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ravensandpages 's review for:
The Bone Way
by Holly J. Underhill
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
(arc received from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review)
I had high expectations for this sapphic retelling of Eurydice and Orpheus set in a queernorm world. I'm weak for beautiful covers and stories where lovers will do anything for each other, but ultimately this story ended up being quite underwhelming. I believe it has a lot of potential, but I had a few problems with the organization.
This story follows Teagan, a dying witch, who goes after her missing wife Cressidae to the Shadow Realm ( it's time to d-d-d-duel ), ruled by the Shadow Princess. Cress hopes to make a deal with her to save Teagan's life, but the road to her palace is not an easy one, and only the bravest and most cunning can reach her and get back out again. I liked the detail put not only into the Road of Silence and its trials but also the world outside of it, where magic and invention coexist. I probably could have read a full-length book set in Wystira.
However, the way this information was shared was quite odd. The Bone Way has a lot, and I mean a LOT of flashbacks, asides, and little stories inside it alongside Teagan's journey, but so much so that it detracted from Teagan's current storyline. There were also some odd choices for organization; for example, Teagan fights one of the shadow creatures during a trial, and the next section was an excerpt explaining it from Cress's journal. It would have been more impactful to have that before the encounter. I also feel like things about the Shadow Princess, like her story and the poem about the different parts of the Road of Silence, could have been incorporated differently to have less breaks from Teagan's journey. Having it as a prologue or working it into backstory with her mother could be some suggestions.
There were also, finally, some odd sentences and phrasing that took me out, such as "she missed her mom something fierce" which felt at odds with the previous tone. I also really appreciated the representation of a nonbinary side character (?) at Tay and Cress's wedding, but the way they were presented was a little bit strange.
All of this combined with the writing being very simplistic and not having a lot of depth to it made for an overall meh experience. However, I did love the imaginative world and Teagan and Cress's relationship, and I am definitely looking forward to more of this author's work.
❧ 2.5 ★
I had high expectations for this sapphic retelling of Eurydice and Orpheus set in a queernorm world. I'm weak for beautiful covers and stories where lovers will do anything for each other, but ultimately this story ended up being quite underwhelming. I believe it has a lot of potential, but I had a few problems with the organization.
This story follows Teagan, a dying witch, who goes after her missing wife Cressidae to the Shadow Realm ( it's time to d-d-d-duel ), ruled by the Shadow Princess. Cress hopes to make a deal with her to save Teagan's life, but the road to her palace is not an easy one, and only the bravest and most cunning can reach her and get back out again. I liked the detail put not only into the Road of Silence and its trials but also the world outside of it, where magic and invention coexist. I probably could have read a full-length book set in Wystira.
However, the way this information was shared was quite odd. The Bone Way has a lot, and I mean a LOT of flashbacks, asides, and little stories inside it alongside Teagan's journey, but so much so that it detracted from Teagan's current storyline. There were also some odd choices for organization; for example, Teagan fights one of the shadow creatures during a trial, and the next section was an excerpt explaining it from Cress's journal. It would have been more impactful to have that before the encounter. I also feel like things about the Shadow Princess, like her story and the poem about the different parts of the Road of Silence, could have been incorporated differently to have less breaks from Teagan's journey. Having it as a prologue or working it into backstory with her mother could be some suggestions.
There were also, finally, some odd sentences and phrasing that took me out, such as "she missed her mom something fierce" which felt at odds with the previous tone. I also really appreciated the representation of a nonbinary side character (?) at Tay and Cress's wedding, but the way they were presented was a little bit strange.
All of this combined with the writing being very simplistic and not having a lot of depth to it made for an overall meh experience. However, I did love the imaginative world and Teagan and Cress's relationship, and I am definitely looking forward to more of this author's work.
❧ 2.5 ★