Dannnng!! What a rollercoaster thrilling unexpected twisty book. I loved everything about the Bone Shard Daughter. The characters even though there are so many, and I don’t usually do so good when there are a lot of POV’s, and there were a lot. The worldbuilding was fleshed out and easily understandable not overly complex. The magic system was refreshing I love the whole idea of bone magic. There was also good LGBTQ representation which also helps with the realness of the word building. Overall, The Bine Shard Daughter is an exceptional fantasy debut featuring an interesting world and magic system.

i'm getting to this book a little late, but it was SO good!

i'll admit i was confused for like the first 30% of the book and almost put it down, but i'm so glad i didn't! almost everything comes together nicely toward the end of the book (but also there's a nice cliffhanger because it's the first in a series). the magic system is incredibly unique, and i'll be honest - doesn't really get explained, but it was still fun to read about and i'm hoping gets explored even more in subsequent books.

i think my favorite part was the characters (and of course the talking animal). there's 4 POV characters, Lin, Jovis, Phalue, and Sand. i think Lin was my favorite POV to read from because she had such a mysterious element by not remembering her life before 5 years ago. part of the major twist in her perspective was easily guessable though i did still enjoy reading her chapters and seeing how she grows. i also really enjoyed Jovis and Mephi, and I'm interested to learn more about their connection as the series continues!

overall, i think this was a great debut and i can't wait to see what happens next!

I couldn't sympathize with the main character. I loved the world and the ideas of the magic but I just couldn't get close to the main character. I'll give it a shot at a later date and hopefully I'll be able to connect to her then.

Rep: LGBTQIA+

My Review: A Very Immersive and Unique Fantasy
Wow wow wow! Where do I begin with this novel? Honestly, I wish I had read this sooner because I really enjoyed it – and I’m so grateful to the publisher, author, and Netgalley for this eARC!

The Pros: What worked for me

This book actually has multiple character perspectives, which really surprised me because there is no hint about that in the premise. I went into this novel thinking that it would only be about Lin, but we have 4 main characters here, each with their own story arch.
I liked pretty much all of the main characters. They each had a different voice and grew in their own ways as the story progressed.
The world-building here is fabulous! The sheer amount of detail makes this entire kingdom come to life. It had elements of Game of Thrones and City of Stairs to it, which I really enjoyed.
The plot was also very detailed and complex. As I mentioned, there are 4 main story arcs and each had so much depth to it. I did have my preferences but they were all really well done.
The way the author wrote this novel needs to be applauded. Juggling multiple POVs is no easy feat, and the author does it with so much precision that it seems effortless. There is some seriously good writing and talent being displayed here!
There are some very important themes like class privilege, revolution, and free will in this book; they are well-addressed and add depth to the story.
Also ... SAPPHIC ROMANCE FOR THE WIN!!!!!

The Cons: What I didn’t like

The pacing is slightly slow, and it may not appeal to readers who want a fast-paced novel. I personally loved it because there was a lot of worldbuilding going on but it may not be for everyone.
I wanted the magic system to be a bit more defined. While Lin’s development and discovery showed this, there was a lack of explanation when it came to other characters. I also wanted some more background on the mythology of the place… although I have a feeling we will find out more in the next book.
There were times when I felt that the connections between some characters were just not as fully realized as they could be; it was nearly there, but just … missing a little something.

Overall, I really enjoyed this novel. It had so much to offer and delivered on so many fronts! I loved the different perspectives, the worldbuilding, and the writing style. I can’t believe I have to wait so long for the sequel – but you know I’m going to rush to grab it!

Review: 5 Stars

I read a lot of fantasy books, but it’s not often that I find a book as much as I loved The Bone Shard Daughter. This was such an incredible fantasy novel, so I was completely shocked to learn that this is the author’s first published novel. I spend a lot of time searching for books like this one! I can’t even put into words how much I loved this book. It just hit all the boxes for me: amazing character development, unique magic system, fantastic world building and multiple plot lines. The Bone Shard Daughter was absolutely addicting and Andrea Steward it a new voice in fantasy to watch.

The Bone Shard Daughter follows five different characters and plot lines. Each of the characters are extremely well developed and by the end of the novel I was so emotionally involved in each of their journeys and relationships. Parts of this novel gave me goosebumps and others had me grinning like an idiot. I was really skeptical that I was going to like this novel, but it has been a while since I have loved characters as much as I loved the cast of this book.

