Ahoy there me mateys!  I received this fantasy eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  So here be me honest musings . . .

This book has been on me radar ever since I read the awesome premise - magic done with bits of people's bones.  The book is excellent and the major negative is having to wait for the next one.  Just be aware that the blurb makes it seem like there is only one protagonist but there are in fact five:

Lin, daughter of the Emperor who won't teach her his magic;
Jovis, a smuggler who is searching for his missing wife;
Phalue, the daughter of a governor and a warrior;
Ranami, the girlfriend of Phalue and a member of the rebels; and
Sand, a mysterious woman on a mysterious island.

The world is a series of floating islands that move around.  The empire is run by animal constructs made with the Emperor's bone shard magic.  The bone shards come from the citizens of the island and when used slowly kill the giver.  The Emperor is failing and change is on the horizon.

The world building is excellent, the characters engaging, the magic system is fascinating, and the plot compelling.  I read this in one sitting and still wanted so much more!  This book involves heists, missing memories, missing people, rebellion, unusual animal companions, ancient artifacts, awesome settings, diverse people, and above all cool creepy magic that influences every aspect of the culture.  There were lots of twists to the story and I can't wait to see what happens next.  And Mephi.  I love Mephi.  I know that this review doesn't really get into much of the plot but that's because the crew should discover this highlights of this treasure for themselves.  Arrr!

So lastly . . .

Thank you Orbit Books!

So this is a first. Generally speaking I do not like math. I do not like science. I do not like tinkering and all that horrible stuff. I am the type of fantasy gay that does not have the interest.

Andrea Stewart is my very best friend right now. She makes everything feel seamless and fun in her world. And sure. Maybe you’re sitting there asking yourself ‘wait isn’t this a world where body horror and mad scientists order a piece of their citizen’s bodies for nefarious uses?’ Yes. That is fun. That is a good time for me. I want to see all the characters scramble and revolutionize and betray each other for my sick enjoyment.

The way this book unpacks imperialism is just like catnip. Complex catnip.

The Bone Shard Daughter has gay ladies in love with their armor, a frankenstein daddy, dumplings, rebels, a cat daddy and animal companions! It is absolutely everything that is fun about fantasy, especially fantasy that takes us away from traditional tropes. It does not feel like anything I’ve read.

Andrea Stewart introduces us to multiple characters and perspectives in this first installment of her series.

1.Let’s talk about Lin and the Frankenstein Emperor

Characters told that they’re broken inside are just everything I want in my goodie bag of book things. It’s why I loved Maggie from Trail of Lighting, Tali from the Chronicles of the Bitch Queen, and Ryx from Rooks and Ruin. I am here for the determined heroine that just wants to live their damn lives and knock down all those asses calling them broken.

Lin, the daughter of the Emperor, seeks approval from her father, a rather sadistic man that uses bone shards to create humanoids out of animal parts. She vies for power and fights her way out of a memory sickness, preventing her from recalling her past.

Long ago, the Emperor’s ancestors drove their enemies, the Alanga, from these lands. He is convinced they will return. This magic is his obsession against this fear that they will one day return to these lands. Using the shards of his people to create beings of both human and else, he uses this magic to control his Empire and Lin in the way many real rulers have hidden away and normalized their corruption..

Lin wants to sucker punch her way into convincing the Emperor she is not broken. That she is worthy of his throne. Worthy of practicing Bone Shard Magic.

She tinkers and finds her way past all the locked doors that hide away his mysteries of her past and of his Empire. I fully appreciate the fact that Stewart makes these keys and unlocking doors and what lies underneath the constructs, as if she’s rummaging within what the Empire is hiding. Where is the source of the corruption and how does it function? All of the messages in the magic and in the plot all unfold in what Stewart is saying.

2. Jovis, the bestest of Cat Daddies

Jovis is my beloved. I would absolutely slash every single thing in existence to protect him. We have all these interconnected characters from various places within the Empire. All of them are integral to the little parts (the keys or parts if you will) of experiences within the Empire.

Jovis is Empirean and Poyer. Not seen as Empirean but as other by his society, Jovis is treated differently, as a 2nd class citizen, in his society. This has him struggling with who he is and whether he even wants to consider himself Empirean. The question “So What are You” becomes a theme for Jovis’ plotline and something that gives his character layers and complexity.

We find him searching for his love, his wife, among the waters where he searches for a ship. What starts as a journey for a lost loved one turns into an animal companion storyline, magic, and the spark of revolution.

