Genre: Fantasy/Dystopia Age Range: Adult Star Rating: 4/5 stars Seires: yes - book 3
*SPOILER ALERT: contains SPOILERS for THE BONE SEASON and THE MIME ORDER*
Synopsis:
Following a bloody battle against foes on every side, Paige Mahoney has risen to the dangerous position of Underqueen, ruling over London’s criminal population.
But, having turned her back on Jaxon Hall and with vengeful enemies still at large, the task of stabilising the fractured underworld has never seemed so challenging.
Little does Paige know that her reign may be cut short by the introduction of Senshield, a deadly technology that spells doom for the clairvoyant community and the world as they know it…
Synopsis taken from Goodreads. Add to your shelves here.
Thoughts:
As I mentioned in my THE MIME ORDER review, reading the books back-to-back has meant I am finally falling into the world and so I enjoyed THE SONG RISING more than the other two. I think I understand the world and magic more.
I liked seeing more of the world, as we get a tour of Scion United Kingdom, visiting Manchester and Edinburgh. I’m not familiar with either city, but they felt very different to London.
With these new cities, there were new characters – and time spent exploring existing ones. Of the new characters, Vance is a brilliant, terrifying nemesis. The book is focused around a military technology, which meant there was a very real threat – invasion, martial law. The Raphaim have felt a little intangible, not a corporeal threat – particularly in TBS2.
Nick and Eliza get a lot of page time, and as they’re some of my favourite characters, I’m not about to complain. I loved seeing more of Nick’s past, getting an understanding of Paige’s best friend, and Eliza is often surprising. Tom is also very sweet, and Maria the sort of adviser and comrade you want.
The pacing was fast. It’s significantly shorter than TBS1 and TBS2 but feels like it’s got the same amount of plot, racing through it. I like pacy books, and was swept up as Paige hurried between cities.
On the Warden front, we start the book with an almost angsty can Paige trust Warden really likes her, or what is all a ploy to get the revolution started. Which, well, was frustrating to say the least. Thankfully, they more or less work it out – to a degree – early on, and he disappears for a lot of the book.
I’m still not convinced that the relationship started off healthy, but I’m starting to feel an edge of chemistry between them. There are moments when I actually didn’t mind them together. They’ve shared information and Paige, as Underqueen, is finally on a more level-footing with him.
Unfortunately, I’m now in the mood to keep binge reading, but there’s no news on when the next book will come out.
Read my reviews of other books by Samantha Shannon
The Bone Season (this series):
- THE BONE SEASON (#1)
- THE MIME ORDER (#2)
- THE MASK FALLING (#4)
- THE BONE SEASON NOVELLAS (#0.1, #0.5, and #3.5)
The Roots of Chaos:
Sifa Elizabeth Reads 