Jovis was my favorite character and his chapters made me so happy. Jovis is a smuggler, so there are some heist like scenes which I totally loved. He also has a creature named Memphi who I am completely obsessed with. Lin was another character I really loved reading about. Lin is the emperor’s daughter and she is learning bone shard magic, so through her chapters you get to learn about the fascinating magic system built in this novel. Ranami and Phalue’s chapters follow the same plot line and their relationship struggles are just so heartbreaking. Their political differences made their relationship complex and was relatable in this day and age when people are so divided. Sand’s chapters were infrequent and they really kept me guessing, I hope we get more of her story in the next book.

The world building and magic system were both just so interesting. The whole idea of creating a living being from body parts and bone shards was just so cool. This world and magic system are both expertly crafted. The novel also ends in a way that makes it clear the next book will expand upon this world even more and honestly, I can’t wait. I haven’t loved a magic system as much as this one since I read Mistborn. Yes, you read that right, this book is in that kind of league.

The plot was incredible. I loved how the different plot lines came together in a way that I never expected. There were so many twists that I never saw coming that absolutely blew my mind. There was a lot going on in this book and it all came together so well at the end. There were political undertones in each plot line, but I’m not but I’m not sure I would call this a political fantasy because it was so much more than that.

I’m already dying for the next installment in this series and can’t wait to see what happens next. I really wasn’t sure if I was going to enjoy this book because lately high fantasy has been failing me, but I’m so happy to say that I discovered a favorite. If you’re looking for an exciting fantasy novel I highly recommend giving The Bone Shard Daughter a chance.

A mini review is here: https://www.bethfishreads.com/2020/11/16-books-i-read-in-october.html and a longer review appears on Goodreads.

Being late for this book's release date, I ended up listening to the audiobook instead of reading my ARC copy. And I have a feeling I might have loved this book more if I had read the ebook. I could be wrong though as it allowed me to read a little during this crazy busy month.

The Bone Shard Daughter has five POVs (and three narrators) and for a while, I needed to take some time to figure out who was who and what they were doing. But when I did, I found the story interesting but I wasn't completely into it. I think what intrigued me the most was when Jovi - a smuggler- was searching for a missing girl. The experiments were creepy too and I was curious to see how things would evolve with the politics as Lin is the Emperor's daughter.

Overall, entertaining but I still have to decide if I'm going to read the sequel or not. I probably will.

(Thank you for letting me read and review an ARC via Netgalley)

*Pterodactyl screech*

Everyone needs to read this book! Everyone! Read it! Read it! Read it!

The Emperor's magic has kept the empire together for decades, and his magical constructs—and their deadly secrets—keep the people subdued and docile. Lin, the emperor's daughter and former heir, is determined to wrest power from her father. But first she has to remember who she is. Across the empire, a thief and a swordswoman reconcile with new powers and new world views as a dangerous rebellion and powerful magic threaten the empire.

I cannot say how much I adored this book, and how gently I tiptoed into it. The Goodreads blurb makes it sound like a standard fantasy and that cover is kinda bland (super intricate and gorgeous, but the color scheme is kinda blah). But this book! OMG. From the very first page I fell in love with the writing, the world, the characters, everything.

It's hard to remake one's view of the world, to admit to complacency. I thought remaking myself for you was hard enough, but doing that was something I wanted.

There are twists. There are turns. There is magic and politics and ruthlessness and above it all there are people with their own motivations and desires and drives.

This book has perfectly captured the essence of everyone being the hero of their own story, and each character had to confront the fact that they were not heroes but had all been misguided in some way, shape or form. Throughout there is the theme of the stories people tell themselves of who they are. From Lin telling herself the story of who she was as the daughter of the emperor before she was sick, to Phalue telling herself she sees the world as it is and that she's a hero, to Jovis convincing himself that he has done enough and that the ends justify the means. And then there is mysterious Sand, who is just waking up.

Plus! There is wild representation. A diverse cast culturally and it has an established w/w relationship! Granted, that relationship is on the rocks, but it's there and so fraught and real.

I didn't want to realize how much I've hurt the people around me, and that's what confronting my beliefs meant.

Oh! Did I mention the magic??? The maaaaaggiiiiiiic.