What I love about Jovis is most summed up by his relationship with Mephi, a magical kitty sorta mystery. Jovis starts out grumpy barely tolerating the cute little monster to willing to burn it all to the ground for Mephi. He is the softest grumpy cat papa. One of the most endearing things about Jovis’ chapters is the humor. Jovis uses humor to deflect all the loss that he has felt.

And people always talked about habits like they were a thing that would kill you one day. “Jovis has a habit of gambling” or “Jovis has a habit of drinking too much melon wine” or “Jovis has a habit of steering his ship into storms”.

This is also one of the very first adult fantasy books I’ve read where I’ve read a male character being keenly aware of his sexual orientation. He notices that he likes women. That creates a normalized idea that heterosexuality is not the default. Characters discovering their heterosexual identity treated as normally as a woman discovering she like girls.

Speaking of which

3. Ranami and Phalue: Lets talk about my favorite sapphics

One of the things I am ever grateful for in this book is seeing a gay woman courting other women as normal. Phalue is the daughter of a nobleman and encouraged to court someone, doesn’t matter her interest is the ladies. While I do see LGBTQIA people represented in SFF, I don’t see it as normalized as I would like. I more often than not see pain and suffering rather than LGBTQIA people treated as normal and just like anyone else within that society. It’s fantasy. I want to see some escapism.

Phalue’s relationship with Ranami is one of the things that made me the most happy when reading this book. Ranami and Phalue are so complicated. As they discuss privilege, poverty, and rebellion they are always there for each other. They’re just two ridiculous sapphics yelling at each other and then making out within a minute. I love that.

They are willing to talk through their privileges and talk through their fights. They are so soft.

Hers was the beauty of ospreys, of sea serpents, of a wave crashing against rocks.

Phalue is not described conventionally. She’s not described with those horrible misogynistic descriptors ‘plain’ or ‘average’ or even ‘homely’. She’s described as being beautiful but without the notion that she needs the expected face and body of what a society may view as beautiful . I don’t often see muscular women described as being beautiful but as unimpressive. In any other book I would expected the men around her treat her as abnormal and weird. Stewart did not do that. I kept being so surprised by that and then remembering how much I hate that I would expect that. The amount of self inspection Andrea Stewart forced me through *fans self*

Andrea Stewart makes all the other fantasy novels look like they dusty old books that were put back on the shelf for a reason. This book is raw, dark, introspective and drips nuance and complexity from every page. It’s the type of novel that you want to read to see how all the parts work and let that mystery unfold.

Thank you to Orbit books and Your Tita Kate for a review copy in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes used are from an advanced readers copy and may be different from the published copy.

Such a highly anticipated debut and I’m looking forward to SO much more from the author. Within the first few pages I was HOOKED. Andrea Stewart sets up all the characters beautifully and captivates her audience members so well with her writing. I can’t wait for the next book!

4.5 stars!
Wow, how do I describe this book. I would say Frankenstein meets an Oriental fantasy world. This book took me on a rollercoaster and kept me guessing the entire time. The story is told from four different viewpoints that eventually all come together to form this story. And did I mention the mythical creatures lurking in the water!
The magic was very unique and is about a girl trying to master bone shard magic. This magic is used to make animal constructs to form an army. The bone shards are taken from the people that potentially drain them of their life. I'm not going to lie, some of the constructs were creepy. 😱
So many themes and motiffs came out of this novel. Government control and abuse of power and science are ones I really pulled out of it. Overall I really liked this book! An amazing debut and I'm looking forward to the rest of the series! I need answers!

Thank you orbit books and netgalley for allowing me to read this advanced copy.

So.

I have some feelings about this book, but not so many feelings that it's a favorite, if that makes sense? For a debut author, HOLY WOW, this book is a formidable entry to the "kingdom" fantasy realm. I one hundred percent loved that there is a serious queer romance. I one hundred percent loved the Asian influence of naming and food culture in this book. I one hundred percent loved the idea of constructed beings, manufactured from the bits and pieces of various living flesh, ruled by a charmed bone shard taken from a festival of tithed children's skulls. There are so many amazing things in this book that it is incredibly difficult to hate it, which I certainly DO NOT.

That being said, the multiple P.O.V. chapter alternating device was ultimately so distracting for me that I didn't really feel fully invested or connected to any one character. Except for Mephi. Mephi is my favorite cat-like sea monster creature and I worried for that sweet little soon-to-be-horned sea monster kitty-pus for the entire Jorvis sequence. I wanted WAAAAAAYYYYY more of Lin-world. That story was RICH with discovery. Bone shard magic, constructed creatures, so many locked doors, lost memory, a race to become the heir to the Empire, a mystery culture that the corrupt Emperor claims to be fighting against ... I wanted all of that story ALL THE TIME. Jorvis held an entire sequel or series addition in his story. So did Ranami and Phalue - whole other books there. And Sand's tale was something from Margaret Atwood's "Oryx and Crake" or MaddAddam trilogy that really never fully felt like it quite belonged. I also don't love a dark heir-struggle, overthrowing kingdom kind of book. I kept wondering if this was how it would have been to read "Game of Thrones" (never actually read it) but as a YA kind of book - gentler, but still dealing with some major stuff.

