So I’m going to start off by saying I was really close to DNFing by 50% but I’m actually really glad I didn’t. For the last half, the pace went from 0-100 and I was hooked and really enjoyed the story. I am including this at the top because I really think it’s worth pushing through.

I loved the alternating perspectives for each chapter as it gave us a deeper look into each characters motivations and feelings. The relationships between the characters were complex and I loved the humour spread throughout as it contrasted the darkness. Despite its flaws, I really enjoyed the book and I’m beyond glad I stuck with it till the end.

Personally, a map would have been incredibly helpful given the political focus and multitude of mentioned places in the beginning. I know they didn’t necessarily become major facets in the story but I found myself zoning out and getting confused in the beginning.

Additionally, integrating the cards into the chapters they’re mentioned in or having all of them at the end as well would have made more sense than at the beginning because I had no idea what I was looking at while starting the book.

Overall, this was a great read and I loved the mix of folklore/fantasy and the action packed ending.

Thank you to Random House Canada and NetGalley for the opportunity to enjoy this advanced copy.

Dimitri is a tsar in exile, having lost his country to his (ex?) husband Alexey, who graduated from being abusive and controlling toward Dimitri to using dark magic to gain power. So obviously he must be destroyed and Dimitri's rightful power restored, with Vasily, Dimitri's spymaster and long-time friend, infiltrating Alexey's court to get the information they need to get a leg-up on the near-immortal Alexey.

So, deep and complex relationships, power struggles, politics, and magic all told in a multi-POV story with a lot of emotion and, yes, trauma (checking the trigger warnings for this one is probably a good idea). That's a lot going for it, and I think this book will work very, very well for a lot of people - sadly, I was not one of those people.

On paper, there's a lot that <i>should</i> have worked well for me too: the plot is twisty and political, there's a tight group of friends in exile with Alexey, giving off some found family vibes, and the history and magic are tight and well thought out. And those things did work for me, just . . . not as much as I would have liked.

I think this is a case of "great concepts, middling execution" for me. Let's take the characters, for example. They all sounded great, in the opening chapters, but I felt like they didn't really get much deeper than those opening chapters, and I just didn't really care about any of them. They were just rather surface level for me.

I generally really like stories with multiple POVs, but I think that threw off the pacing here, specifically with the Alexey chapters. It's cool to see the villain's POV and behind the veil, so to speak, but it also just kind of took away some of the mystery and tension, and didn't add any complexity to Alexey's character - dude is evil through and through, we get it. But as much as it can be nice to understand the history early on and not be left wondering, revealing less of this so early in the story and in Alexey's POV would have added some needed tension and more of a hook for me.

This book had a lot of promise and potential, and while it was a good book, it didn't quite live up to that promise and potential for me - but I don't want that to deter others because, as I said earlier, I think this will be an easy favourite for many people.

<i>Thank you to the publisher, Penguin Random House Canada, and to NetGalley for the ARC.</i>

The Sins on Their Bones was a well written story dripping in adventure and Jewish culture. I recommend this book to readers looking for adventure, romance, Jewish heritage, characters overcoming trauma, and queer representation.

The pacing is off, nothing happens for half the book and at the same time it's overwritten, wich makes it very hard to read and not engaging at all. The smut was well written and there is a lot of it so that's great

Beautifully written and piqued my curiosity right away as I was trying to figure out what was going on, and what everyone’s relationship was. The world was wonderfully laid out and was clear in my mind, and I really liked the writer’s style.
I found it hard to get into/keep up with just because I really disliked reading it on my phone (vs. on my kindle). Because of this, I unfortunately DNF around 25%.
*However,* I fully plan on revisiting it once I can get it either on my Kindle or the physical book!

Heavily influenced by Eastern European history and Jewish belief/mysticism, The Sins on Their Bones is a compelling dark fantasy. Set in the fictional country of Novo-Svitsevo, it starts with the exiled Tzar Dimitri and his court trying to reconcile the loss of the war against Dima's husband-turned-undead-usurper Alexey. Dimitri, as third-born, was essentially sold off to the minor lord Alexey as a betrothal of political convenience, before a tragedy ended the entire family line and placed Dimitri on the throne. Alexey wanted to perfect their rule by turning to mysticism, changing to a new version of the state religion, and becoming immortal co-rulers - but Dimitri fought back. The story pick up after the loss and follows Dimitri's court and their attempt to take the country back from a man who can no longer be killed.

