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The Shadow Glass by Rin ChupecoThe Bone Witch #3
Published by Sourcebooks Fire on March 1, 2019
Age Group & Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult
Format: ARC, eBook
Source: Publisher
In the highly anticipated finale to the Bone Witch trilogy, Tea’s life—and the fate of the kingdoms—hangs in the balance
Tea is a bone witch with the dark magic needed to raise the dead. She has used this magic to breathe life into those she has loved and lost…and those who would join her army against the deceitful royals. But Tea's quest to conjure a shadowglass—to achieve immortality for the one person she loves most in the world—threatens to consume her heart.
Tea's black heartsglass only grows darker with each new betrayal. And when she is left with new blood on her hands, Tea must answer to a power greater than the elder asha or even her conscience...
A copy of the book was provided for review purposes - thank you! Receiving a copy does not guarantee a positive review and therefore does not affect the opinion or content of the review.
My body, heart and soul were not ready for the final book.
I procrastinated reading The Shadow Glass because this is the end. The End. THE END.
It’s a week after finishing the last book in The Bone Witch trilogy and mere hours before this review is going live and I’m sitting here going: OH. MY. GOD. What are words even? Can I come back when my tears are refreshed and ready to cry internally again (because I can’t actually cry when reading for some reason)? Will my review even give justice???
I adore the characters SO MUCH.
Back when I first read The Bone Witch, I had so much difficulty getting through the first book because it’s filled with descriptions and world-building, which made the book go by slowly. However, I loved the concept and the characters, so I sucked it up and continued. But when I read The Heart Forger last year, I got completely invested in the characters Chupeco created and fell in love with all of them.
Tea, Kalen, Fox, Inessa, Likh, Khalad – these are only a few of the characters that make up the trilogy. I adore the entire cast Chupeco introduces to us from the first book and brought over through the rest of the trilogy as well. I love their dynamics with each other, the relationships they’ve developed and their interactions. In particular, I truly appreciated how everyone accepted Likh’s transition as she discovered more about herself and who she truly is. I also enjoyed reading their sassy and snarky remarks as Tea continues on her journey to get a shadow glass in order to save the one she loves, even if it will potentially kill her.
Everything comes together in The Shadow Glass.
I had so many questions after reading The Heart Forger! (Mainly, will my precious beans survive???) I am so happy Chupeco answers all of those questions in The Shadow Glass. Much like the second book’s format, the story is told in two timelines eventually coming together at the end. One timeline is in the Bard’s perspective when Tea is older while the other is Tea telling her past. This format can get confusing and overwhelming with so much going on, but it is easily rectified by the end.
Side Note: I read The Shadow Glass at midnight and half of my brain is asleep, so um, that probably explains me being confused and overwhelmed. Sleepy Sophia does not equate to understanding Sophia.
What a beautiful ending.
I am still a bit speechless, but The Shadow Glass is simply beautiful and marvelous. (I even wrote a coherent review!) I’m grateful for getting to know each of the characters and reading their journey, although I’ll miss them greatly. I encourage everyone to give The Bone Witch trilogy a try – the slow beginning and all the information are well worth it.
Sophia started blogging in February 2012 for the hell of it and is surprisingly still around. She has a GIF for nearly everything, probably listens to too much K-Pop and is generally in an existential crisis of sorts (she's trying her best). More of her bookish reviews and K-Pop Roundups can be found at The Arts STL.
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Yep, it was a coherent review. And a heartfelt one. *round of applause*
I’ve just finished the Girl from the Well duology from the same author, and man, she can write AND elicit emotions AND create compelling characters. As you probably heard me say a couple of times or a couple of thousand, though, I’m not a fan of straight-up fantasy, so I’m vary of trying this series…I also wonder how it fares in the romance compartment?
Aww, heartfelt. But hey, at least it’s coherent! And yessssss Chupeco really can with the emotions and characters – they’re A+ and definitely show in The Bone Witch trilogy! I LOVED the characters and the romance in this series, especially by the second book. I’d try The Bone Witch if you’re interested in trying a book and like your characters raising the dead (but you do like dead characters), along with a lot of world-building.
yesss i love your review so much and obviosly relate to all these emotiins 🙂 great review
Ah, I usually find a book great if I can connect with the characters so this seems a pretty nice read! Hope I can get to it soon.
*fingers crossed*
Plus, glad to hear you enjoyed it. Great review! xx
It’s worth it, I promise!