I was given an ARC by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
The Bone Witch is one of those books with an amazing cover and a very intriguing synopsis, so when I received this for review, I was really ecstatic! I immediately wanted to read it, but I also didn't want to read it that soon because I knew that the release date is still so far away. Finally, I decided to read it without regard for the release date, and I'm glad I did!
What I Liked:
1. The Concept
I feel like the concept for The Bone Witch is such a unique one. There are a lot of fantasy books out there, but I believe that none of them are like this book. It's about Asha (magic-wielders) who use different types of elements to their advantage. And there there's the Bone Asha - people who can people from the dead. Although there are many books with magic wielders out there, none have magic wielders who are also entertainers. Also, this book has dragons! Isn't that just something to be excited about?
2. How Interesting It Is
As I said above, the concept is very unique, thus it's also very intriguing. There were so many things that happened in the book, and there were conspiracies buried underneath all that glamour. Hushed whispers and secrets fill this book, and I couldn't help but be captivated.
3. The Setting
Well, not exactly the setting, but how the setting in the book was described so vividly. I can imagine everything, from the asha-ka, to what the ashas were wearing, to how the asha performed dances. I feel like I had been inside the world of the author and that's not a feat that can be accomplished by many authors.
4. The Narrative Style
The Bone Witch is told in a way that is in flashbacks. The main character is actually telling the story of everything to a story teller. To be honest, I was surprised that I liked this. In the other books that I've read, I've always hated it when the narrative was done this way. However, with this book, it just added to the intrigue of the story, and I felt like it made me want to read more.
What I Didn't Like:
1. It Was Dragging
The Bone Witch has a very interesting concept, but it has a tendency to drag at some parts. I found myself skipping some narratives. It also took me a long time to finish the book because of these parts.
2. The Lack of Information
This complaint is coming from the selfish part of me, and not really a big issue. I just feel like I need to know more about what the main character is planning for the future because I hate being kept in the dark. I feel like there's still too many mysteries, and I can't predict the direction the next book would go because of the vagueness of it all.
That said, I enjoyed reading The Bone Witch, but at the same time I felt like it was too dragging and felt like too little information was given. I really want to know what happens next though!
3.5 dragging but interesting stars