I genuinely enjoyed just how much Jewish belief, mysticism, and religious influence is in this book. The way Samotin managed its inclusion, while maintaining that the fictional religion is not a 1:1 copy of Judaism or Jewish mysticism, was really well done. Anyone can engage with this, as it feels quite self-explanatory, but I think those who either studied religion or who are themselves Jewish will get even more out of the book. For example, we learn that Alexey isn't wholly himself, nor is he speaking with God, but instead he is speaking with an archangel named Samael who is pretending to be God. In Talmudic and post-Talmudic mysticism, Samael (literally "Poison of God") is the archangel known as the accuser, the Adversary (the one Christians call "Satan"), the seducer, the destroying angel... it really makes the possession just that much more powerful to those who understand this detail. The more the book went on, the more mysticism comes to the fore, and it was beautifully done.

Good lord, though, was there a lot of sex. There was so much sex, and it almost never felt like it added much to the scenes or to the character's growth. I say this as someone who enjoys a good smut, too! Unfortunately, I really felt ripped out of the narrative more than once because a tense moment turned into a sex scene... for example, after Dimitri is killed and Alexey just... roughly takes Ivan, Dimitri's half-brother and Alexey's current consort. If this could have been toned down, I think it would have been a stronger rating from me - possibly a 5 star (truly, I can't believe I'm saying this either).

While I appreciate the opportunity to read this book, I do not feel like I am the correct audience for this book. I may try picking up the physical copy of this book after publication. But reading digitally, didn't work for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the ARC of The Sins on Their Bones!

I love love loved this book and I think the author did a fantastic job! I had such a great time reading it and if felt like it was on my mind even when I wasn't reading. It was one of those books where you just couldn't wait to get back to reading and find out what happens. I was even telling my coworkers and roommates about it while reading.

The relationship between Dimitri and Vasily was absolutely beautiful. It was set up in a way that I wasn't sure if it would happen or not but I had my fingers crossed the whole time. Despite the fact that they had a physical relationship from the beginning, it still felt like a slow burn because it took so long for them to admit their true feelings and help each other through their trauma. The world was so interesting and unique with the mysterious library, the Ludayzim religion/Holy Science, demons, resurrection, etc. It was incredibly dark at times. The trigger warnings are numerous. But, I think the author handled them with care. I think the author also excelled at the portrayal of grief, abusive relationships, trauma from past relationships affecting your new ones, PTSD, self medicating, not wanting to burden the people around you, etc.

I also really liked how different the POVs were. I didn't feel like there were too many or that I liked one less than the other. Reading Alexey's thoughts was definitely disturbing but I did like getting the villains POV. Reading how Dimitri perceived himself and then how others perceived him made me rethink some of my relationships.

My one complaint is that I really did not feel that connected to the rest of Dimitri's court. It took me till about 50% into the book to be able to actually distinguish them and while it was obvious that they cared for each other and I think their relationships were well written, I personally did not find them to have unique enough attributes to be memorable.

Besides that, I really enjoyed the experience and I am looking forward to trying more by this author in the future!

“If I die first,” he said, beginning the toast they had said over and over since the beginning of the war. “I’ll tell you the secrets of heaven,” they all echoed.

The Sins On Their Bones is a dark fantasy pitched as perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo and C.S. Pacat. Both are favourite authors, and having read TSOTB, I can confirm that there are distinct Shadow & Bones vibes and that the novel packs as powerful of an emotional punch as The Captive Prince did for me.

