Oh Bone Witch, where do I start? Where do I start….

I expected this book to be about a young woman who discovers her powers as a necromancer after accidentally raising her newly dead brother from his grave. I expected her to go on and learn to use her powers and have adventures along the way.

What I got was a book about geisha training.

Seriously. At least half of this book described all the lessons our heroine, Tea, had to endure on her road to becoming an Asha. (Asha = Geisha. They even sound similar.) During this large portion of the book very little happens. I wish I was kidding.

If I wanted to read a book about geisha’s, I would have read a book about geishas.

Now, all that said, there were a lot of good things about this book. You just have to wade through the boring geisha—sorry, Asha—lessons to get there.

For starters, this book is dual POV in a very unconventional way. We start with a nameless bard finding Tea on a seashore full of bones. He convinces her to tell the story of how she came to be there. The other POV is Tea, the Bone Witch on the beach, telling the bard the story of how she came to be there. So, that was cool.

I also really liked the lore in the book. I liked the idea of the False Prince and his Daeva (monsters that never truly die). I liked the magic and powers. I thought all that was developed nicely… it was just overshadowed by too much geisha-Asha mumbo-jumbo.

On the other hand, the “big twist” near the ending sort of came out of nowhere. There really wasn’t any direct build up for it and it took me a moment to figure out what the heck was really going on. There were clues throughout the story, but they read more like backstory than anything that was actually relevant. It was…. strange.

I also had a hard time connecting to any of the characters. The servant girls at the Asha house were pretty interchangeable in my head. I couldn’t tell you the name of most of the other characters either.

The very end of the book leads me to believe there may be a promising sequel. If the author can cut down on the training and get to the action, I think it could be a good book.

So, should you read it? If you are looking for a good dose of magic and action and adventure you will be sorely disappointed. If you are looking for an interesting and unique world and can look past long periods of nothing happening while our heroine goes through training, then you might just like this one. Oh, and if you’re really into geisha you’ll probably love it!

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for the advanced reading copy of Bone Witch by Rin Chupeco. I can't wait to start this book. I am going to hold off though until I get a physical copy of this. I think I will enjoy it more that way.

This was a fantastically developed YA Fantasy with many diverse characters. Despite how well structured this novel was the plot took a while to get into. Rin Chupeco created a lot of descriptive detail which both helped and hindered the plot in my opinion.

The Asha's and their magic system was very engaging and detailed. I absolutely loved that this books world was formed around ancient Japanese culture. This is something I haven't read anything about previously and was very unique!

The best way I could describe The Bone Witch would be a mash-up between fantasy and Memoirs of a Geisha. While an original concept, I had a really hard time getting into this book. It read as a very long prologue as this is clearly the first book in a series.
Tea is an asha, known for performing, fighting, and magic. Ashas are revered for their talents yet treated as outcasts and feared by their kingdoms. Tea stumbles upon being an asha when she accidentally raises her dead brother Fox. The narrative is split into two timelines. The past timeline details Tea’s early training as an asha and the future timeline shows a hardened, cynical Tea on a lonely beach raising monsters and planning war, relating her past to a nameless bard. I didn't mind the back and forth timelines as they were easily to distinguish the two and I also found the world building confusing but fascinating as the author combines several Asian influences into her book. I also liked the concept surrounding the heartglass which dictates a person's emotions and intentions.
The book is very slow pace and I mostly skimmed much of it as it could not hold my attention. We are told in the beginning about a dark force descending upon Tea's people, however, we don't hear of it until the last 100 pages in the story where all the action seemed to happen all at once. There is surprisingly very little magic performed in the book which I found disappointing. I also found some of the secondary characters such as Fox and Tea's mentor to be much more interesting than Tea herself. Tea was stubborn and headstrong and there were a few times she came across as very young. I really liked Chupeco's debut novel, The Girl from the Well, and I will keep an eye out for what she writes in the future, however, I struck out with this new series and don't plan to continue it.

I'll write a full review soon, but I have to start with the fact that I thought this was written absolutely beautifully. It was atmospheric, subtle, flowing and magical.

I have heard a lot of people say that this book was a little too slow for them. But personally, I loved that it was a slow burn. It allowed me to feel absorbed and surrounded by the world, and the characters. I felt a creeping tether connecting me to this world, and I look forward to more!

This novel is heavy fantasy. Although I don't think it is necessarily bad, it was too much for me. I quickly got lost in the complex beginning and couldn't make it further.

Set in a time and place where magic is real and a whole caste system is built around it, The Bone Witch is an absorbing dark folktale told in two interweaving perspectives, flashing forward and backwards in time. The book’s present day parts are from the perspective of a bard encountering a young, powerful bone witch exiled on a beach littered with skeletons, while the parts set in the past are told from the perspective of Tea, the bone witch herself, recounting her journey from a young ingénue ignorant of her own dark power to an initiate into the exclusive magic-wielding world of the elegant and much sought after asha, learning to navigate politics, patrons, and prejudices along the way.