The good new is, that all my problems with this book stem from the author's overflowing rich rich imagination. It truly felt like an author who just simply couldn't contain all of the amazing things in their mind. I really truly love that, and that means this author will be one to watch closely as a next fantasy breakout author.

“Father told me I’m broken.”

From the first line, Andrea Stewart hooked me with her beautiful writing and way of bringing the characters to life on the page.

The emperor possesses a unique bone shard magic that he uses to create constructs—unnatural, sometimes monstrous creatures—and maintain control over the islands that make up his empire. His hold over his empire has been weakening, however. Whispers of revolution flicker across the islands. People believe that the Alanga, the enemy, are long dead or gone. Seeking to protect her country, Lin, the emperor’s daughter, strives to earn her father’s approval while secretly trying to recover her lost memories and master bone shard magic.

Elsewhere, Jovis, smuggler extraordinaire, searches for a mysterious boat that he knows only through rumors and a brief glimpse years past. Along the way, he picks up a strange sea creature and an unexpected reputation. Through his character, Stewart reveals snapshots, on multiple islands, of the people’s everyday lives and struggles under the emperor’s regime. She explores also the effects of loss and grief. Tagging along with Jovis is my favorite side character, Mephi: an adorable, intelligent, fiercely loyal animal companion.

On another island, the (f/f) romance between Phalue and Ranami explores the difficulties of crossing class divides in a committed relationship. While two people may love each other, and while we may wish for them to peacefully achieve happiness, their upbringing would realistically result in differing worldviews. Although Phalue tries to understand Ranami and her fight for the working-class people, Phalue has lived a privileged life, and she can’t imagine a world where hard work alone cannot better a person’s life. I appreciate how, in spite of her initial lack of clarity, Phalue makes a sincere effort to understand Ranami. Phalue genuinely desires to do right by her lover and her people, even if her belief in her duty wars with her filial piety to her father.

In total, The Bone Shard Daughter features five POV characters. Among the main characters, Lin and Jovis’s POVs are told in the first person, Phalue and Ranami’s POVs are told in the third person. The POV of Sand, a side character, is also told in the third person. Each chapter is titled with the POV character followed by the character’s location, which helped immensely since the POV characters are scattered across the various islands, and at least one character moves around islands.

The Bone Shard Daughter promises to be my favorite fantasy debut of 2020. The characters come to life on the pages with all of their hurt and struggles, joy and hard-earned victories. While this novel features few battle scenes, the characters’ conflicts (with, to name a few, family, identity, love, and duty), and the intrigue surrounding them, drive the plot forward, faster and faster as worlds collide and (seriously) shocking revelations come to light. I couldn’t put this book down.

Review is on my blog, The Reading Fairy

TW: Blood, parental abuse/neglect, child deaths, human and animal experimentation, violence, murder, mention of ritual
Rep: East Asian-coded world and characters, lesbian major character, f/f major character, physical disabled character

Disclaimer: I received an ARC via Netgalley for the blog tour. This does not affect my opinion.

"One foolish choice is like a rat you let go. It will spawn more consquences than you first thought possible.”

I’m still screaming because this book is amazing! I am really glad I got to read an early copy, but honestly I love that this book is going to be published! Because it’s so awesome! And yes, I am stuck on words so it’s going to be a very challenging review! But seriously, go buy this book when it comes out because it’s so awesome!

Before I even get into this review. Can we talking about the cat creature in this book?! I maybe a little obsessed with him because it sounds so cute and it even talks! But it’s seriously so loveable, that it was just a huge highlight for me for this book! But that’s also because I am probably biased because I have a cat and he’s adorable and a major jerk, and I am a totally cat-person.

I’ve been eyeing this book for a while, mostly because it is blurbed for fans of The Poppy War. I am such huge fan of The Poppy War so seeing it blurbed really caught my eye! I have seen quite a bit of reviews seeing this is basically The Poppy War, which it isn’t. There is nothing alike to the Poppy War and this has an entire different concept.

I’ve been a huge fan of Adult fantasies right now, and honestly I may need need to read a little more instead of every couple of months, because I get addicted. And it’s probably because it has magical systems in this book, which makes me really curious.