There are a couple different kinds! There's the bone shard magic Lin is trying to learn, where the magic comes from people—as in shards of bone plucked from the heads of children when they are around eight and then transferred into monstrous constructs of varying intelligence that suck the life forces from the people they came from—and then there is another, more mysterious magic. Plus there's the ancient magic of the evil overlords who used to rule before the empire.

It's everything I love about fantasy with twists that did. not. stop. coming. I cannot wait for book 2!

We all tell ourselves stories of who we are, and in my mind, I was always the hero. But I wasn't. Not in all the ways I should have been.

I received this ARC from NetGalley for an honest review

As per my review policy, I have decided to DNF this one
While this is classified as adult fiction, it reads like YA and I do not enjoy young adult books. I feel I would be unfairly providing a negative review based off my dislike for the age category so I decided to put it down.
I loved the concept and magic system. I wish the author had been pushed to age up her narrative.

3.5 stars

Dark magic, magical animal companions, an established f/f relationship – what more could one ask for?

Okay, maybe a little more.

There was this constant air of mystery and suspense; the book itself is easily readable, and the plot for Lin’s storyline was really gripping. There’s not a lot of description via all five senses, but there’s enough to make the world immediately around the characters visible in the mind’s eye. There are numerous plots within this story, all five characters having their own end goals that don’t exactly line up, or are entirely separate due to being in different parts of the empire. Some of them ended up intertwining along the way, though. This made the chapter-POV switches a little annoying, but the different plots added layers to the story and the world. I became really invested in the characters themselves, once the plot picked up; they’re well developed and became more fleshed out as the book went on.

There are five POV characters in this book, each of them interesting, fleshed-out people with desires, motivations, values, and goals. Their stories didn’t come together until more than halfway through the book. This gave plenty of time to establish them and their goals, and it’s easy to see how they could all clash with each other in different ways even before they met up. Their interactions are really interesting to see, because they all have different goals and even when they have a mutual goal, their methods are entirely different.
Lin is my favourite character. The mystery of her past, her determination and willingness to do anything to reach her goal, her big heart and appreciation for the more normal experiences that she doesn’t usually get inside the palace walls; all of it endeared her to me. The more doors Lin opened, the more questions popped up. Her abilities with bone shard magic developed throughout the book, and as she continued to advance, the complexity of the magic became much greater. When reading the synopsis of the book, I thought the magic sounded really unique and interesting, but I didn’t really expect it to be very complex. Now having read the book, I’m blown away by how much thought went into developing this magic system, with its abilities, drawbacks, and failures. It’s very clear that the limitations of bone shard magic have yet to be seen in this series. It’s also a very dark type of magic, depending on the lives of the people from whom the bone shards were taken, draining them slowly of their life energy.

I thoroughly enjoyed Jovis’ storyline. I found it strange, admirable, and also a bit crazy that this grumpy, highly-skilled smuggler spent seven years looking for his kidnapped wife with only a single lead that he’s never managed to reach. His character went through great development in this book, and Mephi definitely helped with that. Through caring for Mephi, he became not only less focused on surviving, but less single-minded to the point of seeing the light, as well as caring more about others. He also begins holding more stock in the lives of others, foregoing his mission to save children from the tithing festival to the point of becoming rather famous. He’s very much a cynic as well as bitter and doesn’t trust anyone from either the empire or the rebellion due to the pain of his past. I felt pretty sympathetic to his pain, and that pain became a good driving force for saving the children. The magic he gains is very intriguing, and I’m so curious about where he’s going to go in the next book, what he’s going to do with his magic.

Mephisolou/Mephi is absolutely adorable and I loved every second of his presence on-page. The rarity of Mephi’s breed in the world of The Bone Shard Daughter makes him a curiosity. The magic he has makes him even more interesting, and opens up so many possibilities for the rest of the series. The reveal at the end of the book brings up so many new questions about Mephi’s kind.

I enjoyed the sapphic romance between Phalue, an island governor’s daughter and Ranami, who grew up an orphan in the slums. Their romance began months before the start of the book, so when it opens, their relationship is a little strained. Their relationship felt very genuine. The different ways the two of them treated the gap in their social standing was made clear and emphasized from the beginning. I thought it was handled very well. The main point of contention between them is Phalue is content to not address her class privilege and ply Ranami with lavish things to make her life better, rather than actively fighting to better the quality of life for the lower classes. Ranami does everything in her power to show Phalue how the working class live in squalor while people like the governor and emperor thrive on the labour of the ‘lesser.’ Things are getting worse for the working class, and a rebellion is on the rise. While both Ranami and Phalue are stubborn, both must choose between their separate causes and their lover. Phalue has some great character development, which doesn’t happen unbelievably fast but at a sluggish yet realistic pace. By the end of the book, not everything is sorted between them.

