It does seem like I only have negatives, right? I don't though, or I wouldn't have given it a positive rating. The world and magic system(s) still shows potential even if I wish they were explored further. The writing is compelling : I've read books I literally couldn't finish because the pacing was slow, and it wasn't the case at all here. It was more like this : I kept reading, while the thought "why isn't the plot moving forward" came into my mind. Finally, the last part of the book was WAY more engaging and I enjoyed it a lot. The place Stewart excels the most is character development, and the fact that there are multiple characters with different relationships to the Phoenix Empire allows Stewart to explore the theme of empire from various angles. Phalue, who is complicit in enabling the Empire as the daughter of a governor, soul-searches about what power means and what her role in overseeing the people of Nephilanu Island truly is. Lin opposes her father’s vision of the Empire and sets out to reshape it according to her notions of governance, but her relationship with power and authority shifts as she discovers who she truly is. Jovis, who would love to ignore the Empire to pursue a personal goal, finds that he is inextricable from it and cannot pretend it doesn’t exist. Even Sand, who is on the outer limits of the Empire, finds that she is closer to the heart of the Empire than she thought. Through their journeys, each character comes to realize that alliances and group efforts are the way to challenge the Empire—a lesson that’s all too applicable to our world. This book was not at all what I expected it to be, but I was not disappointed. Set in a world where animal-like constructs are brought to life with the destructive bone shard magic that drains the lives of the Empire’s citizens, it is an immersive story that becomes more and more chilling as it explores magic, memory, privilege, and, most of all, power. The reader learns more about the Alanga, and it is surprisingly unexpected. It adds another compelling layer to the story.

Pero, como sabes, toda historia que se precie tiene que tener sus malos malotes y sus dificultades, y aquí tienes unos ENEMIGOS que, en serio, a unos les echarías un cubo de agua fría y a otros no sabes si les harías un sitio en tu cama...🤭Y, ojo, porque si crees que esto es todo, prepárate, porque las dificultades con las que se encuentran nuestros héroes son de las que te enganchan tanto que no puedes parar de leer.This series includes a lot of my favourite fantasy tropes, including magical companions and a love scoundrel. The story is a touch predictable in places, yet that fact has not diminished my enjoyment of these books. I love the hard magic system which is dark and satisfying in its set of rules. This second novel had more of a focus on relationships than I personally prefer, but I know other readers enjoy more romance in their fantasy. Sand is on Maila Isle, and she collects mangoes. She starts to question why she’s on the island, because she can’t remember getting there. A very good” is what Mephis would definitely say regarding the quality of this debut. I certainly enjoyed it very much. The ending ended satisfyingly—there’s no cliffhanger—and it still left me excited to read the sequel as soon as I can, despite this book being fourth months away from its official publication. I have been a fan of books published by Orbit for the past three years now. In fact, I do think that they’re the best SFF publisher for newer releases at the moment, and The Bone Shard Daughter is the recent addition to their catalog of stunning quality. Here’s a list of my favorite debuts both written and read in the past three years: Kings of the Wyld by Nicholas Eames in 2017, The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang in 2018, The Gutter Prayer by Gareth Hanrahan in 2019; other than The Poppy War, all of these books are published by Orbit. The Bone Shard Daughter by Andrea Stewart will be the best fantasy debut of 2020. Don't miss it.

In Nephilanu Island, the third thread runs through Phalue’s story. Phalue—daughter and heir to the island’s governor—is wondering if the ravine between her and her partner Ranami will ever be small enough to close. Phalue’s fear properly kindles when she discovers that Ranami is conspiring with the rebellious Shardless Few to take down the Phoenix Empire and restore power to the people. Phalue and Ranami’s beliefs soon start clashing, and Phalue realizes that if she hopes to make a bridge for her and Ranami to cross, she must first confront all the things about empire and her role in it that she’s studiously avoided looking in the eyes before. Jovis has gone to Deerhead Island to search for his wife. While he’s there, Deerhead Island sinks, which is really shitty timing. He’s able to save a young boy, and a “kitten” who he names Mephi. It’s hard to remake one’s view of the world, to admit to complacency. I thought remaking myself for you was hard enough, but doing that was something I wanted. I didn’t want to realize how much I’ve hurt the people around me, and that’s what confronting my beliefs meant. We all tell ourselves stories of who we are, and in my mind, I was always the hero. But I wasn’t. Not in all the ways I should have been.” I think in part this is due to the side PoVs being cut down to only the most necessary bits which I'm fully on board with. En conclusión, una buena continuación, no me ha dejado con tanta ansia como el primer libro, pero ya espero con ganas su traducción en español.

This is by no means a bad book. Stewart is a decent writer and story teller but this sequel wasn't enough to keep me going. First for the good. The plot is very good with some decent political intrigue. The world building is unique with some mysterious lore that is very enticing. The issue is that is just all such a slow burn. The politics are slow. The unfolding of the lore is slow and the character development progresses at a snail's pace.