I adored the world-building! It was really unique and I have not read anything like it before! Floating islands that involves memories, the use of bone shard which plays a huge role in the book, animal companions.

I was a huge fan of the characters! I guess it switched from third perspective to first person and I have never noticed, and I got easily invested with them. There are 5 characters: Sand, Lin, Jovis, Phalue and Ranami-each of them have their own different story-lines and was intertwined with the plot expertly.

Jovis was probably one of my favorite characters in this book. He was such a good character, and really interested me. From being a smuggler, stuck on the Endless Sea, finding his long lost brother, and his weird cat creature-Mephis, who was quite adorable!

I am really not sure about Sand, Phalue and Ranami though! They had shorter chapters, but I really like them and can’t wait to see how they play a role with the rest of the series! I am really curious! Lin was an awesome character. It took me a while to like her, but she is my second favorite character!

The emperor’s daughter who learns to master Bone-shard magic, who finds out her dad’s secret. That kinda shook me not going to lie at the end. Her storyline got a little repetitive, and it seemed to drag in the middle.

The Bone Shard Daughter tells the story of Lin, the daughter of the Emperor who cannot remember a semblance of her life before five years ago, and Jovis, a wanted smuggler on a fruitless search for his lover who’s been missing for seven years. It also follows three other characters—Phalue, Ranami, and Sand—whose paths weave intricately with the others to create an overall compelling narrative.

This book was not at all what I expected it to be, but I was not disappointed. Set in a world where animal-like constructs are brought to life with the destructive bone shard magic that drains the lives of the Empire’s citizens, it is an immersive story that becomes more and more chilling as it explores magic, memory, privilege, and, most of all, power.

This book is told in multiple points of views—Lin and Jovis in first person, and the others in third. I know this may sound intimidating to some, especially the switch in first and third person, but it was done seamlessly, and I loved how each perspective slowly wove together in a grand tapestry.

Of the two more central characters, I thought Lin to be the most narratively interesting. After losing her memories, her father has never deemed her worthy enough to start learning bone shard magic. She learns it herself, determined to prove her value, and that she deserves the throne. While she questions herself, especially after a certain event, she is always sure of her place and worth beyond whatever her father believes.

But I also adored Jovis. He’s a tired, grumpy, and highly skilled smuggler who “works alone” and “doesn’t need anyone” after his wife went missing 7 years ago. I absolutely loved reading the growth he goes through, helped along by the quiet, steady companionship of Mephi, a talking magical animal creature who slowly gets him to open up. We aren’t sure what type of animal he is, but know that he is the best creature to ever exist. And yes, I may have teared up over a scene involving him… look away.

Phalue and Ranami were also both fascinating characters to read about. I wish they had gotten a bit more page time, actually, though I’m hopeful we’ll see more of them in the coming sequels! Their chapters explore classism and the privilege (and ignorance) that comes with socioeconomic status. This conflict of Phalue being the governor’s daughter versus Ranami who grew up on the streets, backdropped by a sweet, loving (sapphic!) relationship, made their story so enticing to read.

And finally, Sand’s chapters were some of my favorites to read, though they appeared the least throughout the book. Sand has forgotten everything about her life before now, where she moves through her day in a fog, on an island full of other people with lost memories. I wanted to know everything about her, and the reveal did not disappoint.

The whole book feels like buildup, which I know to some may sound off-putting. But it is truly excellent buildup, interesting and engaging and riveting. I think what also really worked for me was this sense of foreboding and suspense that hung over me the entire book. I knew twists would be coming and reveals would be made, and I couldn’t stop making theories and guesses about where it would head.

Stewart’s writing is absolutely lovely—so easily readable and gripping that it feels like sand slipping through your fingers, the feeling of slicing smoothly through water. I would definitely recommend this book to any readers who are seeking to dip their toes in adult fantasy but might be intimidated by the genre; the prose is beautiful not in a dense, flowery way but a simple, subtly captivating way.

However, I think some readers will be put off by the slower pacing of this book. I won’t deny that I really felt it and the way the plot inched along, particularly in the beginning. For me, though, my investment in the characters, combined with Andrea’s easy writing, made it go by smoothly. It was unputdownable: I ached to know more about each intriguing whisper of a plot twist, and it simultaneously felt like a well-loved quilt being patched together and also a ball of yarn slowly unfurling to create a shape.

Speaking of the plot twists—god, they were so good. I think some of them are fairly predictable, but there were just so many that I feel like there has to be at least one you don’t see coming. (I certainly was fooled by one.) The layers of some of them invite so many questions, and while the book does not end on a painful cliffhanger, you certainly will find yourself hungry for next book already.

