I read Samantha Shannon’s The Bone Season almost a year ago now, but since it’s one of my favorite new series, I think it’s high time that I send out a blurb about why you should read it!
The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon Series: The Bone Season #1
Published by Bloomsbury USA on August 20th 2013
Genres: Fantasy, Dystopian, Paranormal
Pages: 452
Format: Hardback
Goodreads
The year is 2059. Nineteen-year-old Paige Mahoney is working in the criminal underworld of Scion London, based at Seven Dials, employed by a man named Jaxon Hall. Her job: to scout for information by breaking into people's minds. For Paige is a dreamwalker, a clairvoyant and, in the world of Scion, she commits treason simply by breathing.
It is raining the day her life changes for ever. Attacked, drugged and kidnapped, Paige is transported to Oxford – a city kept secret for two hundred years, controlled by a powerful, otherworldly race. Paige is assigned to Warden, a Rephaite with mysterious motives. He is her master. Her trainer. Her natural enemy. But if Paige wants to regain her freedom she must allow herself to be nurtured in this prison where she is meant to die.
The Bone Season introduces a compelling heroine and also introduces an extraordinary young writer, with huge ambition and a teeming imagination. Samantha Shannon has created a bold new reality in this riveting debut.
Why you should consider reading The Bone Season:
1. The world: Shannon did a fantastic job plopping the reader right in the middle of a dystopian London. It’s 2059. Clairvoyants are forced into living in a criminal underworld, because their existence alone is illegal. GUYS, THIS WORLD IS SO COOL, and it jumps out at you within the first few pages. Shannon has created this intricate gang culture that has their own slang, ways of governing themselves, and unique hierarchy. Nothing is explained when you start the novel, so you have to read more to figure it all out. And it’s so dang original you want to read more to figure it all out.
2. Paige Mahoney: She’s a BA protagonist and a very important clairvoyant. She’s high up in the gang hierarchy as Jaxon Hall’s right hand man lady. Not only are her powers super cool, she’s super cool.
3. So much action! Just when you think you’ve got a handle on this eerie, underworld London, Paige is kidnapped and taken to Oxford (OH SNAP!). This Oxford is isolated from London and is like a whole different world entirely. There are so many top-secret happenings in Oxford that I want to talk about but can’t because I couldn’t possibly ruin anything for you… dkfjalskdf… I’ll just hold my tongue. Er, fingers. I will tell you that Oxford is being governed by a hugely powerful and unusual race, and Paige is forced to serve, live, and be trained (TRAINED FOR WHAT? Can’t say, sorry.) under one of them.
4. But wait, there’s more! This is the first of seven books. The Mime Order is already out (and by God I think it’s even better than the first!!), and the third one, The Song Rising, is coming out in March 2017. Guys, I have a feeling this is going to be one of those series that just hurts so good to have to wait for the next book.
Jump on the band wagon right now ! Amazon. Barnes & Noble. The Book Depository.
Have you read The Bone Season? Did you love it as much as I did?!
A. S. Thornton has evolved from book blogger (at “the bandar blog”) to author with a particular fondness for writing forbidden love in ancient deserts. Thornton’s debut, DAUGHTER OF THE SALT KING is available now wherever books are sold.
Resh Susan @ The Book Satchel
Glad you really enjoyed the boy. I can see how thrilled you are to talk about it. I love books with a lot of worldbuilding. However I doubt if I will be able to push myself through seven books!
Ali (@thebandarblog)
Lol, yes that’s definitely a lot. Luckily only two are out right now so it’s not as big of an undertaking!
Rita @ View From My Books
I read and enjoyed The Bone Season when it first came out. I remember all the hype surrounding the young author, her appearances on tv shows, her story about signing for 7 books–was this a mistake, to set the bar for 7, in case the public didn’t want that many?… and then after a while… crickets. Sometimes there is a backlash against too much hype for the latest shiny title. I actually have her second book on my kindle, The Mime Season, for the longest time but have been afraid to read it. Don’t know why, maybe because they are chunksters with a huge character list and I’m afraid I’ll have to reread the first to enjoy (had a similar problem with book 2 of The Passage series). You’ve made me curious about this series again, so thanks.