The novel is set in and around Novo-Svitsevo, a reimagined 19th century Eastern Europe, in the af-termath of a devastating civil war.
Dimitri Alexeyev, former Tzar of Novo-Svitsevo, is hiding in exile with what remains of his court, while his estranged husband Alexey Balakin sits on the throne in Rav-Mikhailburg and exerts a rule of terror over the country. Alexey has died and resurrected himself through what he calls the Holy Science, has turned his body indestructible in the process, is convinced that God speaks to him di-rectly and is commanding him to build a demon army to build the greatest empire that history has ever seen.
Dimitri is determined to save his country. Together with his spymaster, Vasily Solokov, he sets out to find a way to kill the immortal Alexey. But bringing down Alexey may come at too great a cost to Dimitri…

Samotin’s debut was an absolutely devastating read – I loved it and am more than a bit obsessed with it. The world-building was rich, steeped in Jewish folklore and religion, with a queer-normative society and a wide range of representation. It is a dark fantasy and there are some heavy topics being addressed, so make sure to check the trigger warnings carefully. TSOTB contains, among others, body horror, experimentation on non-consenting subjects, intimate partner violence, sexual abuse, anxiety and depression.
The story is told from three POVs: Dimitri, Vasily and Alexey. If you wished to hear more from the Darkling’s POV in Shadow & Bone, you’ll enjoy having the villain as a main POV character, getting an insight into his mind, how he justifies his actions and how righteous he feels. Dimitri’s court is the perfect found family. They’re already an established group at the outset of the novel, know each other and each have their roles. In terms of relationship development, Dimitri and Vasily’s relationship is the one that develops most over the course of the novel, as they help each other deal with past trauma.
The beautiful playing card illustrations included at the beginning reminded me a bit of the illustrations in the Six of Crows collector’s edition – I love them even more knowing the meaning behind them after reading the novel. Piotyr the demon-hunting goat was also an instant favourite.

When I initially read this novel, I expected it to be a stand-alone, and in my opinion it would work well as such if you disregard the final chapter, but I was thrilled to learn that I’ll get to spend more time in Novo-Svitsevo. A clear new favourite – I can’t wait to add a physical copy to my bookshelves!

4/5 stars
Recommended if you like: fantasy, historical fantasy, LGBTQ+ characters, political intrigue, Russian Revolution

This review has been posted to Goodreads as of 4/2, my book review blog as of 4/18, and Instagram as of 4/20.

TW rape/SA, spousal abuse

This definitely seems to be a book that you absolutely love or that you struggle with. I obviously thought this book deserved 4 stars, but I did struggle immensely with getting through the book. The pacing is very slow and it takes a while for the plot and the characters to really warm up. I do feel like a good portion of the first 50% could be cut without damaging the story.

Without a doubt this is a story about suffering and about healing. Dimitri, one of the MCs and narrators, is in terrible amounts of pain after what occurred with his husband and the revolution. He's the one we see suffering the most, but the book does follow his journey as he begins to heal and discover who he is on the other side of those things. Vasily, another one of the narrators, has pain in his past that is alluded to over the course of the novel. He's at a different stage of the healing process than Dimitri, but that pain and healing is still there.

I think part of the problem with the book's pacing is that Samotin strives to show a realistic journey of pain, depression, and healing, and that path is not a quick one. Dimitri does not recover over night or in the span of a chapter. He first needs to recognize that he can heal and then he continually needs to make that choice. I do think it's a realistic depiction, and I applaud Samotin for showing that. However, I think time jumps could have, and probably should have, been used.

Setting aside the pacing, I was fascinated by the setting of this book. It takes place in a fantasy, Jewish-majority version of Russia circa the Russian Revolution. The setting is rich with architecture and clothing and traditions. I liked the interplay of the different sects of religion in the novel and how that was used to create tension between characters who followed Ludyazist mysticism vs. those who followed the (not-so) Holy Science. I also thought it was interesting to read a book where a fantasy version of Judaism is the predominant religion instead of having it be a fantasy version of Christianity.

Dimitri is the main character, imo, even though there are three narrators. As mentioned above, this is very much a healing story, and Dimitri has a lot to heal from. He was the Tzar of Novo-Svitsevo prior to the revolution and he desperately loves his country. He also desperately loves his husband, who overthrew him and is just generally a not great (read: abusive) dude. Dimitri is grappling with the consequences of war and the feeling he let his country down, as well as the guilt associated with helping place his husband, Alexey, in a place to do that in the first place. But he's also recovering from the abuse Alexey put him through and coming to terms with the fact that it wasn't his fault. Beyond all of these things, Dimitri is extremely loyal and it's clear he loves his friends dearly.