My friend Ellie said that this book feels like a set-up for book 2, and I agree! I think this book sets a great foundation for the sequel to expand on, especially with the worldbuliding. I really loved how we were fed bits of information about the setting a few at a time, and each thing only made me more intrigued, especially with the idea of floating islands that can drown, and the mysterious, elusive Alangi civilization.

This was truly such a solid adult fantasy debut, brimming with magic and secrets. If you can handle the slower pacing, I would definitely recommend this, for well-written complex character arcs, a plot that unravels deliciously, and of course, a magical animal companion that will steal your heart instantly. I can’t wait to see what brilliant story Stewart manages to construct (no pun intended) with these characters next.

An empire controlled by magic using bone shards from the people, controlling animal-like constructs that maintain law and order. Keeping the people afraid of when their bone shard will be used up. Lin is the daughter of the emperor, the former heir, who is willing to fight to reclaim her throne, and save the people of her empire, at whatever cost.

The Bone Shard Daughter is absolutely going to be one of my top reads of the year! Everything about this book spoke to me, the epic fantasy, the intricate magic system, the different perspectives throughout, adorable animal companion, politics and revolution! Basically, The Bone Shard Daughter has everything I expect from a book, and while it seems like a lot going in to it, it’s not overbearing. Everything is well thought out, the pacing is perfect, and I genuinely have nothing to complain about.

Generally, when a book contains multiple point of view perspectives, there’s a character you don’t care as much for. Stewart has made a wide cast of characters and manages to make you care about each and every one of them, and you never feel the need to rush through a chapter to get to one you prefer. While I still had favourites, Lin and Jovis, I never felt bored by the others or indifferent to their part in the book. They all stood on their own, and each chapter contributes to the overall story. Though Jovis also has a one up for having Mephi in his chapters, and anyone who reads this and doesn’t immediately adore Mephi, well, I just don’t know what to make of you.

As said, the magic system is intricate, and fascinating. The idea of magic based around the use of bone shards used to control animal-like constructs was such a new idea to me, and one that I immediately loved. The detail and thought that goes in to it is just amazing, and each chapter with Lin when you find out more about the use of the magic system and how in-depth it really goes was wild. I’m always a sucker for a good magic system, and while The Bone Shard Daughter doesn’t quite take the top spot of favourite magic system, it is in my top five, and honestly with future books, it could become number one.

The ending of The Bone Shard Daughter blew me away. Anywhere I thought this was going, I was mostly wrong about or surprised by entirely, and I will now impatiently be waiting for more books because I need answers. This is one of those first novels to a series that just sells you completely on it, and makes you wish there were already twenty more books after it waiting to be devoured. Any reader and lover of epic fantasy is going to need to pick this up as soon as possible, and fall into the beautiful writing, amazing story, and mind-blowing world that Stewart has created.

a story with multiple perspectives
The Bone Shard Daughter is an epic fantasy story that follows five different characters, each contributing in some way towards the impending downfall of the empire. Out of these five storylines, the two with the most page time are Lin, the daughter of the emperor who's trying to prove her worth and be named his heir, and Jovis, a smuggler in search of his missing wife. One of the strongest components of the story's writing is the incredibly distinct tone that each POV is written in. When following Lin, her ambition to win her father's approval is reflected by her character-focused narrative whereas Jovis has a more plot-driven center.

With the two main perspectives written in first person and playing such a huge role, I'll admit that the other three didn't appeal as much to me which caused a small bias imbalance. While I still enjoyed reading from Phalue, Ramani, and Sand's POVs, I wasn't as attached to their side of the story at the beginning. Due to this being the first in a trilogy, there's a lot of plot development that is laid down and it does take a while for connections to be made - therefore making everyone's POV make sense in the grand scheme of things.

the magic of bones
Andrea Stewart's writing style showcases her ability to seamlessly transition from one perspective to the next. This ultimately makes the story easily accessible, especially in regards to the magic system. For bone shard magic, practitioners (aka the emperor and his heir) carve commands into pieces of bone taken from the empire's population and are put into chimera-like creatures called constructs.

One of my favorite aspects was learning about the magic with Lin herself. As the magic leans more towards a hard magic system complexity, this perspective-based approach saved me from a lot of info-dumping and instead made the learning process more organic. It also helped me to sympathize with her desire to prove her worth and create a personal connection.

revolutions and revelations
As a huge element of the story is the brewing unrest within the empire and the fracturing of power, I became more and more invested as theories started forming. Within the novel, the five POVs narrow down to three specific plot arcs and each one managed to absolutely capture my attention. I honestly had so much fun reading this novel because it kept me guessing and invested. It is definitely a sort of excitement that I haven't felt in a while towards a fantasy novel.

just for mephi
For the sake of personal enjoyment, I need to talk about how much I adored Mephi. While his exact species is unknown (I read a review that suggested he was some sort of dragon), I was stunned to see how quickly I became attached to a strange talking creature. He genuinely made me more invested in Jovis's side of the story and helped to flesh out his character as well. As far as creature companions go, he's definitely a favorite.