There are three kinds of asha in the world of The Bone Witch: performing, fighting, and Dark – the third being the rarest and strongest, but most feared and mistrusted of the three, and the group to which Tea belongs. The asha are very much like elemental magic wielding geisha – educated to be intelligent and accomplished in the arts, expensively outfitted for proper presentation in fine fabrics, hair jewels, and spelled face paints, and in high demand by patrons of status and wealth willing to pay for their time and presence as entertainers and hostesses at social gatherings.

The world building in this book is somewhat complex, but the intricacies are introduced in an organic way that feels natural, avoiding the pitfall of being more tell then show, which can happen in books such as this where a new world and vocabulary is being introduced. There is a large cast of supporting characters, each important to the plot, and I will admit I got confused at some points – especially when it came to Prince Kance and his cousin Kalen, both of who play meaningful roles in Tea’s tale. Eight different kingdoms are introduced throughout the story, each with it’s own political intrigues and cultural differences, and it can get little hard to keep things straight at some points, but luckily this was anticipated and the book contains a handy dandy little reference in the back.

The book doesn’t end in a cliffhanger, per say, but the past and the present don’t quite meet up, so we know there is more story to be told. We definitely get a foreshadowing of the darker path Tea is entering in the past, but it’s not at the level present day Tea is at, and I, for one, was left with some burning questions – what event triggers her to put her on the path she is currently on? Or was it an accumulation of a smaller events? And above all, what was she exiled for? (we aren’t really given a clear answer to this yet).

The Bone Witch was a fantastic, compelling read from beginning to end. Rin Chupeco paints such a vivid picture with her words that you can’t help but be drawn into the richly detailed world she builds and the intriguing story she weaves. Chupeco is a master storyteller and I’m a huge fan of hers. I highly recommend her The Girl from the Well series if you’re into YA horror (see my reviews for The Girl From The Well and The Suffering) and I eagerly await the next book in The Bone Witch series.

Why did I pick it?

When I first saw this book two things grabbed me; firstly the cover, I mean, it’s gorgeous cover porn. This would make amazing bookshelf candy. And secondly the first line..



“Let me be clear: I never intended to raise my brother from his grave, though he may claim otherwise.”



I mean why wouldn’t you want to read it after that!

I did have some initial reservations. I have an awful habit of checking goodreads reviews before picking up a book and this one had a mixed bag. Most of the negatives revolved around the amount of descriptive detail. This wasn’t my impression however. I think with any fantasy novel you NEED a certain level of detail. Without it how is the author supposed to get across enough information for the reader to fully understand the world that’s being created.

Thoughts

The book reminded me strongly of Memoirs of a Geisha, a favourite book of mine, which I read as a teenager. Although Chupeco has crafted her own fantastically detailed fantasy world, it relies heavily on Geisha and Maiko rules and culture, which rather than being a negative, really helps the reader understand more about the characters and storyline.

What I loved about it

The story is told via two POV’s which I absolutely loved. Firstly in the present by a bard, which is how the books starts, and how each chapter is introduced, and secondly in the past by Tea herself, which is were a majority of the book is played out. I really enjoyed the “present” sections, as they often left you intrigued and wanting to read more of the “past” in the next chapter to figure out what present day Tea did to end up in her current predicament.

I also loved that despite the detailed descriptions, a majority of the present day plot remains unexplained and the two timelines are yet to meet. It kept me guessing and the fact that I still don’t fully understand what happened to Tea means I want to read more.

What I loathed about it

I did however have two slight problems with the book. Firstly was the “lull”. The beginning of the book is very fast paced, and I loved that, but towards the middle it did lose it’s way a little. Story progression stayed still and didn’t move for a while which I found frustrating.

My second issue is with Fox, the aforementioned “resurrected brother”. Throughout the story I was expecting some sort of plot arch that really made his appearance in the book worthwhile, and yes, without giving spoilers, there is a kind of point to him, just not enough of a point for me not to wonder why on earth the author has bothered to include him in the first place. Who knows maybe the sequel will see Fox come into his own.

Talking of sequels, I’m really looking forward to seeing how the story pans out, as it really was a fun and enjoyable read. Predictably the story ended in the present on rather a large cliffhanger and I cannot wait to see what happens next.

Rin Chupeco created a rich visual world in the tradition of well written fantasy. Tea's stories shift effortlessly between times and the transitions only add to the drama of the story. I look forward to the resolution in future books.