Sand’s chapters were few and far between, but were so intriguing that I wanted more of her! Her reveal at the end answered some questions but left far bigger questions, and I can’t wait to read more about her!

I felt Lin, as the lead character, could have had more time on the page. Despite Lin’s story being the most interesting narrative-wise, I feel like Jovis really overshadowed her, and had a lot more character development. There was rarely a moment where something important wasn’t happening, but the pacing was so slow that it seemed to drag everything out. The ending didn’t hit as hard as I’d hoped it would.

I was expecting the book to be from Lin’s point of view the entire time, and I found Jovis’ introduction with his own point of view in the second chapter to be a bit off-putting. I was disappointed and almost put the book down. His point of view seemed to have nothing to do with bone shard magic in that second chapter, and was so loosely tied to Lin that I found him to be almost unimportant in the scheme of things in regards to Lin. But, like I said, he really overshadowed her, and this book felt more like his story than hers.

I was a bit irked that the reason for Deerhead Island’s sinking wasn’t revealed. It seemed like one of those things that would come up by the end of the book, leaving the question of “what does that mean for the other islands?” rather than shunting it off to the side completely. It’s most likely going to come up in the sequel, but I think it might have had more impact in this book. The Bone Shard Daughter really came across as a book full of build-up, and I don’t think I’ll re-read it.

However, I don’t regret reading it, nor would I say I could have spent my time better elsewhere; I’m looking forward to the sequel for sure.

I received a free e-arc from NetGalley and Orbit in exchange for an honest review.

Full Video Review: https://youtu.be/7eTBR9JyFp8

[4.25 ⭐️]

Such a fantastic high fantasy debut. It is set in a world that is ruled by an emperor, who practices Bone Shard magic. This means he creates these constructs to serve him from animal parts and fueled by the bones of people who live in his empire. The magic system is so intriguing and gruesome in some ways.

There are four main character POVs: Lin the emperor’s daughter, Reynami the daughter of one of the governors, A smuggler named Jovis, and The mysterious Sand. I loved reading from all of the different character perspectives and seeing how they interacted.

It had everything that I look for in a fantasy book. Great complex politics, fantastic world-building with a really interesting magic system. It had fantastic characters that I loved, with really great reveals, that I really enjoyed reading. I really enjoyed this book and gave it 4.25 stars.

This book was so different than I imagined, but I'm not mad about it. There was so much world building, explanation of the magic system and some unexpected twists.

The magic system was so dark and interesting. The way Lin went about using the bone shard magic was nothing like I had imagined it, and I loved it. It was so different and unique. The family dynamic was interesting as well. Learning about the Emperor's background and Lin's mysterious memories was like "what?". I didn't see any of that coming and I need to know what comes next.

Lin in general was such a great character and I loved watcher her grow throughout the story. The relationships with the people she meets, finding out who she is and the way she uncovers and overcomes what she finds out shows just how strong she is.

Then we have Jovis and Mephi who are so fun to follow and learn about. Jovis has such a great heart, even if he doesn't belive it himself. And who can resist a "pet" companion. Phalue and Ranami, who I loved watching grow and learn together along with the Rebellion. And, a group of people on an island who have lost their memories and are trying to get them back. Somewhere in this list, another plot twist is occuring....

I NEED MORE!

Thank you to Netgalley and Orbit Books for a copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you so much for the copy of this stunning book!

Firstly, the cover is BEAUTIFUL! What's inside is just as stunning! This book was so face paced and full of adventure. I loved the writing style and all of the characters felt so fleshed out and developed. I really enjoyed the pacing of the novel as well--I find that I struggle with most fantasy books because of this, but Andrea Stewart does an excellent job of pacing! Overall, I really enjoyed everything about this world! I'll definitely be picking up any other books the author decides to write!

My cup is full; I'm done reading for 2020. When a book is this good, I wonder, how can this possibly be topped? And so I stew and celebrate simultaneously over what I just read, cleanse my palate and try to move on...schleppingly.