The Bone Shard Daughter is a fantastic debut fantasy. It follows five POV characters in an empire controlled by bone shard magic. The magic system is where this book truly shines. It’s a unique concept that I found fascinating. The emperor takes bone shards from the people and uses them to make constructs. These constructs then do the emperor’s bidding.

We have two major POV characters. The first is Lin, the emperor’s daughter. I found her chapters the most intriguing because she is trying to learn how to create constructs, but her father will only let her earn keys (which lead to rooms with more information) slowly.

The other main POV character, Jovis, is a smuggler on a separate island in the empire. He keeps getting pulled into helping others, when all he really wants is to find his missing lover. My favorite part of his chapters was his budding friendship with Mephis, his animal companion.

The other three characters were interesting as well, but they didn’t have as much time on the page. I looked forward to Sand’s chapters because I desperately wanted to know what was going on with the people on her island and who they truly were.

This was a great start to a fantasy series. It was filled with magic, intrigue, and plenty of twists and turns. I can’t wait for book two and hopefully finding out more about the world and the Alanga.

Absolute page turner. The world and characters are so interesting. We only touched on the lore with the Alanga and I hope to get more information in book 2. I love Mephi and Jovis! They are my favourite characters. I don't read enough books with companion animals/creatures. I'm excited to see where the story goes in the next book!

This is going to be one of my top books of the year. I knew it would be good from the start, but it surpassed all my expectations.

We have five POV characters. Two main characters: Lin, the Emperor's daughter, and Jovis, a half-blooded smuggler. Two secondary characters: Phalue, an island governor's daughter, and Ranami, her commoner girlfriend. And one character set apart from all that named Sand. Who she is isn't made clear until the end of the book.

The characters are all immersed in their own struggles and desires, which for much of the book seem to be at odds. As the end approaches, however, they begin to meet and then to ally themselves together. The common thread running through all of them is that they want to help others and do good.

The worldbuilding is new and complex and by the end of the book I felt as if I'd only scratched the surface of the Floating Isles, the mysterious Alanga, the animal companions, the constructs.... There's just so much I know I don't know. And what's up with the Alanga's sculptures and paintings opening their eyes? That was a little creepy.

The writing is beautiful and flows easily, making 5 POV characters seem effortless. The characters are layered and complicated and I couldn't help but root for all of them - even when they were at odds.

There were some brilliant plot twists towards the end that I didn't see coming until just before they happened, while they were built up with foreshadowing to make me go 'oh yeah, duh, of course that's how it is.' I can't wait to read what Stewart throws at us next! This is definitely a series I'll be following closely.

These new authors just keep getting better and better.
I first got wind of The Bone Shard Daughter from a review by Petrik at Novel Notions. The premise sounded pretty intriguing. An Emporer's daughter, fighting to save the empire from her father's rule. Studying a strange and brutal magic involving shards of bone taken from the common folk. Secrets, locked doors, lost memories and bizarre creatures constructed and commanded. AND THAT'S ONLY HALF THE STORY! The summary doesn't tell you about the other characters and neither will I because it was such a treat to discover on my own.
The Bone Shard Daughter is an incredibly unique story. I can't really think of much to compare it too. It avoids almost all fantasy tropes and the ones that are there, Andrea Stewart puts a fresh twist on it.
I cannot recommend this book enough. It has everything the modern fantasy reader is looking for. Dark magic, conflicted characters, wonderful LGBTQ+ representation, cute animal companions, and distorted history. The Bone Shard Daughter is damn near perfect.

The Bone Shard Daughter is the first book in The Drowning Empire series. It is about a failing kingdom that is cleverly told from 5 different character’s points of view. The reader dives into each character’s journey alongside them and witnesses the beginnings of the kingdom’s downfall told from all angles. This world involves moving islands and hideous magic that makes a combination of human and animal robot-like beings called constructs. The government tries to maintain its control of their people while also trying to stifle the growing fear of a long ago civilization coming back for a revolution.
Readers first meet Lin, the Emperor’s daughter, who struggles to come to terms with memory loss while desperately trying to puzzle together the Emperor’s mysterious behavior. Next, is Jovis, a street smart smuggler turned reluctant savior. Phalue, a governor’s daughter, is made aware of her father’s fragile hold with his people, yet is hesitant to right his wrongs. All the while, she comes to unsettling terms with her girlfriend, Ranami. Ranami, a villager, takes desperate measures to force Phalue to see how life is for others that live outside of her royal walls. And finally, Sand, who while out doing her everyday chores, has an accident that brings her to a startling awareness of not only memory loss but being stranded on an island with strangers who experience similar memory issues. The reader and characters alike quickly realize that not everything is as it seems. The Bone Shard’s Daughter is a compelling story loaded with unexpected twists, turns, and covert character motivations. Just when you think you’ve got it figured out, think again.