Vasily might be my favorite narrating character. He's Dimitri's spymaster and fled with him into hiding after the end of the war. He blends humor and seriousness well and is able to stabilize situations fairly well. I liked seeing him work, I always think it's fascinating to see a character become someone else as a spying/manipulation tactic. He has his own past trauma that gets revealed a bit throughout the book, though he's further along on his healing journey than Dimitri is.

Alexey is the last narrating character and he was Dimitri's husband. Through experimentation with the Holy Science, Alexey has become immortal and is impossible to kill. He was already tempestuous and abusive, but post-immortality and post-war, he's only become more volatile. He strives to create and control an army of demons in order to make Novo-Svitsevo the strongest country in the world. But despite his delusions of grandeur, most of his court is terrified of him and he has little patience for what it means to run a country. Alexey is not portrayed as the good guy in any way, but his POV is one of an abuser, so keep that in mind.

I enjoyed the side characters on Dimitri's side of things. Other than Vasily, there are three other members of his court who fled with him and they are Annika, his general; Ladushka, his strategist; and Mischa, his physician. They each felt like well-rounded characters with their own pasts and idiosyncrasies. I would've liked to know a bit more about them but the pacing of the book makes that difficult.

Overall I think this book had a lot of potential. The pacing definitely got in the way of the plot and I think a good portion of the beginning of the book probably could've been cut. I liked the side characters more than the main characters as well, so that could've contributed as well. That being said, the characters have a lot of depth to them and the setting + magic system were interesting.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book.

Unfortunately this was a DNF for me at 34% as I found myself skimming whole pages trying to get into this.

I think my main issue with this book is it feels as though it’s a sequel to something. All the characters are already strongly bonded by past trauma and a past war that we’ve not experienced. Dimitri is mourning this entire past relationship that we never saw play out. As a result, it leaves the current emotional situation falling flat for me personally. I understand these characters have been through a lot but I feel far too distanced from it to empathise in any way.

Also in the 130-ish pages I read, honestly nothing had happened aside from a whole lot of moping and that’s just…not my jam, sorry.

THE SINS ON THEIR BONES is a dark fantasy about finding courage from others' steadfast love to heal and stand up for yourself.

It is a bloody, brutal tale that does not shy away from the dark label - it is one that feels deserving of the label even though it shuns some of the aesthetics of it. There is death and sacrifice and abuse on page, exploring what it can do to a person and how guilt can cripple us.

At the heart of the tale is the found family around Dimitri, their steadfast support for one another as they all face demons in their past - and real ones in the present. I love a found family tale and this book certainly delivers on that promise. They are a tight unit who love one another, knowing when to push and when to give space, and would die to save each other.

The book is told from the perspectives of Dimitri, Alexey, and Vasily. It was interesting (if very uncomfortable at times) to see inside Alexey's head. He absolutely believes he is in the right and that his actions are those from love, that it's right he has to punish his lovers for defying him. It is an unflinching look at religious fanaticism.

I thought this book was a standalone at first but then I hit the ending and realised it had to be a series (it took a look of searching to find the confirmation.)

This was a folklore-inspired reimagining of 19th century Eastern Europe,

A compelling queer dark fantasy about two estranged husbands and a daring spymaster on opposite sides of a civil war.

Quite a captivating read overall

📕~ The Sins on Their Bones
✍🏻 ~ Laura R. Samotin
⭐~ 4/5

I received an e-ARC, and anything shared in this review is my opinion!

The Sins on Their Bones book cover and synopsis caught my attention and piqued my interest enough for me to submit a request for an e-ARC. This novel also features a queer dark fantasy with Jewish folklore that takes place in 19th-century Eastern Europe.

You are captivated by Laura's writing from the first page of the book and want to read it through late at night. This happened to me as I was reading The Sins on Their Bones with thoroughness. I thought the plot, world-building, and characters were all excellent since they all helped the story progress in the proper way. Even though the book kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time, I have to admit that I experienced a wide range of emotions while reading. The characters' points of view (POVs) were written so skillfully that as a reader you are able to tell them apart and sense their differences.