I have been at this point before. I know there will be amazing books to follow, but this year seems to be an exceptionally remarkable reading year for me in terms of what books I have read (not necessarily in how many I read). So, this is where the mix of flavors and genres comes to the rescue, and hopefully, I can make it past THE BONE SHARD DAUGHTER.

This novel was one of my most anticipated this year, and I enjoyed it thoroughly. I found the writing and pacing of the storyline right on par and flawless. The plot is told in different POVs with a four-point axis of storylines and characters, propelling towards the same point through various circumstances, independent and unknowing, generating the crescendo of the novel.

Lin, the daughter of the Emperor of the Imperial Empire has lost her memories. Her mother passed away when she was just a child. Since then, she lives with her father and his constructs, while being kept within the confines of the palace, only to see foster son Bayan garnering more education, affection, and praise then her, the rightful heir of the Emperor.

Her biggest desire is to learn bone shard magic so she wouldn't be left without the knowledge on how to protect the Empire from the Alanga. At the current state, she has not earned enough keys to enter special rooms that will open up that knowledge to her, while Bayan has surpassed her in training and has been given more rooms to access.

As any good protagonist of a great story, Lin will not stand to be idle and pursues her luck to garner replica keys made from the originals she steels for just a short while. A risky operation that could get her as well as those helping her caught and persecuted. To do this, she trades a favor but does not hold up her end of the bargain. With more rooms to access now, she is discovering who she really is and the secrets about her parents that have been kept from her.

In the meantime, on Deerhead Island, Jovis the navigator, or perhaps better called the smuggler, is trying to escape a heap of problems he has created for himself. In the pursuit to find his long lost love, he has unbelievable luck to get away with almost anything, but perhaps not from the Ioph Carn who will continue to chase him over land and water. When Jovis takes on a young boy to sail him to his parents, the entire Island gets swallowed up and disappears. The word about his actions though does not vanish but rather gains momentum, so he ends up doing more and more smuggling of children so they would not have to attend the upcoming Tything festival. While at sea, he picks up a peculiar creature and it is the most adorable companion to have. Not quite a cat, not quite an otter. As it turns out, Jovis learns to communicate with the creature and they become a rock-solid team throughout the adventure.

There are two other character lines that will feed into the story. Those of Phalue who is in love with Ranami; not exactly unrequited, but perhaps at rest in some ways, as well as the story of Sand, who we meet climbing the mango trees at the edge of the Empire.

The empire is ruled by Lin's father, by proxy. His constructs are the executive front line via bone shard magic. Ilith - Construct of Spies, Uphilia - Construct of Trade, Mauga - Construct of Bureaucracy, and Tirang - Construct of War. Their commands are inscribed on bone shards similar to programming.

During Lin's quest, she is bound to face the constructs. If she does not want to be under her father's rule anymore, she will have to learn the magic of bone shards fast, by herself, secretly in order to deflect them. What she isn't aware of, is that there is a revolt building in other parts of the kingdom mounting to rise up to meet at their doorstep. This is the part where the other storylines begin to intersect and come together.

There are many elements that are crafted into the story that keep the novel interesting. The shift in perspectives and storyline are not immediately obvious to be connected which makes it such an engrossing read and a great foundation for the next book to follow. Though I am not sure where it will all lead, the ending made for a great commencement while pieces fell into place, and others were left to speculate over.

Everything about this novel spoke of perfection to me. The writing was immaculate, the characters boasted a variety of personalities, temperaments, and personas to become familiar and invested in, the world-building rose and fell appropriately with the storylines, and the overall plot was masterfully created.

I absolutely loved this fantasy and found it to be a flawless read I enjoyed immensely.

I do not doubt that the praise over this novel won't spread like a brushfire, but should you have not heard of THE BONE SHARD DAUGHTER yet, then do yourself a favor and pick it up. For me, it was a highlight of the year.



HAPPY READING :)

A solid debut from a brand new voice in the fantasy genre. The Bone Shard Daughter is an epic fantasy featuring 5 POVs, a unique magic system with artificial constructs made of bone, and an Asian-inspired setting.

Right off the bat, I'll say I really like the Chinese-inspired touches throughout the story. The way the people interacted with each other, the food, the architectural detailing—all good and very familiar to me.

I also loved Mephi! A mysterious talking otter-kitten-dragon-I-don't-know-what that's uber loyal and nags you to do the right thing? Adorable! And out of all the POVs, I particularly liked Phalue's and Ranami's. A wlw relationship discussing wealth and class disparity? That's right up my alley.

