The Bone Shard Daughter
| Company type | Novel |
|---|---|
| Industry | Publishing |
| Founded | 2020 |
| Founder | Andrea Stewart |
| Products | Fantasy novel |
The Bone Shard Daughter is the inaugural installment of Andrea Stewart's Drowning Empire fantasy trilogy, released in 2020.
Plot synopsis
Set within a floating island empire governed by the Sukai dynasty, the story unfolds around bone shard magic—an arcane practice that animates constructs using fragments of citizens' skulls to maintain the empire's operations. The emperor’s high-ranking officials are powerful constructs empowered by hundreds of shards, while lesser constructs fulfill more menial tasks.
Lin, the emperor’s daughter, vies with Bayan, his adopted son, for succession by mastering this bone shard sorcery. The regime enforces tithing festivals to extract bone shards from young individuals, a procedure that depletes their life energy and frequently results in fatalities. Afflicted by memory lapses caused by a palace illness linked to Bayan, Lin endeavors to unveil her father’s hidden truths in hopes of reforming the empire.
Jovis, once a smuggler who becomes a savior of children following a devastating island flood, pursues his kidnapped wife while avoiding capture by imperial agents. He acquires extraordinary strength through Mephi, a mysterious creature capable of communication, who assists him in joining forces with rebels on Nephilanu Island.
Ranami, a rebel leader and former street orphan known as a “gutter rat,” is committed to overthrowing the tyrannical regime. Her partner Phalue, heir to Nephilanu’s governorship, supports Ranami out of love despite conflicting allegiances. Their relationship underscores the friction between revolutionary ideals and established authority.
Lin’s journey brings her into direct opposition with imperial power and forges an alliance with Jovis, intertwining their narratives. Concurrently, Sand resides on remote Maila Island where she experiences an awakening that reveals she and others are constructs originating from a ship bearing blue sails. Overcoming their programmed aversion to violence, they seize control of the vessel and begin plans to assemble an army.
These interconnected storylines delve into themes of authority struggles, insurgency, and self-discovery within a multifaceted empire fueled by bone shard technology and political machinations.
Characters
- Lin: The clever heir to the Phoenix empire’s throne determined to confront her father’s oppressive reign.
- Jovis: A former smuggler turned insurgent who rescues children while evading criminal organizations and imperial forces, caught between personal desires and moral duty.
- Mephi: Initially a kitten-like being saved by Jovis, Mephi develops into a pivotal character possessing expanding abilities essential to the saga.
- Phalue: The daughter and successor of a prominent island governor, navigating her complex relationship with Ranami amid ideological differences.
- Ranami: A grassroots freedom fighter striving to reveal the empire’s exploitative social order to Phalue.
- Sand: A resident of Maila Island whose regained memories lead her to awaken others and return to challenge the empire.
Reception
The book garnered predominantly favorable critiques. Locus Magazine characterized it as "unexpectedly intricate," commending its skillful worldbuilding and thematic depth, while noting that some aspects of language use and character growth could be enhanced. The Book Reporter applauded the novel for successfully merging elements of fantasy, romance, and science fiction into an engaging piece of speculative fiction. Awarding it 9 out of 10, Fantasy Book Review emphasized its insightful social critique, well-developed characters, and robust world creation, ranking it among the top releases of the year.
On Tor.com, S. Qiouyi Lu described the worldbuilding as "captivating" and valued its examination of empire, autonomy, and identity through a pan-Asian post-colonial lens. They also praised the inventive bone shard magic system alongside the depth of character portrayal.
Library Journal bestowed a starred review, highlighting the vividness of the setting, the use of multiple perspectives, and the subtle depiction of how authority influences society.
Awards
The Bone Shard Daughter earned several accolades within the literary community, including nominations for the Goodreads Choice Awards in both Fantasy and Debut Novel categories (2020), the 2021 Compton Crook Award, as well as a BookNest Award recognizing Best Traditionally Published Novel (2020). Additionally, it was shortlisted among six contenders for the 2021 British Fantasy Award in the Best Fantasy Novel category.