Song of Blood & Stone by L Penelope

Song of Blood & Stone (Earthsinger Chronicles, #1)

by L. Penelope

The kingdoms of Elsira and Lagrimar have been separated for centuries by the Mantle, a magical veil that has enforced a tremulous peace between the two lands. But now, the Mantle is cracking and the True Father, ruler of Lagrimar and the most powerful Earthsinger in the world, finally sees a way into Elsira to seize power.

All Jasminda ever wanted was to live quietly on her farm, away from the prying eyes of those in the nearby town. Branded an outcast by the color of her skin and her gift of Earthsong, she’s been shunned all her life and has learned to steer clear from the townsfolk . . . until a group of Lagrimari soldiers wander into her valley with an Elsiran spy, believing they are still in Lagrimar.

Through Jack, the spy, Jasminda learns that the Mantle is weakening, allowing people to slip through without notice. And even more troubling: Lagrimar is mobilising, and if no one finds a way to restore the Mantle, it might be too late for Elsira. Their only hope lies in uncovering the secrets of the Queen Who Sleeps and Jasminda’s Earthsong is the key to unravel them.

Thrust into a hostile society and a world she doesn’t know, Jasminda and Jack race to unveil an ancient mystery that might offer salvation.

Reviewed by annieb123 on

5 of 5 stars

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Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

Song of Blood & Stone is the first book in a series by L. Penelope. Originally published in 2015, this reformatting and expanded edition published 16th July from Macmillan on their St. Martin's imprint, is 528 pages and available in special paperback format. Earlier editions are available in other formats.

The thing that first struck me about this book and this world was how rich and enthralling the world building and sense of place were. I was intrigued from the first page and read the entire book in two sittings. It's not often that I find a book which literally makes me lose track of time, but this one did. On the surface, it is a coming of age story with romance and magic set against a backdrop of epic fantasy. Underneath the surface, it's a story which deals with universal themes. The author deals competently and honestly with loss, racism, xenophobia, sexism, ignorance, violence, threat, and inequity. I was unfamiliar with the author previously, and am inspired to go immediately and read all of her back catalog which I can find.

I did not have the original version of this book to compare with the updated release, so I can't speak to the differences in the manuscripts. A comparison of the page counts in the earliest and latest editions shows an approximately 200 page difference. Even allowing for typesetting and formatting differences, that is significant. The cover states that the newest version includes bonus material including new scenes.

This is a beautifully written novel. The language is relatively clean (shite, whore, etc), however there is physical abuse, sexual threat and implied rape, blatant racism, sexism, etc. All of it is used in context and despite being potentially depressing (and horrifying), after having read it, I was left hopeful, with positive feelings and a strong desire to read the next books and find out what happens.

Although there is a strong romantic subplot, it never tipped over into the maudlin for me. Protagonist Jacinda is strong and sensible and very likable. I was really rooting for her throughout.

Five stars. Looking forward to more.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

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  • 8 August, 2019: Reviewed