I liked how all the separate POVs eventually came together by the end, and I felt the ending really set up the sequel well.

For things I didn't like as much, I will say that the book felt a bit *too* fast-paced, a bit *too* tight in terms of driving from one scene to the next. I wouldn't have minded seeing some things fleshed out.

In particular, there were some character decisions that seemed rushed to me, because the book hadn't really laid out the emotional thrust behind their choices. For example, I was surprised that Phalue only displayed slight resistance to the idea of overthrowing her father—I felt there ought to be more internal conflict within her? Especially considering how filial piety might play a role in this Chinese-inspired setting. I was also very surprised at how quickly Jovis abandoned his 7 year search for his wife—yes, there was a bit of emotional anguish during this scene, but I felt it deserved a lot more than what we were shown.

Another issue I personally had with this book was how the prose made too much use of sentence fragments. While sometimes it worked well in terms of ramping up the tension of a scene, I felt the general overuse of fragments made the voice feel a bit choppy. Nonetheless, the prose is overall clear, concise, and skilled. I'd just like to see certain emotions (and sentences!) fleshed out a bit more.

I enjoyed this read and am looking forward to the sequel. Can't wait to see what direction Stewart takes next!

I was completely surprised by how much I loved this book!!!
With sooo many new epic fantasies releasing every month, coming up with a unique magic system is tough! But the author succeeds in hooking the readers with one such unique magic system and an equally enthralling world! The story is told from many different povs but the author makes them all stand out on their own. Lin and Jovis’s povs were my personal favourites and Jovis’s relationship with Mephi gave me lots of Eragon vibes.
The best thing about this book is that, the author manages to wrap up the plot of the first book in a very satisfying way at the same time setting up the stage for future expansion of the world and the plot and leaves the readers yearning for more!!!
I am incredibly excited to see where the story goes from here and cannot wait to read more from Andrea Stewart.

This was definitely a roller coaster ride for me. The different POV’s threw me at first but I quickly found a favorite in Jovis and Mephi.. his character growth throughout was done very well..
I have to say that I felt differently about Lin and her chapters.. I figured out the twist pretty easily and in all honesty the bone shard magic just didn’t do it for me.
I enjoyed Sand and trying to figure out who she was and honestly still not sure who she is and am guessing that’s in the next book..
The chapters with the lesbian couple felt very much like the author was just throwing extra content in for good measure bc their parts didn’t make much sense to the whole grand plot of things?? Maybe it will all come together in the next book and it just felt very disjointed in this one??
All of that said, it was an interesting book and I enjoyed myself thru most of it!
I probably won’t read the next book however..
I would like to know what creature Mephi turns out to be but other than that I’m not super interested in continuing..
The setting was beautiful and the author did a really good job of placing a picture of it in my head!! The islands and the people in them felt very real and relatable!
I really really appreciate the e-arc from Netgalley and Orbit books!!
I look forward to seeing what this author does with new stories in the future!

Review below provided by my Novel Notions co-blogger, Eon:

Bone. Shard. Magic. How intriguing does that sound?!?! I’m a sucker for a cool magic system and the sound of that sold me instantly. Having finished this book speedily, I can honestly say you would be wrong if you thought that was the final mark under this book’s coolness column. We’re talking migrating islands, lost ancient civilizations, wet and dry seasons that last for years if not decades, mythical creatures, people mysteriously disappearing, and other inexplicable magic. I fully understand if you stop reading this review about now to go and place that pre-order. Excellent choice in supporting this author if I may so.

The bare bones of this story consist of an empire ruled by bone magic. At a certain young age, every citizen is required to part with a shard of their skull that will then make its way to the stores of the emperor, ready for use in the powering of bone constructs that serve and protect the islands of the empire and the inhabitants. This magic is wielded solely by the emperor and his heirs and is the only thing that stands between the empire and the return of the Alanga; an ancient civilization that ruled these islands hundreds of years ago through terrifying powers.