I was delighted to receive an ARC of Andrea Stewart’s, The Bone Shard Daughter. The first half of the book does have a bit of a slow build and involves a lot of world building and character development. Around the middle of the book, the character’s storylines really took off for me. I enjoyed the style of writing and narrative that allowed the reader to fumble along with the character, it helped add mystery and intrigue. I feel like this book provided a good introduction into The Drowning Empire series world and I anticipate the next book to be more action packed. I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to others. Andrea Stewart is a great writer and I look forward to the next book in this series.

Thank you NetGalley and Orbit Books for providing me a free eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I requested this book from Orbit due to the great impression the gorgeous cover art made on me. It wasn't until after I have read the book that I found out that author Andrea Stewart earned a six-figure deal for this trilogy. And I have to say it was completely earned.

There have been a good handful of times when I praised novels for unique world-building, or a fresh take on fantasy elements. Both are very true in this case. The action of "The Bone Shard Daughter" is set in an Empire scattered across numerous islands in the Endless Sea - but they happen to be <i>floating islands</i> and they sometimes, mysteriously, sink. Ages ago, those islands were ruled by the mighty Alanga, whose powers were so great they threatened to destroy the people populating the islands - luckily they were defeated (unclear how) by the current ruling family. Its current head, the Emperor, is the only one who yields a forbidden power called the bone shard magic, ostensibly utilized to protect humanity and prevent the return of the Alanga. But the Emperor exacts a steep price - every person in the kingdom has to give up a shard of a small bone in their head in a tithing ceremony conducted when they're children. These bone shards are then inscribed to power magical constructs, used by the Emperor to rule and control the realm - these bone shards can be re-written, in effect re-programming the constructs.

In this setting, we meet five of our POV characters, and quite uniquely two of them - Lin and Jovis - are written through a first-person perspective, while the other three (Phalue, Ranami and Sand) are written in third person. While some readers would think that this could cause dissonance in the narrative, it actually enhances it. Lin and Jovis are the de-facto MAIN POVs (we hear from them more than the other three) and the driving agents of the majority of the action. Since we hear from them in first person voice, we naturally feel closer to them than the other characters.

Lin is the Emperor's daughter, striving to learn the bone-shard magic and become a worthy successor to her reticent father. Jovis is a smuggler, fruitlessly searching for his disappeared wife/lover, and one of very few who survived the sinking of the Deer Island. Over the course of his search he becomes inescapably aware of the injustices of the current governing system. His story is one of a personal struggle against joining the rebellious cause and abandoning the search for his beloved (and I cannot praise enough how well depicted and understandable that struggle is).

Probably my favorite element of the story is Mephis, a mysterious creature that hitches a ride of Jovis' boat as he tries to escape the sinking Deer Island. It is entirely unclear just WHAT species he is, but I have a feeling he might turn out to be a very unusual dragon. In the meantime, the relationship that develops between Jovis and Mephis is the highlight of this story, never-mind the mysterious powers Jovis seems to gain by associating with Mephis.

Major themes of this novel are social injustice, revolution, search for identity, love for one's family, and striving to choose the higher good at a personal cost. The book, while part of the "Drowning Empire" trilogy, does not end with a cliffhanger - in fact, it's a very satisfying ending, one that opens up a ton of possibilities for the future. Then, there are the unanswered questions - why are the islands sinking? Who were the Alanga and are they possibly coming back? What sort of creature is Mephis and how does his kind fit into the larger story? What are Jovis' mysterious powers? There are many more questions, but asking them would be spoiling too much.

This is one of my favorite reads of 2020. I highly recommend you pick it up.

I really enjoyed this fascinating debut. The magic system was complex and unlike anything I have ever seen before!

While I really loved Lin's story, Jovis and Mephi make the story great for me! The reluctant hero? yes, please!

There is also a beautiful sapphic relationship that really grows throughout the story.

