The Bone Shard Emperor - Review

 

Book Review:
Title: The Bone Shard Emperor
Author: Andrea Stewart
Publisher: Orbit

"I loved my father, but he didn't love me. In the end, I wanted to live more than I wanted him to love me."

The Emperor is Dead. Long live the Emperor.
Lin Sukai finally sits on the throne she won at so much cost, but her struggles are only just beginning. Her people don't trust her. Her political alliances are weak. And in a far corner of the Empire a rebel army of constructs is gathering, its leader determined to take the throne by force.
Yet an even greater threat is on the horizon, for the Alanga - the powerful magicians of legend - have returned to the Empire. Lin may need their help to defeat the rebels and restore order.
But can she trust them? 

First and foremost, #JovisMephiLinThranaProtectionSquad.

Secondly, I LOVE THIS SERIES!

The Bone Shard Daughter was one of my favourite books from 2020 – I loved the world, I thought the magic system was incredibly unique, but my favourite part by far was the characters. And thankfully, everything I loved about the first, was just as present in the sequel.

Since this is a sequel, I’m going to try and keep this review short, sweet and spoiler free…

I really do believe the characters are the heart of this story – I feel so emotionally attached to them!

Jovis is still my favourite, mainly because of his incredibly wholesome relationship with Mephi. They’re always finding themselves involved in some messy, yet highly entertaining, shenanigans. I did slightly miss Baby Mephi, but Teenage Mephi is just as iconic now that he can give Jovis a hard time and a load of sass. Exhibit A: “Very funny. Jovis makes big jokes when he can’t face big feelings.”

Lin probably had the most character development. Serving as Emperor for an empire that doesn’t trust her, she has to grow both individually and as a leader to be accepted – not the easiest thing since she has to give up the biggest constant in her life, Bone Shard magic, but her tenacity and bravery really shone through. Like Jovis she also has a companion, Thrana – their relationship is slightly different (less playful) than Jovis/Mephi as Thrana has had a tougher ‘childhood’, but once again, it’s so heart-warming to see them bond.

Alongside them we still have Phalue and Ranami – we see less of them, which I think works better for the overall story, but I still enjoy their chapters. My favourite scenes with these two were when they were discussing the future/children/being parents and interacting with Ayesh (a new character…).

Sand, now known as Nisong, is the final POV we have. Her chapters remain fewer compared to the rest, but boy did they pack a punch. She’s definitely the most complex character, especially given her villainous role. I found her transformation from who she was in the first book to who she is now incredibly fascinating!

There are a few new additions in side characters too. While I’m not as attached to them, some of them definitely added more mystery and excitement to the story.

Look, I know I continuously talk about how amazing the characters are, but everything about this series is wonderful. There’s something so addictive about Andrea Stewart’s writing. I’ve seen a few people say this series is more of a slower paced one, which I somewhat agree with, but at the same time there’s never a dull moment. You’re either getting some brilliant character development/interaction, some intricate world-building, or some epic action scenes. It’s just the perfect balance.

Like the first book, the sequel had an explosive and crazy ending, and with everything we learnt throughout this book – about the Alanga and the Sukai history – I just know the third and final book is going to be phenomenal. I’m dying for it!

Overall, The Bone Shard Emperor is an extraordinary follow up to what is shaping up to be one of my favourite series of all time. Readers are treated with some political intrigue, a unique and refreshing magic system, mystery, action, and strong characterisation. Please pick up this series if you haven’t already!

5 Stars
Goodreads