The cost of employing this magic is not one the emperor has to pay though, but rather the citizens of the empire. When the shards are embedded in constructs, the shard donor’s life starts ebbing away. They might not notice it early on, feeling only a weakening at first, a deep weariness as their constant companion. There is nothing to be done when your shard has been chosen, and the shard-sickness can happen to any person at any time. It’s so gradual that most don’t notice until the end when the decline is quick. Death swiftly follows, and it’s victims are always cheated out of years of life. But the people are no longer so accepting. Many believe that the Alanga are never coming back, that the emperor’s demand for shards is unnecessary and barbaric. Add in the worrying fact that one of the main islands that make up the empire just inexplicable sank into the ocean, taking thousands to a watery grave (I see what you did with the series name Andrea Stewart!) and it’s no wonder the tensions are high and things are about to come to a boiling point. And that’s where our main characters come in, each with a part to play.

An heir to the empire, fighting for the right to learn the magic which will keep her future kingdom safe. A nobleman’s daughter struggling with her loyalties and the need to do what is right whilst navigating the struggles of her relationship with a commoner who also has a POV. A roguish smuggler with a heart of gold and his animal companion who is going to steal many hearts and star-of-the-show awards, and lastly an enigmatic character with no memory of who she is, where she is, or what her purpose is.

I found it extremely easy to love and root for these characters, with Andrea Stewart writing each with a very distinctive personality and showing particular finesse and skill portraying their inner struggles as well as the characters’ varying relationships and the accompanying complexities on-page. The writing falls into that wonderful category of being so naturally easy to read that it fades into the background, immersing you so deeply into the story you hardly realise that just one more chapter has become a mantra. This in itself is always an achievement with a debut, as authors often only find their feet or groove after a few books, but not so here. The prose is polished, the pacing is excellent and the story is gripping to the very end, leaving quite a few questions unanswered whilst still delivering many revelations and culminating in a satisfying finish.

Without a doubt, the Bone Shard Daughter is a superb opener to The Drowning Empire trilogy that delivers on its promising premise with a highly entertaining story. I am extremely eager to see what direction Andrea Stewart takes with this story and have no qualms in recommending this one to all fantasy readers.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Bone Shard Daughter follows Lin, the daughter of the Emperor who seems to have lost her memory, and Jovis, a wanted smuggler on his quest to find his lost lover. We also follow Ranami and Phalue, two lovers struggling to uphold their relationship because one is a governor's daughter, and the other is a rebel.

I am overall very pleased with this book. Andrea Stewart did an awesome job giving all the characters distinct voices; at first I was worried because there are five POVs which seems a bit much, but the author created amazing characters and I found each of their chapters interesting.

I was very fascinated by the unique world building. This book is set in a fantasy world where animals are constructs made of and controlled by bone shard magic. The concept of the constructs was quite gruesome but very intriguing at the same time.

There were some parts that were a bit boring, but overall the author created so many questions that kept the reader interested in the story. I couldn't put the book down especially towards the ending, there were so many unexpected plot twists!

Andrea Stewart’s debut had all the telltale signs of a bonafide winner. The Bone Shard Daughter boasts a back cover full of big-name recommendations, including Sarah J. Maas, M.R. Carey, Tasha Suri, and many more. And as I read the first few chapters, I perked up at the exciting premise and unique magic system, hoping for a home run debut from my sixth and final 2020 Dark Horse pick. But in reality, I was relieved to turn the final page. The Bone Shard Daughter met my expectations in some areas, but the story as a whole failed to resonate with me. The good thing for anyone reading this review is that your experience may differ, especially given the book’s 4+ star average on Goodreads.

The Bone Shard Daughter takes place in a failing empire comprising a network of drifting islands in a vast and unforgiving sea. The current emperor, Shiyen Sukai, rules the world using bone shard magic. Every citizen is required to give a small shard of bone from the base of their skull as a tithe to the empire at a young age, and those shards are used to power constructs that perform various tasks for the kingdom. If a person’s shard is used in a construct, the person gradually grows ill, and years of their life are shaved off as the magic drains their life force.

We follow five points of view throughout the story:

Lin Sukai, the emperor’s daughter, who is forced by Shiyen into sick competition with her stepbrother, Bayan. They both attempt to recover lost memories, learn bone shard magic, and earn keys that unlock doors throughout the palace and the secrets behind them.
Jovis, an imperial navigator turned smuggler whose wife was kidnapped and whisked away on a ship with blue sails seven years ago. Now, he searches for signs of the ship in the hopes of finding her.
Phalue, heir to the governorship of Nephilanu, one of the Empire’s larger islands.
Ranami, Phalue’s girlfriend and anti-classism advocate who hopes to free the common people from Phalue’s father’s iron grip and unrealistic taxes.
Sand, a resident of Maila Island in the far reaches of the Empire. Sand spends her days collecting mangoes until she falls from a tree one day and begins to question how she arrived at the island at all.
I list these as bullet points because the narratives are interconnected, but not so much as to yield an easy explanation as to how. The pieces come together by the end of The Bone Shard Daughter, but Stewart also leaves a helluva lot for the next two books in the trilogy. I don’t plan to move on in the series for a number of reasons I’ll cover below, but first, I want to highlight the novel’s overwhelming positives.

