and disconnected from the story. The main character, Tea, was also quite unlikable and difficult to relate to. Her decisions and actions often seemed illogical and contradictory, making it hard to root for her. The pacing was slow, and the plot lacked excitement and originality. Overall, "The Bone Witch" series was a disappointment for me, and I wouldn't recommend it to fellow fantasy readers.
3. Sarah - 1/5 stars - "The Bone Witch" series was a major letdown for me. The writing style was overly descriptive and flowery, which made it difficult to stay engaged in the story. There were also countless unnecessary subplots that only served to muddy the main narrative. The world-building was lackluster, and the magic system felt poorly explained and inconsistent. Additionally, the romance subplots were forced and lacked chemistry, making them hard to invest in. Overall, "The Bone Witch" series failed to capture my interest or deliver an engaging story, and I would not recommend it to others.
4. Mark - 2/5 stars - I usually enjoy books with strong female protagonists, but unfortunately, "The Bone Witch" series didn't do it for me. The main character, Tea, felt more like a caricature of a powerful witch rather than a fully-fleshed out character. The story lacked depth and complexity, and the plot twists were predictable and uninspiring. The pacing was slow, and I found myself struggling to maintain interest in the books. Overall, "The Bone Witch" series failed to deliver a compelling and unique fantasy tale, and I wouldn't recommend it to others in search of a gripping read.
5. Emily - 2/5 stars - "The Bone Witch" series fell short of my expectations. The writing style was overly ornate and convoluted, making it hard to fully immerse myself in the story. The plot was slow-moving and lacked a clear direction, resulting in a lack of tension and suspense. The character development was also lacking, with many of the secondary characters feeling underdeveloped and uninteresting. While I appreciate the attempt at creating a unique fantasy world, I found the execution to be lacking. Overall, "The Bone Witch" series didn't resonate with me, and I wouldn't recommend it to fantasy readers seeking a captivating and well-crafted story.