I thought the plot, world-building, and characters were all excellent since they all helped the story progress in the proper way. Even though the book kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time, I have to admit that I experienced a wide range of emotions while reading. The characters' points of view (POVs) were written so skillfully that you were able to tell them apart and sense their differences.

Overall, Laura's debut novel, The Sins on Their Bones, is recommended reading for anybody who enjoys complex characters and character-centered stories set in an enchanted world with queer love stories. Though, before beginning this book, check for trigger warnings as the book touches on and discusses a number of challenging subjects that may be difficult for readers to dive into.

Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada and Laura R. Samotin for this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review! Much appreciated it!

I like political fantasy. I like it a lot, actually. Give me a fantastical world with some dense worldbuilding and political machinations and I’m there faster than you can say Attolis Eugenides. The Sins on Their Bones should have been one of those books. Instead, however, I’m left feeling like I’m looking at a Monet: beautiful from far away, but up close, it’s a meandering, aimless mess.

The premise of a 19th century Eastern Europe fantasy based on Jewish mythology was so exciting to me. I’m especially excited by queer-normative worlds with diverse casts of characters. The lyrical and beautiful prose crafted an atmosphere reminiscent of ancient Russia, which isn’t particularly unique in the fantasy sphere (slavpunk has been a thing for quite some time now), but the relationship dynamics and the use of Jewish mysticism are a unique and welcome twist on a familiar formula.

The characters, too, were a positive: despite my issues with the plot and pacing, the characters were complex and well-developed. Dimitri in particular was a highlight. The depictions of his growth from abuse and his budding relationship with his master of spies were highlights of the novel. I will say that I thought the decision to set the novel after the big war between Dimitri and Alexey was a capital-C Choice ™ and I think it would’ve made much more sense (and made a much more compelling novel) to write through the events of the war in book one. Alexey himself is a frustrating element. It’s unclear to me whether or not he’s a charlatan, a demon, a revenant, or a science experiment gone wrong (or right?) and, based solely on the strength of the plot, I’m not sure if the author knows this, either.

As I’ve alluded to, this book is slooooooooowwwwww. I don’t mind taking time to worldbuild, but the worldbuilding itself feels paper-thin. The magic system in the book is incomplete in a way that feels less like a soft magic system and more like an incomplete story element. Honestly, I felt downright numb at times. The multiple POVs didn’t help things; in particular, I felt that including Alexey’s POV removed much of the mystery and intrigue. So much of the plot was essentially told secondhand in recollections and memories, removing much of the gravitas and emotional punch that would’ve occurred if the readers were allowed to experience the world-shaking civil war firsthand. And, again, I have to wonder why this book was set after the Big Event. I’m so much more interested in reading about that. Give me that story!

In the end, I guess all I can say is this is yet another case of missed potential. While The Sins on Their Bones has so many promising elements (dark themes, political intrigue, diverse characters, a lush setting), so much good stuff is muddled, underutilized, or overshadowed. I’m just disappointed.

Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Random
House for the eARC!

This was dark, definitely check the trigger warnings. It’s a very adult, character driven political novel that I enjoyed the prose of but it definitely took too long to get to the plot in my opinion.

I'm going to preface this review by saying that there's some CW for violence and sexual violence that folks should definitely be mindful of.

This is a character driven novel, told from three perspectives: the fallen Tzar, the spy master, and the usurper. This is BEAUTIFULLY written, and I loved the prose, the way the story was told. It was super easy to follow and definitely held my interest in places where it was waning. As many other reviewers have stated, this is a Jewish folklore inspired book with politics galore. If you enjoyed The Cruel Prince but wanted something more "adult", but less of a commitment than A Song of Ice and Fire, this may be for you!

What prevented me from LOVING this boiled down to pacing and characters I couldn't get behind. When I say this is character driven, I am not exaggerating. For the first 200 pages or so, there is very little actual story progression--we're basically watching all three characters live their lives and hear their emotional inner monologues. Cutting that down to half the length and progressing the plot would have made the pacing a LOT more enjoyable and impactful.

