Like so many amazing things to come from the fine folks at Orbit lately, here’s another one that got my attention with an OH-MY-WORD-HAVE-YOU-SEEN-THIS cover reveal.

I mean. Oof. With artwork from Sasha Vinogradova and design by Lauren Panepinto, THE BONE SHARD DAUGHTER is certainly one of the most striking fantasy covers on my shelf…gah! IT’S GORGEOUS!!!

And if Andrea Stewart’s debut novel is any indication, THE DROWNING EMPIRE is going to be an incredibly special series. THE BONE SHARD DAUGHTER is absolutely brilliant, and easily one of my favorite books of the year!

I think one of the things I’m slowly beginning to realize about myself is…hmm…I’m not sure how to best explain it. But I think I’m not exactly enamored of magic systems that are exhaustively explained in the text, preferring to just take it on faith that there’s magic in any particular world, and have a rough idea of how it all works. And that’s just one of the things that Andrea Stewart does so well with THE BONE SHARD DAUGHTER. The whole notion of bone shard magic was, to me, mysterious & weird & kinda creepy, and not over-explained to the reader.

I was a bit surprised to learn that this was a multi-POV novel, something the synopsis doesn’t totally convey. And the way Stewart handles the different POVs is really clever, with a mix of first & third-person, with two characters emerging as the main characters of the novel.

Lin, the daughter of the Emperor, is one of the two main POVs. She’s locked in a not-entirely-friendly rivalry for the throne with her foster brother, Bayan. They both seek to learn more about the mysterious bone shard magic that their father uses to rule, creating these weird animal-like constructs powered by small pieces of bone removed from the people he rules over. Lin has also experienced a sickness which caused a great deal of memory loss, which doesn’t exactly endear her to her father. But she’s determined to uncover her father’s secrets and inherit the throne, at any cost.

The other main character is Jovis, a smuggler who is trapped in this kind of haze of grief, sailing between all the islands of this world searching for his missing wife. A twist of fate brings him into contact with a clear new front runner for best animal sidekick in fantasy, Mephi. Mephi is sort of somewhere between a cat and an otter. But…well, not really. You’ll see. YOU’LL SEE!!! Oof, the relationship that develops between Jovis and Mephi captured my whole entire heart, and brought so much humor and raw emotion to this story. I honestly cannot even begin to describe how much I love these two! The entire course of Jovis’s life is changed by this relationship, and we are only in the first book. That is amazing!

The two secondary POVs belong to Phalue and Ranami, a queer couple who have…complicated ties to both sides of a budding rebellion on one of the islands. Their relationship is full of awkward stops & starts, and they are two women who are very much Figuring Shit Out, and I love them both.

One of the overriding themes in the book, and one that makes it feel exceptionally timely, is the unchecked abuse of power by old(er) men who have been in place for much too long. I mean…fucking yikes. But change is coming to this world, and it won’t come easy. The Emperor’s use of bone shard magic comes with a terrible price, and Lin seeks to change so much about her world.

THE BONE SHARD DAUGHTER is such an amazing novel…beautifully written, heartfelt, thrilling, wildly unique, and full of incredibly memorable characters. And as I mentioned earlier, I’m so in love with how there’s just enough info about the magic here. This is such a special book, and I cherished every moment I spent reading it. To me, that’s when I know a book is working for me on every level…when I’m excited to pick the book up every day and get completely lost in it. This world of moving/sinking islands, strange creatures, and weird magic captivated me from page one.

Oof. This is for sure one of my favorite books of the year…Andrea Stewart is an incredible writer, and I honestly can’t wait to see what she has in store with the rest of THE DROWNING EMPIRE!

Endless thanks to Orbit for sending a copy my way!!