This is my 3rd book of Rin Chupeco's that I have read and she is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. The Bone Witch is a fantasy novel that tells the story of Tea, who quite accidently finds out that she is a Bone Witch, or an Asha. Magic, in the world, is not uncommon, but being a Bone Witch is. Even though it is important and bone witches are necessary, there is a dark connotation and fear that follows them. How she finds out is quite a surprise and I am not giving anything away cause it happens at the very beginning, she brings back her brother who died in combat. She didn't know how to do this, somehow the power is so strong inside her that she didn't even have to think about it.

The world the author has created is rich and complex. We learn all about the magic, the culture and the long process of becoming an Asha. And I also thought that her relationships with the other characters were very well developed. Especially her relationship with her brother, Fox, who she raised from the dead. Theirs is so much more than a brother-sister relationship, he is considered her familiar and they are mentally and emotionally linked as a result.

I am looking forward to the next book in the series.

I loved the cover of this book and was sold on it being around witches (I'm a sucker for magic). The twist of Tea being a bone witch will set this title apart from other YA titles focusing on magical girls. A great first novel for a series, although I do feel like the second half slowed a bit. A great addition to any YA collection.

Let me start by saying this is one of the most beautiful covers I have ever seen. On to the review-Ok, a bone witch that can raise the dead, magic and fantasy-count me in! Incredible world building and beautiful writing; however, that’s all I saw this as. I really lost interest about a little of a quarter way in, simply because I wanted more from Tea.
I will continue on with the series to see how everything else develops as I think this was such an original and unique storyline.

I would like to thank Rin Chupeco and Sourcebooks for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review

I really wanted to like this book. The premise sounded amazing and then look at that cover! So gorgeous. The book started out pretty good. The writing had some really beautiful imagery. But as I kept reading, the main character Tea really just got boring for me. The plot was so painfully slow that I just had to give up. I decided to DNF the book at the 67% mark.

I always feel the need to justify a less than stellar review.
The Bone Witch reads more like a prequel than a first book. Most of the book is spent split between past and present, with the past giving Tea's back story and the present setting up book two. Honestly, book two sounds very interesting, but I feel like I spent 400 pages waiting for a story that won't happen in this book.
A lot of this is a disconnect between me and the author in terms of style. She writes with a lot of color and clothing description while skipping on describing events or areas more deeply. The other major issue I had was a lack of glossary for the foreign terms. There's a short glossary for kingdoms, but doesn't do much to help the reader in this book.
I made it through the story and would want to read the next one, but I really didn't jive well with waiting a whole book for a story that never happens while focusing on robes and dances for 400 pages.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book (despite seeing many unfavorable reviews). Tea was likable and a relate-able character for the age group that I teach. I look forward to reading the next installment.

I’ve been going back and forth in my mind on how to review this book. Having anticipated it for so long, I honestly thought it would be more—and yet, I can’t say I’m all that disappointed either. Sparse at is might have been on story and plot development, The Bone Witch has a lot else going for it, including topnotch writing and impressive atmosphere.

The book introduces us to twelve-year-old Tea, a bone witch. Unfortunately for our protagonist, she came to discover her powers for necromancy in the worst way possible—by accidentally raising her older brother Fox from the dead, while everyone looked on at his funeral. From that moment on, the siblings’ fates were forever linked. But now that she has been identified as a dark asha, a magic user that deals with death, Tea must be taken away to receive the proper training. In this world, bone witches do not have the best reputations to begin with; within many communities they are feared and reviled, despite the crucial role that bone witches play—for you see, only they can defeat the demonic beings called Daeva, creations of the False Prince that resurrect every so often to plague the populace. During her training, Tea will not only learn how to control her powers, she will also be learning how to fight the Daeva.

Not long after Fox’s resurrection, an experienced bone witch called Mykaela comes to take Tea and her brother away to a school for dark asha. Far from home and still reeling over the fact that her life has been changed forever, Tea nonetheless puts all her efforts into learning all she can for the next few years, gaining control over her powers while also further bonding with Fox, the one tie she has to her family. Throughout this time, her resolve is tested again and again—and the challenges include more than just an appraisal of her magical abilities. Tea uncovers a whole other world of secrets among the leaders and other ashas at the school, some that may hold dire consequences for her homeland and those she cares about.

The story here is very simple. While I wouldn’t exactly say I was bored for most of the first half of the book, plot development in this section was admittedly on the sluggish side, especially once we got past the ruckus over Fox’s surprise resurrection. Instead the narrative spent a lot of time building up the relationship between Tea and her brother, which thankfully was something I enjoyed. Despite Fox’s awkward status as an undead, they say that no one can come back from the afterlife unless they truly wanted to, and it was clear that love and protectiveness for his little sister were the main driving forces behind his character. It was heartwarming to see his support for Tea, especially during her early years at the school at a time when she needed his guidance the most. In fact, this attention to siblings’ character development and the strengthening of their bond was likely what saved the book for me and kept me from losing interest completely.