The length of the inner monologuing also made it hard to cheer for anyone. How can I be rooting for the Tsar to get his throne back when I'm not sure he even WANTS to be Tzar, let alone he would be a good one. He spends the first 200 pages wallowing in self-pity--and this is the guy we want on the throne? His country is at war and people are being decimated, but he can't pull it together? Or what about the spymaster who is terrible at keeping his emotions in check and on the verge of ruining every disguise? That's.....not promising for the job.

I LOVED the LGBT rep, but the sex and sexual abuse was definitely overkill--this isn't a romantasy novel (which I do also read, so it's not an attack on the genre). We get a LOT of sex scenes to remind us how sexually dysfunctional everyone is when it really isn't necessary to further the plot, character, or relationship development.

Overall, this is a solid read and I think is PERFECTLY suited for fans of The Cruel Prince wanting a more "adult" story.

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Random House for the opportunity to read and review this one ahead of publication!

Thank you so much Laura and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC copy of this book. Sins on our bones has such a compelling story and is utterly heartbreaking. This book explores the trauma that the characters have experienced in such a meaningful way through 3 different POVs. The characters have so much depth and chemistry with each other, creating a chosen family which really pays off and adds so much to the storyline. This was an excellent read of a dark romantasy!

Sins on our bones definitely reminded me of a darker Shadow and Bone as many of the other reviews have also stated and having read both I loved Sins on our Bones so much more!

Overall the characters, storytelling, the use of POVs, and world building was excellent. I would definitely recommend this book to those who love to read darker fantasy books.

I think political fantasies are my jam.

The Sins on Their Bones drops us into Novo-Svitsevo in the aftermath of a war. When I was explaining it to my husband, he said, “like Star Wars” which made me laugh, but also, like…kinda? Anyway, Dimitri, the rightful Tzar, has been overthrown by his estranged husband, Alexey. Dimitri is in hiding, and Alexey is being a giant prick, using perverse methods to become immortal while supposedly being directed by the voice of God. It’s up to Dimitri and what’s left of his small court of followers to save the country and its people.

Please, check the content warnings before reading. It’s dark. Villains are not morally grey redeemable characters here.

That being said, I ate this book up. It’s sort of a slow build, with lots of emphasis on our character’s feelings and motivations, which I absolutely love. The world building is so interesting! It’s based on Jewish history and culture, and the author states that she was inspired by legends and folktales she grew up with. Very cool!

One of my favourite tropes is found family, and this book definitely hits the sweet spot on that. So many boxes were ticked for me - learning to trust and love, healing, finding a sense of belonging, gaining back confidence. Just a lot of great themes covered, and it’s subtle, not in your face telling instead of showing.

The queer rep is also well done. The author wanted to create a “world where queerness is normative”, and I think she’s done an amazing job.

And…that ending? So are we getting a sequel? A series? Whatever happens, I’ll definitely keep an eye out for this author’s future works. Gorgeous debut, and one of my favourite reads so far this year.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for providing the ARC of this book. This review is my honest and voluntary opinion.

For fans of Shadow and Bone.

It is extremely rare that I DNF a book. I don’t like to not give a book a chance to make it up to me further into the story, but this time, I have decided to DNF the book at 42%. I got to chapter 17 and could simply not pull up the motivation to continue and as this is an arc it hurts a bit more. But no one should feel forced to finish a book they are not enjoying.

I can see the potential with The Sins On Their Bones with the use of folklore and myths, which is usually always a hit when it comes to fantasy.

This book read more like a sequel or even possibly the end of a trilogy than a first book and that was my first initial thought after reading 150 pages where nothing really happened.

The pacing was almost too slow at times and I found myself struggling to concentrate for more than a few pages at the time (was reading on my phone, which is not my preferred device at all).

Alexey reminds me of The Darkling from S&B and was definitely the most interesting character of the bunch because he was actually doing something and not just moping around like Dimitri.

The writing is beautiful and I am certain many people will have a different connection to this than me and will enjoy it so much more and I hope they do, but it just wasn’t for me.

Thank you to Random House Canada for the e-arc.