The Bone Witch series is a fantasy novel series written by Rin Chupeco. It consists of three books: "The Bone Witch", "The Heart Forger", and "The Shadow Glass". The series follows the story of a young girl named Tea who discovers she has the power to raise the dead. "The Bone Witch" introduces us to Tea as a young girl living in a small village. After accidentally raising her brother from the dead, she discovers her powers as a bone witch. She is then taken under the wing of an experienced bone witch named Lady Mykaela to be trained in the arts of necromancy.
I just love a book that's thick with atmosphere. A lot of the creepiness (you know it has to be in there; Tea raises the dead and can control monsters) is created through atmosphere alone. Some of the monsters in this world are truly terrifying.
In the captivating start to a new, darkly lyrical fantasy series for readers of Leigh Bardugo and Sabaa Tahir, Tea can raise the dead, but resurrection comes at a price. I did catch several editorial oopsies in the first book, my day job is as a fiction editor but it wasn t enough to really throw me out of the story too badly.
She is then taken under the wing of an experienced bone witch named Lady Mykaela to be trained in the arts of necromancy. Throughout the book, Tea learns to control her powers and discovers the dark secrets of the magical world she has entered. In "The Heart Forger", Tea continues her training as a bone witch and joins forces with an exiled and powerful prince.
The Bone Witch by Rin Chupeco (Book Thoughts)
Thanks to Wyrd & Wonder for hosting a read along for The Bone Witch! This book had been on my TBR for a while since it was pretty popular on Bookstagram. Overall I was disappointed in the read but don’t regret checking it out.
While the weekly discussion posts included spoilers, these are my spoiler free thoughts on the entire novel.
Bookish Quick Facts:
- Title: The Bone Witch
- Series: The Bone Witch #1
- Author: Rin Chupeco
- Publisher & Release: Sourcebooks Fire, 2017
- Length: 432 pages
- Rate & Recommend: ⭐⭐ ✨ for fans of slow moving fantasy
Here’s the synopsis via Am*zon:
A story of scorned witches, sinister curses, and resurrection, The Bone Witch is the start of a dark fantasy trilogy, perfect for fans of Serpent & Dove and The Cruel Prince.
Tea can raise the dead, but resurrection comes at a price…
When Tea accidentally resurrects her brother, Fox, from the dead, she learns she is different from the other witches in her family. Her gift for necromancy means that she’s a bone witch, a title that makes her feared and ostracized by her community. But Tea finds solace and guidance with an older, wiser bone witch, who takes Tea and her brother to another land for training.
In her new home, Tea puts all her energy into becoming an asha―one who can wield elemental magic. But dark forces are approaching quickly, and in the face of danger, Tea will have to overcome her obstacles…and make a powerful choice.
My Thoughts:
I wanted to hit two stars for most of the book and came so close to DNFing.
The one thing I will truly give the book credit for is keeping all content appropriate. There’s one use of the word ‘ass’ and nothing “physically romantic”, so I would let kids read this no problem.
There were a lot of potentially cool elements like resurrection, dark magic, and undead horses. I wanted to like it more but the second quarter lost me irredeemably.
It was hard not having an antagonist or clear conflict throughout. I don’t come to necromancy to read about clothes and dancing, and I’ve already read Memoirs of a Geisha.
At the end, the antagonist that FINALLY popped up felt tossed into the story with no clues, lead up, or prior thought regarding the person. This caused the ending to not be rewarding at all. The antagonist revealed a bunch of new-to-the-reader things that had apparently been ongoing in book land and I found it all very frustrating. Why should r eaders accept this since it has apparently been happening for weeks now but there was no mention of any of it?
Anyway, the story is framed by Tea telling the events of the past to a bard. I kind of liked this because it gave a degree of separation from the teenage first person point of view. Something exciting is building up in the present as Tea bored me to tears with the past. I was expecting the time lines to meet up in book one, although the story that Tea is telling the bard at the end of The Bone Witch is still well behind the events happening in real time. I thought the frame would only frame one book but apparently not, and that’s what I found the most disappointing.
I also think that we wasted a lot of time learning about clothes and Asha customs and it felt essentially like reading Memoirs of a Geisha, to the point that I set it down for a week wondering if I should just go read that book again instead. Basically most of the “Asha Training” was boring as hell and the book left all actual plot and storyline with consequences to be damned until the last quarter or so. I can’t get this to 3 stars.