The first section also spent a considerable chunk of time on world-building. To the author’s credit, she has created a fascinating universe in The Bone Witch, filling it with a complex system of magic which became almost too convoluted at times. There are many types of ashas, or witches, in this world—most have powers that are based around the elements like earth, air, fire, etc. The book doesn’t really go into the details of each kind of magic, only telling us that the kind Tea has, i.e. death magic, is different. Apparently there is an entire set of other rules for bone witches, even though there’s no rhyme or reason as to why, and while they are considered to be a type of asha, it is also generally accepted that they are just “special”. Then there are the Daeva, plus the convenient fact that bone witches just so happen to be uniquely equipped to deal with them. Don’t get me wrong, the concept itself is interesting, but at the same time a lot of it feels way too “constructed” for me to find it convincing.

In the face of all this, the idea of heartglasses almost feels extraneous. To give you a crash course on what these things are, in this world everyone wears a mood ring like bauble around their necks called a heartglass, and they can change color depending on what the person is feeling. It is a more than a piece of jewelry though, because it many ways it is also part of the wearer’s identity and soul. They also hold cultural significance, as lovers can opt to exchange heartglasses (though given the dire consequences in the event one person becomes less committed, I don’t know why anyone would risk doing this) and as well the power of potential witches can sometimes be gleaned from the color of their heartglasses. However, heartglasses can also be forged. Not surprisingly, despite all the focus on world-building, I still have a lot of questions. If I do end up continuing this series, it is my hope that the next book will provide more information on ashes, the magic system, heartglasses, etc. and explore how it all fits together.

For now, I plan to take a wait-and-see approach. I didn’t love The Bone Witch, but I also saw a lot to like about the book, including great characterization and fantastic atmosphere. In addition, the magic system holds plenty of potential—though world-building probably needs to be streamlined and polished up a bit. I guess I’ll wait for reviews before deciding whether or not to dive into the sequel; if book two beefs up the storytelling and improves the plot, I just might give this series another try.

So the beautiful cover drew me to this book initially. This was a hard book to get through for me since the story seemed to go so slow due to all the world and character building. Set in a world filled with magic, Tea is born into a family that has more magical abilities than most. Her sisters use their magic to help their community by healing the sick and the heartbroken. But when Tea's favorite brother dies, she accidentally raises him from the dead, revealing that she is a rare, powerful and often feared bone witch. Her magic is dark and she has the power to raise the dead. Taken from her community to protect her and mentor her, wiser and older ashas try to teach her everything she needs to know to control her magic for the safety of others and to battle the dark forces that bombard her world. Told in alternating past and future points of view by Tea, you see the beginning of Tea's training and the banished asha she becomes, hungry for revenge for all she lost. The question of how Tea's best intentions to save her world and her mentor leads to her banishment draws you into this book and leaves you wanting the next book in the series to come out soon.

I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars on Goodreads.

I received an advanced readers copy of this book from NetGalley for review consideration.

Though I abandoned the book at 16%, The Bone Witch is a fantasy lover's dream. The cover is beautiful and the world building intricate. However, as I'm not well versed in fantasy, I could not get a good grasp of the world in my head and had trouble picturing it. I kept trying to push myself to read it, but it became too much of a task. Not the book for me right now...will pick it up again later.

Honestly, I loved the Bone Witch and I think it has potential to be a strong fantasy series. While the plot does start out slow in the beginning, taking a back seat to strong character development and world building, it does eventually pick up. And then, wow- the story really hooks you.
I found the story to be beautifully written and I appreciated how descriptive and detailed the writing was, it really helped me get a feel for the world Tea lives in. I am not one to shy away from a long story, and I felt like the first part of the novel, while a little long, was crucial to setting the stage for the story to properly develop in. I felt like it gave me time to get to know the characters, like anti-hero Tea, her risen from the dead brother Fox, and Mykalea her bone witch mentor. I also loved the world Tea lives in; the necromancy magic, the heart glasses, and how the apprentices were trained to be Asha- an awesome combination of Japanese Geisha and sorceress.
Honestly, I can’t wait to find out what happens next and am anxiously awaiting the sequel. I highly recommend for fantasy readers who like high fantasy and authors like Garth Nix.

This book focuses on the dark side of magic. The topic was unique and I enjoyed the format: switching between the main character growing up and in present day. The tone and pace of the book were good, but I found it hard to keep track of all of the kingdoms and people.

I have a love/impatience relationship with this book. (Notice not love/hate.) Love because Riu's writing is gorgeous and flowing and descriptive...and impatient because OH MY GOSH the description got to be much and I wanted more action...
The characters have so much potential - Geisha-like warrior witches, Tea's kinda-dead-but-not brother Fox, the beasts she and the other bone witches fight...amazing. The book moves slowly, but you are waiting for the next action scene so you will stick with it....and then my interest began to mount...and then it ended. WHAT? I may be the first reviewer to ask when the next book is coming out after reading an ARC pre-released.