Review: Silver in the Bone by Alexandra Bracken

I received this book via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.

Silver in the Bone by Alexandra Bracken
Series: Silver in the Bone #1
Published by Knopf Books for Young Readers on 2023-04-04
Length: 485 pages
Reviewing eARC from Netgalley
Rating:
Reading Challenges: #NGEW2023, 2023 New Release Challenge, COYER 2023

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Lore comes a stunning new Arthurian fantasy—the tale of a teenage girl who seeks her destiny in the cursed ruins of Avalon, driven by love, revenge, and pure adrenaline!

"Simmering with magic, peril, romance, and heartbreak."—Leigh Bardugo, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Shadow and Bone

Born without a trace of magic, Tamsin Lark is no match for the sorceresses and Hollowers who populate the magical underground of Boston. But when the only parent she’s ever known disappears without so much as a goodbye, she has no choice but to join in their cutthroat pursuit of enchanted relics to keep herself—and her brother, Cabell—alive.

Ten years later, rumors are swirling that her guardian found a powerful ring from Arthurian legend just before he vanished. A run-in with her rival Emrys ignites Tamsin’s hope that the ring could free Cabell from a curse that threatens both of them. But they aren’t the only ones who covet the ring.

As word spreads, greedy Hollowers start circling, and many would kill to have it for themselves. While Emrys is the last person Tamsin would choose to partner with, she needs all the help she can get to edge out her competitors in the race for the ring. Together, they dive headfirst into a vipers’ nest of dark magic, exposing a deadly secret with the power to awaken ghosts of the past and shatter her last hope of saving her brother. . . .

Oh my….wow! Silver in the Bone by Alexandra Bracken is the first in an Arthurian inspired fantasy series about a young girl and her quest to break her brother’s curse. Tamsin Lark has spent her whole life protecting her brother Cabell and bringing him back to himself when his curse takes control. After their guardian went missing 7 years ago, Tamsin has poured herself into research harboring anger for Nash’s disappearance and fear that her brother would be next. When a sorceress offers to pay Tamsin an exorbitant amount of money for an ancient artifact, Tamsin can’t refuse.

Going into this story, I expected magic and mythology colliding, I pictured a medieval fantasy with knights and sorceresses. I was half right. This book is actually set in present day, magic is real yet hidden, and Tamsin and her brother are in the know. They are Hollowers, a glorified term for thieves and grave robbers who search out ancient artifacts for other magical entities. Their job is both exciting and dangerous, but also doesn’t pay well. With the disappearance of their guardian, Cabell and Tamsin are on the outskirts of their society, looked down upon, and often receive jobs that barely cover the bills. It also doesn’t help that Tamsin does not have the One Vision, what they call magic in this world.

While the entire story is told from Tamsin’s perspective, there are four main characters: Tamsin, Cabell, Emrys, and Neve. Cabell is Tamsin’s brother and the main drive behind her actions. Emrys Dye is her nemesis. He is the golden boy of one of the richest Hollower families, and he happens to be on the same job as Tamsin. I don’t want to spoil Neve as we don’t know much about her until midway through the story, but I love her 😀

This book is nonstop action taking us from Boston to the isle of Avalon. The magic system is complex, but not hard to follow. The characters are amazingly and wonderfully flawed. They are human in every way, and I could easily see myself meeting them on the street. I fell in love with the world, even though it is quite brutal. The way Bracken takes history and mythology and shapes it into her own storytelling is nothing short of brilliant. The imagery leaps off the page and is vivid enough to picture in my mind as I was reading. Fully immersive and unable to stop reading!

Overall I really enjoyed Silver in the Bone. Tamsin’s narration, her own struggles with magic, and what she finds throughout her quest is both heartbreaking and inspiring. And the end 🤯 I need book two yesterday please. Highly recommend for fans of Avalon and fantasy.

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