The Boneless Mercies
Author: April Genevieve Tucholke
Published by: Simon & Schuster
Pages: 341
Format: Paperback
My Rating ★★★★
This is a story of Mercies and witches, of reeds and thorns, of women and giants.
Frey, Ovie, Juniper, and Runa are Boneless Mercies – death-traders, hired to kill quickly, quietly and mercifully. It is a job for women, and women only. Men will not do this sad, dark work.
Frey has no family, no home, no fortune, and yet her blood sings a song of glory.
So when she hears of a monster slaughtering men, women and children in a northern jarldom, she decides this is the Mercies’ one chance to change their fate.
But glory comes at a price…
My thoughts:
The Boneless Mercies is the story of four women looking for a future in a world in which they’re forced to wander as outcasts.
I felt this book was beautifully written and atmospheric. It has the kind of writing that really draws you in and allows you to feel the wind on your face and the snow under your feet within this this wonderful magical world. Tucholke does a really good job in setting up this fantasy world, and giving it enough depth to really come to life on the page.
Whilst reading, it is easy to feel as though you’re getting lost in the marshes too, wandering in the mist with the main characters as they journey onwards to seek a fresh start.
The premise kept me gripped, but truly it was probably the characters that stood out to me most. It was refreshing to read a fantasy like this that really focused on friendships. Typically in YA fiction, a predictable romance almost always ends up overshadowing the friendships, but here it simply wasn’t needed. The friendships felt believable and I liked how loyal the Mercies were to one another, even in the hardest situations. The characters shared a clear bond and demonstrated their affection in subtle actions and through kindness. This portrayal of friendship felt very understated and realistic, which made for a much more absorbing read.
The Boneless Mercies is not a story about defeating a beast and falling in love in the process. It’s a story about looking for your place in a cruel, changing world, and surviving through the uncertainty of it all. I really enjoyed all of the fantasy elements within the story, and felt the backstories of the Sea witches and the Cut-Queen were particularly intriguing and fun to read about. I’d recommend this one highly to fans of fantasy writers such as Leigh Bardugo, Alexandra Christo and Holly Black. A lively and enjoyable fiction to kick off my reading for 2019!
Overall reaction:
Published by: Simon & Schuster
Pages: 341
Format: Paperback
My Rating ★★★★
This is a story of Mercies and witches, of reeds and thorns, of women and giants.
Frey, Ovie, Juniper, and Runa are Boneless Mercies – death-traders, hired to kill quickly, quietly and mercifully. It is a job for women, and women only. Men will not do this sad, dark work.
Frey has no family, no home, no fortune, and yet her blood sings a song of glory.
So when she hears of a monster slaughtering men, women and children in a northern jarldom, she decides this is the Mercies’ one chance to change their fate.
But glory comes at a price…
My thoughts:
The Boneless Mercies is the story of four women looking for a future in a world in which they’re forced to wander as outcasts.
I felt this book was beautifully written and atmospheric. It has the kind of writing that really draws you in and allows you to feel the wind on your face and the snow under your feet within this this wonderful magical world. Tucholke does a really good job in setting up this fantasy world, and giving it enough depth to really come to life on the page.
Whilst reading, it is easy to feel as though you’re getting lost in the marshes too, wandering in the mist with the main characters as they journey onwards to seek a fresh start.
The premise kept me gripped, but truly it was probably the characters that stood out to me most. It was refreshing to read a fantasy like this that really focused on friendships. Typically in YA fiction, a predictable romance almost always ends up overshadowing the friendships, but here it simply wasn’t needed. The friendships felt believable and I liked how loyal the Mercies were to one another, even in the hardest situations. The characters shared a clear bond and demonstrated their affection in subtle actions and through kindness. This portrayal of friendship felt very understated and realistic, which made for a much more absorbing read.
The Boneless Mercies is not a story about defeating a beast and falling in love in the process. It’s a story about looking for your place in a cruel, changing world, and surviving through the uncertainty of it all. I really enjoyed all of the fantasy elements within the story, and felt the backstories of the Sea witches and the Cut-Queen were particularly intriguing and fun to read about. I’d recommend this one highly to fans of fantasy writers such as Leigh Bardugo, Alexandra Christo and Holly Black. A lively and enjoyable fiction to kick off my reading for 2019!
Overall reaction:
