The Bone Witch (Bone Witch, #1)

by Rin Chupeco

A bard meets a young girl living in exile along a sea of skulls. At his urging, she recounts her beginnings and rise in a society of spellbinders called asha. As a bone witch, her powers of necromancy make her feared and shunned by the populace, but tolerated for her abilities to slay daeva – fearsome beasts that plague the kingdoms.

But there is more to the girl than she first appears. Soon the bard begins to suspect that there is more to her tale than what she claims, and that he has a far greater role to play in her story than even he realizes.

• ISBN13: 9781492635826
• Publish Date: 7 March 2017
• Publish Status: Out of Stock
• Out of Print: 3 August 2021
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Sourcebooks, Inc
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 400
• Language: English

Reviews

[herseriallife]

This was my first time reading Rin Chupeco and I really loved this first installment in The Bone Witch series! I can't wait to read the rest of the series and probably more from the talented author.

[Veronica 🦦]

A+/A | A mesmerizing, rich foundational novel dedicated to worldbuilding an introducing the characters, Rin Chupeco’s The Bone Witch envelops you in Tea’s world, in Tea’s story, and in Tea herself . It lays the groundwork through the intricate worldbuilding and to the characters that live and thrive in the world. It is almost like a villain’s origin story — focused solely on establishing who Tea is, the world around her, the people around her, and the magic she wields. Despite there being no plot, this is moot when compared to just how masterfully Rin builds up this world and hooks you to it and its stories.

From the very beginning of this novel, I knew I was in for a wild ride. Rin Chupeco served me a delicious feast for the senses. I’ve said it so many times in my reviews of her books and I will continue to say it, but she has a masterful grip with worldbuilding and characterizations. She’s able to craft intricate, well-developed worlds and characters that allow me to immerse myself deep into the book.

This entire book is dedicated to setting the stage. It is Tea’s origin story — background to the circumstances that would eventually lead her exiled. There will be those who don’t like that sort of thing. This book is where Tea’s present situation is juxtaposed with her past so there is a lot of information given to us but no real plot. Still, there's that mystery, right? I know where Tea ends up which left me wondering just what the heck happened?

Everything came to life in this book because of the worldbuilding. I could see, smell, and hear Tea’s world in my mind. I could almost taste the food and feel this world. Rin is a master at worldbuilding. I know I've said it before but I'll keep saying it again and again. She builds it up and up until you can see the world in your imagination.

Find my complete review here on my blog.

[paperbackjedi]

The Bone Witch, to me, was a perfectly executed book. I've seen arguments that the pacing is slow and I agree, but I also think it was done purposefully that way to allow for breathing room. This is a book that breathes well. You almost don't realize or notice all the tensions that are building and threads slowly fraying until you approach the conflicts and only then do you realize that your muscles have been locked for some time now, waiting for the powder keg to burst.

Tea will probably annoy some readers because she's not inherently likable. She's a bit rough around the edges. She feels young and naive at some moments, and stubborn and superior in others. This works well within the dual time periods this book covers (Tea before shit goes down and Tea after shit goes down, armed with a plan to fix it). The narrative shuffles from the present to the future, making up the ground between what was and what now is in a way that I found compelling and captivating. I couldn't wait to figure out how we got to where we are, though at times, I will admit it was frustrating. The other characters aren't given as much detail, but I enjoyed them. They do have their own subplots and arcs, but are not as completely rendered. I can tell that they were crafted lovingly, though, and with care-- just not quite as thoroughly. The romance didn't go where I thought it would go and instead forged a more realistic path when it comes to youth and love and idealization. I appreciated the depiction, but I'll caution readers who are super into romance that they won't find a meaty bone in this book. It does set up romance nicely for the following books in the series though, so you might want to stick around for the payoff in the end.

The magic system is different than anything I've read before, but explained in enough detail that it feels grounded with cost and consequence for everyone. You are constantly aware of the shifting scales and no decisions seem too easy or neat. The world-building itself is stunning in its detail. Everything is described from the landscape to the attire and those details all matter and mean something (in both smaller and larger ways). It lends well to re-reads, I feel, as you pick up on things more and more as plot points come into and out of focus and you realize the seeds have been planted since early on with room for both realization and surprise.

All in all, I personally found this book to be a master class in YA fantasy fiction and it's been cemented as one of my all time favorite YA books/series. I will be keeping an eye on Rin Chupeco and her work in the future.

[Kat @ Novels & Waffles]

The storytelling in this book is so unique and my smol brain struggles to wrap itself around just how amazingly vast Chupeco’s fictional world is. As somebody who aspires to write Fantasy (but always gets steamrolled by the worldbuilding), let me just say that the author deserves all of your RESPECT for this imaginative masterpiece. The Bone Witch is the perfect example of true high fantasy AND IT’S DIVERSE. What more do you really need? Maybe some waffles.

[inlibrisveritas]

The Bone Witch is the dark fantasy love child of Bardugo's Grisha trilogy and Taylor's Daughter of Smoke and Bone. It's a story that is finely painted slow and deliberately with such vivid intricacies that certainly leave an impression.

One of the reasons I wanted to read The Bone Witch was because of how much I enjoyed Rin Chupeco's writing style in The Girl from the Well. She is one of those talented people who can paint with words, creating an atmosphere that seems to take over the senses. The Bone Witch did not disappoint at all. The world Chupeco builds is rich with culture and conflict. The Asha are magic uses, divided into several different types, and are similar to that of the Geisha from our world. They are talented in the arts and serve as social butterflies, entertaining guests and provided income to their Houses. But they are also warriors of the highest caliber are integral to the protection of the country from those who try to attack using deva, horrendous monsters raised from the grave.

Tea is a dark-asha, or a Bone Witch. Bone witches are extremely rare and are unable to use elemental magic that comes naturally to other Asha, instead, they have the ability to raise the deva and to send them back to their graves. They are the key to protecting the realm, but they are also treated as if they are cursed. This book offers two timelines to read through simultaneously. One begins with Tea when she is a child and moves with her during her time learning to become a full fledge Asha, and the other begins when Tea has been isolated at the edges of the world and for some reason (not yet known) she has become an enemy of those she once held close. I personally loved seeing the Before and After at the same time, and had that drive to see what exactly caused Tea to change her loyalties. The entire answer isn't one that is revealed in The Bone Witch, but it's certainly a wonderful driving force to pick up the next book in the series. I found Tea enjoyable. She's ambitious and eager to learn, and as she grows older she obtains a bit of fire in her that allows her to stand on her own during the toughest times. Her relationship with her brother Fox was another beautiful thing in this book. It's rare that fantasy novels have such a strong familial bond actually shown on its pages instead of implied. Fox is amazingly supportive, even when he doesn't agree with Tea's path.

Overall I think The Bone Witch is a winner. It's atmospheric and beautifully written, and as a fan of slow burn fantasy, this one was perfect. It has a gorgeous magic system and even goes as far as putting a bit of focus on the rigidity of gender roles. I have high hopes for The Heart Forger, the second novel, and I really want to see more of the social issues push forward and more conflict.

I received this in exchange for an honest review. I received no compensation and all opinions are my own. 

[Linda]

This review was originally posted on (un)Conventional Bookviews
The Bone Witch had a very slow pace, and felt more like a prequel disguised as a novel than an actual novel. It's like its whole purpose was to set up the next book in the series.

Story:

There are dragons. There are necromancers. There are monsters, and monarchs. The Bone Witch had a lot of potential, but didn't completely live up to it in my opinion. The switching between the present and the past could have been smoother, for example, because both gave me some very good insights to what might be going on.

In a world where there are different kinds of witches, there is, of course a hierarchy among them. And Tea is kind of both at the bottom and the top of the social ladder. In some countries, she is feared, while in others, she's revered. However, she's not one to follow the rules, and this makes her life rather difficult.

As she gets educated on her powers and her place in society, there are many strange things happening. Among them, some of the dragons that were supposedly only waking once every year now are forcibly woken more often. Not only is Tea seen as dangerous, now it seems she has a connection to one of these dragons.

There is quite a bit of action and excitement, and of course, there is betrayal, too.

Characters:

Tea is a bone witch, which makes her feared by most of her peers. When her beloved brother died, she somehow brought him back to life, and now he's her servant.

Tea has a visitor in the present time, and she shares her stories with him - but only what she wants him to know and see.

Fox, Tea's undead brother is extremely loyal, and like a soldier.

The Prince... who has noticed Tea, and seems to be working to make life better for all his subjects.

Writing style :

Most of The Bone Witch is written in first person point of view, present tense from Tea's perspective, but there are passages from the past including the oracle, and some passages from the present that are in third person point of view, and told from Tea's visitor's perspective. The pace is very slow, and I think I might have enjoyed myself more if there had been a little less telling and a bit more showing.

Feels :

I'm not sure exactly, I found many aspects of The Bone Witch interesting, but I wasn't fully invested in the story, or in Tea.



Some of my favorite guests came from humble beginnings. Some of my worst guests came from the highest of positions. Breeding isn't what you were born as; breeding is what you grow to be.

 

[bookishzelda]

The Bone Witch caught my eye because I loved Rin Chupeco’s writing in her The Girl from the Well stories. She has this way of making things have this haunting feel to them that really brings the best out of stories like these. I really enjoyed her writing once and again as well as the story itself.

I love how this story is told. Present Tea is relating the story of how she got to where she is to a bard. It was interesting to go back and forth because you start to see Tea in a different light as things begin to match up. I loved her as an MC. She was just such an interesting character, especially for the fact she often mentions that it feels good to draw from the dark magic. As the story goes along you start to wonder what side is she one. Is she good or bad? The lines all seem blurred. I loved how intelligent she is, even if at times she can be impulsive. I love her fondness for her brother and her Asha sisters. I also really like that Tea wants to do the right thing by her friend, who is a boy but loves to dance and sing more than be a soldier. She understand why he has to be forced into a role he doesn’t want.

It’s been a long time since I’ve read Memoirs of a Geisha, but I have to say the Willows reminds me of that a little. I guess the Asha are similar to Geisha except of course they have magic. They also have their own political world outside that of the kingdom politics and each House is kind of like it’s own kingdom. The Asha system used to be a bigger part of the political game I think but then they started to veer off in their own agendas. We spend a large amount of the story with Tea learning to be an apprentice and the ins and outs of the world. It’s very intriguing. I also love the time that is taken to describe all the different outfits and adornments. An Asha’s Hua can tell a lot about her.

I find the relationship and the Oracle to also be intriguing. It’s only lightly explored in this book but I’m curious to see how much more details there are in the next book. As Tea walks this line between what is considered to be good and evil (I think the considered is important), I want to know what part the oracle is really playing.

There are some other great side characters. Like the Heartforger and his apprentice, the different shop owners and of course other Asha. Of course there is the light love interest, again it’s not deeply explored...yet.

So the ending….leaves you like, okay I need the next book. It’s a cliffhanger of sorts. I really liked it though and am looking forward to see more of the story.

[Liz (Bent Bookworm)]

The writing is beautiful. The world building is superb. And that alone is why I'm not rating this (usually a DNF gets a 1-star from me). I think I just am not in the mood for a slow-paced novel right now. I've been reading it for over a MONTH. This is unheard of. I whiz through books. I would pick it up, read a few pages, think about how I felt like I was walking down the road with Tea, or seeing the bezoars right in front of me...and put it down, with no real compulsion felt to pick it up again.

Sadness. Because it is BEAUTIFUL. I will return one day to finish and write a full review.
-----------------------------
Welp. My ARC expired before I finished this...which, considering I started it more than a month before the release date...says something.

[bestmessever]

*Arc sent by publisher through netgalley for an honest review*

I really enjoyed this book for the most part. The world building was fantastic and the magic system was very unique. The element of heartglass was extremely interesting to me. I really love the chapters where we see the future when Tea is 17 I can't wait till the next book so I can see what all will happen with that. I really enjoyed the characters Fox and Kalen were my absolute favorites. All in all I give this book a 4.5 out of 5 stars. It can be a little slow in certain places but other than that it's a great read.

[kimbacaffeinate]

Our story begins when a Bard approaches Tea, a Bone Witch, living on an island filled with bones. We learn she has been banished and he asks for her story. The story that unfolds is told from two narratives, "past" and "present." Stories from Tea's past made the current thread interesting as we see Tea prepare for her next move and contemplated what happened to bring us here.

The stories from the past, share Tea's begins as she resurrects her brother from the dead graveside, meets the Bone Witch who will be her mentor. Time in the present with the bard had me craving the why and how from the past.

Chupeco described the world vividly, and while at times it made the story cumbersome I enjoyed her prose, descriptions and the depth these details created. The reader will easily be able to envision the streets of each kingdom, the colorfully and richly detailed huas worn by the Asha (magic-wielders) and the heart encased jewelry everyone wears around their necks. We get a clear understanding of the magic in this world and the different types of Asha, warriors, and hierarchy. Women hold the most scared of roles, but men still rule kingdoms. While the Bone Witch is perhaps the strongest of the Asha, she is also the most feared. You will find a multitude of influences here from the huas which resembled the Japanese geisha to the castles and social structure as well as the elemental magics of earth, the wind, water, and fire.

This world is full of good, evil and supernatural creatures created during the dark ages of magic known as Daeva. Necromancy, arranged marriages, favors, and court politicking abound. We only visit a few villages, but the maps and talk of the kingdoms helped create a sense of the world. Most of the story is spent during Tea's training to be an Asha. Some of the customs are silly, and a lot of attention to detail was provided. Sadly, this didn't allow for a lot of action scenes. At times these tidbits about everything from hair accessories to food weighed the tale down. I think this caused a lot of readers to abandoned ship, but I encourage you to hang in there. There are some fantastic scenes where Tea battles Daeva and makes startling discoveries.

As I said the tale doesn't have a lot of action or movement, but the characters are rich. The Tea from the present speaking to the Bard is confident, and perhaps a little jaded and the Tea from the past is inquisitive, eager to learn, stubborn and caring. It was fascinating seeing her grow and feeling her change as she became less naive. Of course, there is a lot more to learn. We don't yet know what events triggered her present situation. I adored her brother and found myself intrigued by the prince and his brothers. The head Asha who agrees to Tea's training is a snarky old coot and had me laughing a time or too. I enjoyed her mentor and the sisters who took on her training. A young boy who wants to be Asha and participate in the ceremonial dances added interest and showed our heroine' apt skills and heroism.

While at times the storyline dragged and admittedly forced me to read this in smaller doses, the writing, characters and overall story arc have me craving the next book. Fans of THE NAME OF THE WIND will enjoy this story.

Copy provided by publisher. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Book Reviewer