3.5/5 Starts

The characters in this story were all unique and interesting. I found myself cheering them on as they learner more and tried to solve their problems, and I even found myself wanting to know more about them. I felt that the plot was not divided evenly among the characters, and that there were certain ones I was always wanting more from.
The magic system was unique and extremely interesting. Having the people be the thing to protect and the thing that will get killed off if the magic is used allowed for some much commentary to be said about power and people in it. The entire world building was wonderful; the places felt real and the world complex, but not so much so that I distracted by pointless things.
I think that the writing was absolutely fine. It was very accessible to a wide audience (the book is marketed as an adult fantasy but I think even teens would enjoy reading this). I would be interested in reading future books by Andrea Stewart just to see how much she grows as a writer, because I believe she has potential to be something great.
But the plot was where I felt the book was lacking. The story is mostly a character driven story, so the plot is ignored through the first half of the book. It felt slow in some parts and there weren't too many times I was being pulled in and felt like I couldn't look away. Of course it had some great moments, but I think that a lot of the time the stakes didn't feel real, and the plot all felt the same throughout.

I would recommend this book to people, especially people who was looking for an asian inspired fantasy with lgbt+ representation that has little romance in it.

Thanks to Netgalley and Orbit for providing me with and free arc of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Jumping right into it, my first impression of the book was that it had a slow start and way too many perspectives. Just when I was getting invested in one character, I was thrown into another one with a completely different journey. The change between perspectives didn't have a pattern too which caught me off-guard.

However, as I continued reading, I found that there was an upside to this. I was constantly on the edge of my seat, drinking in the words before the chapter ends with a cliffhanger and moves on to the next. There was an element of surprise; an aura of mystery that I couldn't help but get addicted to. What I had thought might be one of the book's weaknesses was actually one of its strengths. It was really a pleasant surprise.

Everyone's characterization and their own personal journey were also very interesting to follow. I found that the characters were so distinct from each other that whenever there was a shift in perspective, I wouldn't have to keep guessing who I'm following next. Another thing that I really liked was that you can feel the internal and external conflicts of the characters, and that you can sympathize with them. It was all so carefully done that it allows you to develop your own opinion on their situation--especially in terms of politics.

One instance is when Phalue and Ranami often discussed the stances of either parties when it comes to class disparity and privilege:

“The premise of the Empire? The very things it was built upon? They don’t exist anymore. But still everything goes to the heart of the Empire to be picked through before the scraps are returned to us. We are tired of picking through scraps, Phalue. We want to build something new. Think of it: a stop to the Tithing Festivals. Wealth distributed more equitably. A Council made up of representatives from each of the islands. You could be a part of this if you wanted. The people would love you more than they already do.”

It didn’t move her. Ranami had tried such speeches on her, and Phalue had only repeated her father’s talking points. Everyone had a job to do in the Empire. Those that worked hard were rewarded. She gave examples of those who had lifted themselves from poverty. And yes, a few had, while the rest reached and scraped and hoped. It was like explaining the concept of a tree to a giant squid.

“You want to help the farmers? Help them meet their quotas.”

This excerpt had come from Ranami's first chapter and already then, we can see the conflict and the themes their relationship had to deal with. But what really strikes me as interesting in this excerpt is that this is the kind of relationship the people and the government have. They are important to one another, but no matter how much the other pleads for change, it only falls on deaf ears. After all, it is easier to conform to an existing norm than have to adjust to a new one.

Another thing I had found interesting is that there's not a lot of gritty action in this book like most SFF books usually do. However, there was definitely a lot of sneaking around that managed to keep the tension high. Will this character finally break? Will the empire catch them this time around? They keep you at the edge of your seat as you try to to find out what happens to them. It was an adventure that relied on charisma and stealth than fight scenes. It was smart and clever, and you know what? It definitely held up.

So my verdict? I would give this a 4 out 5 stars. Really, my only gripe with the book was with how it starts. It doesn't leave the best first impression but is it worth sticking around for? I would say that it definitely is.

The Bone Shard Daughter is the first book in The Drowning Empire series. The first chapter drew me in quickly and I was intrigued from the start. The writing is fluid and the magic system is so unique!

Now, the downfall. This book jumps between five different character POVs with each chapter. Usually, I love the depth and diversity this type of writing style can provide to a story, but unfortunately, I didn't get that with this story. I was easily distracted and highly disconnected from each character. I didn't feel like they weaved together as well as they could have early on and there was way too much going on, I honestly got confused.

I did only get 50% through the book before I gave up. I'm saddened I couldn't get into the story, that I wasn't gripped or invested in the characters, but it just missed the mark.

Overall, the concept is great and obviously I'm in the minority with my review. I'm so glad others can find enjoyment in this novel! Thank you NetGalley and Orbit for an advanced e-copy to read and honestly review.