Anyway, glad you do enjoy this series so much! Any series that makes us enthused is wonderful!
Ali (@thebandarblog)
I was not in the book blogging world when this series came out so I knew nothing about it except that I loved the cover! It stayed on my book for a year before I finally read it! Sometimes I wonder if it’s better to not hear any hype and just be left to make your own assumptions (: I did absolutely love the Mime Order because there was so much more world development!
theheartofabookblogger
I’ve seen this book mentioned many times before, but I actually never knew what it was about! The Bone Season sounds like something I’ll enjoy, but I think I might wait until more books have been released before I start the series!
-Jordan @ The Heart of a Book Blogger
Ali (@thebandarblog)
Totally fair! It’s painful to get into a series and then have to wait forever to read the next one. Though I also hate reading the first in a series and then realizing I have a million more to read because I get the series conclusion. I like being forced to space them out!
divabooknerd
I love love love this series too Ali, it’s probably one of the last dystopian / fantasy series that we’ll probably as for a while as it seems to be all about contemporary and retellings in YA lately. And I couldn’t agree more, The Mime Order was absolutely epic. I’m pissed about the covers too. I don’t want to continue to buy them in case they decide for another rebrand at book four or five to boost sales again. Even more pissed that the third book is delayed though, the struggle Ali. We need a support group. Fabulous review! <3
Ali (@thebandarblog)
I didn’t even think about the fact that they could POSSIBLY change the covers a second time! That’s the stuff that nightmares are made of!! Sooooo bummed about the third book, too. I just want to read it already!!! 100% agree about the support group. Thanks for stopping by 😀
Lauren
I don’t know if you saw this, but I started this thing on Twitter. #BRINGBACKTBSCOVERS
https://twitter.com/FictionTea/status/742914914898038786
Great post btw!
Ali (@thebandarblog)
Yes ma’am – I heard about it from Tina at Read the Bloody Book!! I have contributed my tweets and bookstagram photos to this hashtag! I’m 100% on-board with this one. They’re just so beautiful and shouldn’t be changed!
annika (@hidingbooks)
How didn’t I know it’s about a dystopian London?! I need to get these right now. I like these covers, I don’t want new onessss. But you’ve definitely convinced me! I’ll jump on the wagon! I’ll binge and then I’ll cry because waiting for a new book is exquisite torture.
Ali (@thebandarblog)
Hahaha, “exquisite torture” is the perfect way to describe it! I love and hate waiting for new books. You should definitely give it a try someday. I told my husband (who really enjoyed it) that he would know within a few pages of reading it if it would be something he was into, so I’d say the same to you! You literally get dumped right into that world, and I found it so intriguing! So if you were inclined to find it interesting, you’d know from page 1!
Sam Frost
I adore this series! I absolutely can’t wait till the next book (why is it still so far away????) Great post!
Ali (@thebandarblog)
I know it! WAHHHHH. I just want it to be out right now!
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[…] Song Rising is the much anticipated sequel to The Bone Season and The Mime Order (click the links to see my reviews for each book) to be released March 7, 2017. […]
Grace
HEY GIRL HEY! I’m going to read this book, thanks! CIAO!- Exact wording from “the other Alex”. Just downloaded on audible. I’ll let you know how I like it but I have a feeling, it will be great!
Ali
Yay!! Stick with it as it can be tough at first to get used to the lingo — I personally loved the lingo, so it didn’t bother me, but other people got frustrated with it. Page loved the books and she listened to the audiobooks, so hopefully it’s a good audiobook (you know how some can be SO SHITTY!). Happy reading friend! CIAO!
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[…] and it’s definitely unlike anything I’ve read. Click the links to see my reviews for The Bone Season, The Mime Order, and The Song […]