The Bone Season by Samanth Shannon (Review)

Title: The Bone Season
Author: Samantha Shannon
Type: Fiction
Genre: Adult, Fantasy
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Date published: August 22, 2023

A complimentary physical copy of this book was kindly provided by Raincoast Books in exchange for an honest review.

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: is 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 forever. 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.

⤖ My Review ⬻

The Bone Season has been on my radar and reading list for a long time! My very good friend Milana has been recommending this series to me since we first met! Despite her urging, I never quite found the time to delve into the series—until now. Unfortunately, year after year, I never got around to diving into the first book. Until the 10th anniversary covers were revealed and I found out that Shannon was actually rewriting the books a bit. I saw this as an opportunity to finally read the books while promoting the new covers.

Initially, I didn’t immediately connect with Paige, our main protagonist, but the richly imagined world quickly ensnared my attention. The story also turned out completely differently from what I expected. I was so hooked! As I journeyed deeper into the story, Paige’s character began to resonate with me, her complex character becoming more clear to me with each passing chapter.

Beyond Paige, the ensemble cast of characters also left a lasting impression. Over time, they grew on me, each contributing to the intricate tapestry of Shannon’s world-building. The setting and history were meticulously crafted, offering a detailed backdrop that enhanced the overall reading experience—I enjoyed every minute I spent reading The Bone Season.

And I can’t wait to experience more of it! I’m really curious to see where the story will go and what it holds in store for Paige and the others I’ve become so fond of. I’m also curious to see what will happen with the antagonists (may they get their just desserts)! The month of May—when the rest of the revised books will be re-released—can’t come soon enough! I’m really counting down the days.

⤖ About the Author ⬻

Samantha Shannon studied English Language and Literature at St. Anne’s College, Oxford. The Bone Season, the first in a seven-book series, was a New York Times bestseller and the inaugural Today Book Club selection. Her next novel, The Priory of the Orange Tree, was published in February 2019 and became a New York Times and Sunday Times bestseller. Her work has been translated into twenty-six languages. She lives in London.