THE BONE WITCH: Booksta Review
The Bone Witch by Rin Chupeco
Original Instagram post: May 21, 2021
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I’m just over here, constantly thinking about the beauty that is The Bone Witch. This trilogy is exquisitely written and severely under-hyped and underrated.
Let’s just start with the writing: we get two point of views — Tea’s, the titular bone witch (or, a dark asha, one who can raise the dead and banish deva) and her bard’s. The bard has found her in her place of exile to learn her story, what drove her to do what she did, to chronicle her life and her actions. And Tea indulges him. She starts at the beginning. He starts at the present. The story being told and the present-day storyteller begin to stampede towards each other and when the timelines converge in the third book…
It's just spectatular.
This is one of those stories where you get to see the main character from inside themselves and from an observer. Bone witches are feared for their powers. And there has not yet been one quite like Tea. (pronounced tee-ah in the audio books.) You learn about her early years of training alongside seeing what she becomes and the tension between the two realities is exquisite.
I have a hard time adequately describing the plot of the books, and not because it is confusing or boring. It just exists on two different timelines and I could only see the full picture in the third book. I originally listened to the audio books and am looking forward to a reread with my paperbacks.
I also loved the diversity of characters and of relationships in this book. Central to the entire story is Tea’s relationship with her brother Fox, who she raises from the dead when she is twelve years old. But Tea is also caught in a web of obligations to the kingdom, to her mentors. She is feared and revered. As a young woman with a temper, shouldering an incredible amount of expectations, she gets into a bit of hot water. Sometimes scalding water. I love her so much.
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