Review: The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon

Bloomsbury, April 2014.

EVEN A DREAMER CAN START A REVOLUTION

Nineteen-year-old Paige Mahoney works in the criminal underworld of Scion London. Her job: 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.

This book took me a few chapters to get into. I had to fight a little to stick with it but once I got into the swing of the story, I was hooked. I suggest that you do stay with it if you are also struggling as it does eventually find its feet. There is simply a lot of information to begin with – I found it hard to keep up with who was who and who could do what (there is a glossary at the beginning of the book.)

Once I did get into the story, I found it completely compelling. Paige is an interesting heroine. After being taken after committing a crime, her secret is revealed as the group holding her find out she is one of the most powerful clairvoyants. I got a Hunger Games/Harry Potter vibe from it. There are a few twists and turns to keep you guessing as to what is going to happen to the characters.

This is Samantha’s first novel and I believe she does well with the writing style. The themes explored in this book are interesting. Love, identity, discrimination. There is a slight political theme in the book (a small group of powerful people trying to control the masses etc.)

I found the supporting characters to be the most interesting actually; Warden especially. I find myself wondering what his story is and I want to know more about him and how he has ended up where he is. A very intriguing character. There was one character in the book – his fate made me very sad indeed.

I did like this book. If you’re a fan of The Hunger Games, Harry Potter or Divergent, then I think you’d like this book.

by

Laura

I’m Laura. I started Novel Kicks in 2009. I wanted a place to post my writing as well as give other writers like me the opportunity to do the same. There is also a monthly book club, a writing room which features writing prompts, book reviews, competitions, author interviews and guest posts.

I grew up by the sea (my favourite place in the world) and I currently live in Hampshire. I am married to Chris, have a cat named Buddy and I would love to be a writer. I’m trying to write the novel I’ve talked so much about writing if only I could stop pressing delete. I’ve loved writing since creative writing classes in primary school. I have always wanted to see my teacher Miss Sayers again and thank her for the encouragement. When not trying to write the novel or writing snippets of stories on anything I can get my hands on, I love reading, dancing like a loon and singing to myself very badly. My current obsession is Once Upon a Time and I would be happy to live with magic in the enchanted forest surrounded by all those wonderful stories provided that world also included Harry Potter. I love reading chick lit. contemporary fiction and novels with mystery.