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The Bone Shard Daughter cover art

The Bone Shard Daughter

Written by: Andrea Stewart
Narrated by: Natalie Naudus, Feodor Chin, Emily Woo Zeller
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Publisher's Summary

An emperor fights to reclaim her power and her place on the throne in this "utterly absorbing" fantasy tale of magic, mystery, and revolution (Emily Duncan).

The emperor's reign has lasted for decades, his mastery of bone shard magic powering the animal-like constructs that maintain law and order. But now his rule is failing, and revolution is sweeping across the Empire's many islands.

Lin is the emperor's daughter and spends her days trapped in a palace of locked doors and dark secrets. When her father refuses to recognise her as heir to the throne, she vows to prove her worth by mastering the forbidden art of bone shard magic.

Yet such power carries a great cost, and when the revolution reaches the gates of the palace, Lin must decide how far she is willing to go to claim her birthright - and save her people.

"One of the best debut fantasy novels of the year." (BuzzFeed News)

"An amazing start to a new trilogy." (Culturess)

"It grabs you by the heart and the throat from the first pages and doesn't let go." (Sarah J. Maas)

"Epic fantasy at its most human and heartfelt...inventive, adventurous and wonderfully written." (Alix E. Harrow)

"Utterly absorbing. I adored it." (Emily Duncan)

"A thoroughly fantastic read." (Kevin Hearne)

"Stewart's debut is sharp and compelling. It will hook readers in and make them fiercely anticipate the rest of the series." (Booklist)

"Groundbreaking epic fantasy for a new age." (Tasha Suri)

"Begins with a spark of intrigue that ignites into a thrilling adventure." (Hafsah Faizal)

©2020 Andrea Stewart (P)2020 Orbit

What the critics say

"An unforgettable tale of magic and intrigue, and the start of a fascinating trilogy." (Gareth Ryder-Hanrahan, author of The Gutter Prayer)

"A grand, ingenious and sweeping tale of power, magic and heart, The Bone Shard Daughter is groundbreaking epic fantasy for a new age." (Tasha Suri, author of Empire of Sand)

"Stewart etches this story into your heart, filling it with everything I love about fantasy: a well-realized world, dark magic that challenges your presumptions, and deep questions about identity. Highly recommended." (Marshall Ryan Maresca, author of the Maradaine Saga)

What listeners say about The Bone Shard Daughter

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Best read of 2023

I loved this book, the narrators were amazing and so was the plot and magic system. I really enjoyed this book! I’ve bought all of them in special edition because I needed them on my shelf

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Incredible Magic System

I loved everything about this book! Great characters, amazing magic system, action and tension, twists and turns, and one fantastic ending. I could hardly put it down!

Lin is the daughter of the Emperor and is determined to prove herself as worthy in her father's eyes. As he refuses to recognize her, Lin begins a secret journey to mastery the complex art of bone shard magic and change the course of the Empire.

Lin is a great character with ambition and drive, and I deeply enjoyed her arc as she sees the full extent of the damage the Empire has done. Phalue, another character, has a similar arc that leads her down a path of rebellion in the name of love for a woman named Ranami. But my favourite characters were Jovis and Sand. Jovis has a great personality and becomes an unlikely hero as he searches for his missing wife. Sand, who is amnesiac, slowly regains her memory on a hidden island and uncovers some shocking secrets.

The plot starts a little slow as there are many moving parts, but I stayed invested throughout. While I predicted some of the big twists, they were nonetheless exciting and made the story far more intense. The ending in particular shook me and had me grateful that the second book is on my shelf. It really does draw you in once you become invested in the world.

And considering how well built the world is, that is not a hard task. I've never read any fantasy book with a magic system quite as interconnected as this. It elegantly ties in so many crucial plot threads. I loved every aspect of it and how different things connected different characters, even if they were happening miles apart in the plot.

This is a great fantasy book with layered characters and a spellbinding magic system. I loved every moment of it and am looking forward to seeing where the story goes next!

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I love it

I’m waiting impatiently for the next book. I’m so happy with this book and the second one is just as great!

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Can't Wait for the Sequel!

Content Warning: Human trafficking, Physical parental abuse, Child sexual abuse mentioned, Amnesia (memory loss), Blood & gore depiction, Body horror, Medical experimentation, Death of a child, Death of a brother, Death of a mother & father, Death of a wife, Murder & attempted murder, Physical assault, Imprisonment, Drowning, Earthquakes, Disappearance of a loved one, Child homelessness & poverty recounted, Rebellion themes & regicide, Animal attack, Animal injury & illness, Animal abuse

SPOILER: The cute animal, Mephi, does NOT die. (I searched everywhere to find this out so that I could continue reading)

I started this, listened to about 2 hours, and then read something else to make sure I was in the right headspace to continue. And while I was really confused for the front end of the book, the payoff of the reveals and insights was well worth it! I really liked learning more about the world, the magic, and the intricacies of the politics in this world. There is also on screen wlw, and they have an interesting relationship. This book focused heavily on Jovis and Lin, so I hope there is more screen time for the other POVs in the future.

However, I didn't like that there were only THREE audiobook narrators for the FIVE points of view. I get it, I think the other two only had one or two chapters each, but it made it so confusing! As someone who reads based off those audio clues for who is speaking, it made it very difficult. I hope in the future there are more voice actors.

Overall though, I do recommend this! I thought the end reveals were so well done and I can't wait to see where this series goes.

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