From the Bookshelf of Literally Leander…

Silver in the Bone (Silver in the Bone, #1)

Alexandra Bracken

Start date: November 1, 2023

Finish date: November 30, 2023

Discussion: Book Discussions - 2023

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Book Discussions - 2023

* December: Lying in the Deep
By Leander Publi… · 3 posts · 9 views

last updated Jan 02, 2024 02:32PM

* November: Silver in the Bone
By Leander Publi… · 2 posts · 16 views

last updated Nov 09, 2023 09:41AM

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What Members Thought

Mar 21, 2023 Kristen rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: monsters, young-adult, fantasy, retellings, bildungsromans, family-and-friendship, cliffhangers, arc

Silver in the Bone is a series opener that follows Tamsin Lark, a Hollower--one who breaks into ancient crypts for magical objects--despite not having any magical powers herself. She and her brother, who bears a dangerous curse, have been on their own ever since their guardian disappeared. When Tamsin finds out about a ring from the legend of King Arthur, one that carries the power to dispel curses, she goes in search of it only to uncover a terrible and dark magic that threatens everything.

I re Silver in the Bone is a series opener that follows Tamsin Lark, a Hollower--one who breaks into ancient crypts for magical objects--despite not having any magical powers herself. She and her brother, who bears a dangerous curse, have been on their own ever since their guardian disappeared. When Tamsin finds out about a ring from the legend of King Arthur, one that carries the power to dispel curses, she goes in search of it only to uncover a terrible and dark magic that threatens everything.

I remember fondly enjoying Bracken's earliest books back in the YA dystopia craze (circa 2012). She blew me away with her 2021 book Lore. And now she's utterly destroyed me with Silver in the Bone. 5 stars.

First and foremost, this book is only a retelling in the loosest sense. Instead, it uses the legend of King Arthur and his knights to set a background for Tamsin's story. Those going in thinking that this is a straight-up retelling might be a little disappointed with the way the story plays out. However, on it's own its a rousing fantasy adventure novel that's worth reading.

Living in modern Boston, Tamsin is completely normal but is painfully aware of the magic that surrounds her in a myriad of ways, from her brother's curse to the job she does. She and her brother are Hollowers who use legend and myth to find powerful relics, and sometimes that means working with sorceresses and people who have a touch of magic.

In a lot of ways, I felt like this was a true adventure story revolving around a quest. For Tamsin, her goal is the Ring of Dispel--a relic that appears in stories of King Arthur that is said to dissipate curses. It turns into a true survival story with a smattering of characters, immortal knights, and creatures of the night. Tamsin has a very strong character arc over the course of the story, and the secrets she discovers are absolutely life-changing.

The only thing I disliked? That cruel, cruel cliffhanger. Making me wait until 2024 for the as yet unnamed sequel is an absolute attack on my soul. Regardless, this is a book to put on your TBR right away.

I received my ARC copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to the publisher, Random House Children's, for the chance to read and review. All opinions are my own. Publication date: April.04.2023. ...more

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