The Bone Shard Daughter’s premise and magic system are inextricably intertwined. The Empire forces its citizens to contribute bone shards as a sinister tax, and Emperor Sukai uses them to power constructs of all sorts to run his operations. He has four primary constructs that each require dozens if not hundreds of shards, each with a complex network of commands that dictate how the construct behaves and who it obeys. Simpler constructs, such as customs agents that work on the docks, only require a few shards engraved with rudimentary commands. There’s much more here to sink your teeth into, and fans of cool magic systems will be rewarded with some neat tidbits. It’s a novel idea, and Stewart does a great job of putting the magic to work in the world she’s built.

The book’s world, unfortunately, doesn’t live up to its premise. The characters take the reader to multiple islands throughout the book, but none of them feel distinct. I imagine a world of islands would birth numerous different subcultures and idiosyncrasies, even if they all report to the same ruler. But they’re all homogeneous and indistinguishable from one another. In addition, scene transitions can be so violent and fast you sometimes don’t even realize you have hopped islands. Every chapter starts with a header telling the reader which island the character is on, and that’s a red flag itself. I’d rather be shown through descriptive prose and narrative hints where a character is instead of simply reading it at the top of each segment. Two islands on the book’s map are never visited and rarely mentioned, leading me to believe they’ll be important in the sequel despite having little purpose in this installment.

The characters are my biggest sticking point with The Bone Shard Daughter. I struggled to connect with any of them because their most relatable traits were difficult to reconcile with what the book told me. For example, Jovis searches for his wife, who’s been lost for seven years. I know nothing about her (other than that she’s lost), and the precious few memories he shares aren’t vivid enough to bring her to life. Jovis also befriends a cat-like sea creature named Mephi early on. They form a close bond and have a playful back and forth. It’s cute and fun, but to me, treating animals with kindness is a baseline barometer for human decency and does very little to tell me about Jovis, who already shows those traits by smuggling kids away from the tithing festival. He saves those kids, mind you, as he complains to himself about getting distracted from searching for his wife.

Jovis raised another issue, and it’s the action sequences. There are multiple fights in the book, but they do little to impact the reader. In one scene, Jovis throws his quarterstaff about 60 feet, completely knocking out his opponent. Seconds later, he throws it again and accomplishes the same exact thing. This is a common occurrence; fight scenes breeze by with a lot of telling and remarkably little showing.

Lin has arguably the best storyline, and I genuinely enjoyed following her journey to please her distant father and discover the castle’s secrets. But because she has lost her memories, there’s not much to latch onto, character-wise. Instead, Lin becomes a vehicle through which the reader can explore the world and how it functions, learning things as Lin does.

Phalue and Ranami’s storyline has to do with anti-classism and reworking your worldview to skew toward altruism instead of self-serving capitalism. It’s a great message, but their story in a vacuum doesn’t do much to advance the larger plot. They are also completely unmemorable with almost no character or development whatsoever. Their joint role in the story feels truncated, and once again I’m inclined to believe their relationship will be fodder for the sequel.

Sand appears in so few chapters that I debated even dedicating a paragraph to her. Her story is a mystery, and by the novel’s conclusion, her purpose is apparent. The mystery at her story’s core is the most intriguing of the book’s many secrets. However, it’s near impossible to care for Sand and her comrades with so few pages covering their story.

The novel actually ends from Sand’s point of view, and the conclusion in general left me disappointed. I turned the final page ready to leave The Bone Shard Daughter behind. Some readers, I’m sure, will eagerly devour the next two installments of the series, and I wish them all the best. There are still some things to like here; Stewart’s magic system has heaps of potential, and the story could bloom into a gripping fantasy epic. For me, personally, The Bone Shard Daughter’s flat characters and bland world just didn’t strike a chord.

Rating: The Bone Shard Daughter – 5.0/10