There are a lot of cool things she could have done with an undead familiar. Fox could have been interesting but there were no consequences to his dead-ness until the third quarter when the author finally decided to characterize him. I also think Tea felt like a wet blanket. She didn’t really have an arc of growth or maturity, it was more about her excelling in “training” and coming through the novice Asha cough Geisha ranks. I can’t even say she’s more mature in present time yet, more powerful yes but the rest is to be determined.
Chupeco did bring out the action and make it all much more interesting in the last quarter but prior to that I hadn’t been compelled to continue reading at any point throughout.
Also I don’t think the author owes the copy editor and proofreader any favors. Some dialogue hinted at previous events that as far as I could tell never occurred. Kalen referred to himself as Kalen a few times in conversation like the author forgot who was talking while writing the conversation, or had originally intended a third person to be talking. This book had a LOT of those kinds of errors. One of my biggest issues was how much of this felt ripped off from other books, it wasn’t just Geisha.
My general lack of interest was the result of lots of small things adding up. In the big picture, the snail slow pace and lack of clear conflict didn’t align with a typical YA novel at all. I’d expect this pace for a slow burning and very long adult fantasy. Speaking of time it was also very hard to tell how much time was passing as the story went. At one point Tea was “almost 15” but I thought she was much older already. Then I couldn’t even remember two years having passed 🤷♀️
There were a few funny parts and some witty dialogue and overall it’s a good idea, but I don’t personally feel like the book delivered. Even at the end when things are heating up and I expected answers, we just got more questions pointing towards the next book.
The series may get better as it goes but I don’t have any immediate interest in continuing the trilogy. It has some redeeming qualities and obviously going forward there’s going to be more action than party training (hopefully).
I’ll say thanks but no thanks to reading onwards 🤷♀️
Memoirs of a Geisha meets The Name of the Wind in this brilliant new fantasy series by Rin Chupeco!
Together, they seek to discover the truth behind a series of deadly attacks on their kingdom. Tea's powers grow stronger, and she becomes entangled in a web of politics, love, and betrayal. As she delves deeper into the mysteries surrounding her powers, Tea uncovers a dark force threatening to destroy everything she holds dear. "The Shadow Glass" is the final book in the series, where Tea takes on the role of an asha, a powerful warrior trained in combat and magic. She seeks to unravel the mysteries of her past and confront the ancient evil that threatens to consume her world. Tea's journey is filled with trials and sacrifices as she fights to protect her loved ones and fulfill her destiny. The Bone Witch series is known for its intricate world-building, complex characters, and rich mythology. Rin Chupeco's writing style is descriptive and immersive, painting a vivid picture of the magical world in which Tea resides. The series combines elements of fantasy, romance, and adventure, making it appealing to a wide range of readers. Overall, the Bone Witch series is a captivating and thrilling journey that will keep readers hooked until the final page..
Reviews for "The Bone Witch: A Lesson in Redemption"
1. Jen - 2 stars - The Bone Witch series was highly anticipated by many readers, but unfortunately, it fell short for me. The plot was slow and confusing, making it difficult to stay engaged with the story. The characters were also underdeveloped, lacking depth and relatability. Overall, I found the series to be quite disappointing, and I wouldn't recommend it to others who are looking for an exciting and well-written fantasy series.
2. Mark - 2.5 stars - I had high expectations for The Bone Witch series, but it failed to deliver. The pacing was incredibly slow, and it felt like nothing significant was happening for the majority of the books. The world-building also left much to be desired, as it lacked depth and detail. Additionally, the main character, Tea, was difficult to connect with, and her actions often left me frustrated. Overall, while the concept had potential, the execution fell flat, and I wouldn't recommend this series to fans of fantasy looking for a captivating read.
3. Sarah - 1 star - The Bone Witch series was a major letdown. I found the writing style to be overly descriptive and dense, making it a challenge to get through the books. The story lacked coherent direction and often felt disjointed. The protagonist, Tea, was also unlikable and lacked any significant character growth. I struggled to find any redeeming qualities in this series, and I would caution others to approach it with caution, as it may not be everyone's cup of tea.