Bone Crier's Moon

Review originally posted on Geeky Galaxy

The World

I think the world-building and the setting Kathryn Purdie has created is the best thing about this book. The whole idea of women ferrying the dead to their rightful place is great, but there's so much more depth to the lore. I think there's more to come and more to be revealed, I feel like we're only scratching the surface of the possibilities of this magic system that's been built so seemingly effortlessly

The lore is where Bone Crier's Moon really excelled. Kathryn Purdie was inspired by the French folklore of Dames Blanches. I really recommend you check out the myth of Dames Blanches because once you know that, you can see all the connections with Bone Crier's Moon and how cleverly Kathryn has weaved it into her world.

The Plot

I read this in pretty much one sitting, getting annoyed with anyone who disturbed my reading. Bone Crier's Moon started well, introducing the lord of the woman in white on the bridge, inspired by French folklore, and building from there. We're introduced to the key characters quickly, but in a way that doesn't feel rushed. The pacing is perfect. There are ups and downs. The ups are high tension that were fun to read and ensured I didn't want to tear my eyes away from the book. The lows were usually sweet and interesting, revealing more about the lore of the world or the personalities of the characters.

The ending! I can't say anything without spoilers, but February 2021 can't come quick enough!

The Characters

The characters all felt unique with their own personalities, motivations and character arcs. When I sat down to write this review, I could clearly identify each character's reason for being there and what each character went through and why. Nothing happened just because, everything and everyone was there for a reason. And I love that. No character seemed like a spare part. Bone Crier's Moon is told in multiple POVs, which I didn't know going into it. Usually, I'm not a fan of multiple POV books because I tend to prefer one character, and get bored of hearing from characters I don't like. This didn't happen here because I genuinely loved hearing from all the characters.

Our main character is Aliesse. She's a strong protagonist with a great and enjoyable arc throughout. You follow her as she learns the truth about herself and her family and you can see the changes in who she is throughout.

Aliesse's best friend is Sabine. She has arguably the most growth through the novel. From someone who lives in Aliesse's shadow to a strong woman on her own. If you love reading about someone finding their strength, you'll like Sabine!

The last person I'll mention is Bastien, and I'm going to mention him because of a single quote that was super cute to read and is one of the many reasons I loved him.

“You're not missing from me. I'm not missing from you.”

Bastien - Bone Crier's Moon, Kathryn Purdie

CAWPILE Breakdown:
Characters: 3
Atmosphere: 2
Writing: 1
Plot: 4
Intrigue: 4
Logic: 5
Enjoyment: 3

I just could not get into this book. It seemed very convoluted and I did not feel like each character truly had their own voice. I feel like more world-building and explanations were needed to help actual explain the world and get a better understanding of the characters. The premise was interesting but the execution was poor.

Enchanting story that I kept thinking about after I put it down. The writing was so atmospheric that I could almost feel the environment of the story as I was reading it. Even though the characters were flawed, it was easy to become invested in their story. I can't wait for the sequel because the story ends with no real conclusion. Loved it!