It is the year 2059. Several major world cities are under the control of a security force called Scion. Paige Mahoney works in the criminal underworld of Scion London, part of a secret cell known as the Seven Seals. The work she does is unusual: scouting for information by breaking into others’ minds. Paige is a dreamwalker, a rare kind of clairvoyant, and in this world, the voyants commit treason simply by breathing.
But when Paige is captured and arrested, she encounters a power more sinister even than Scion. The voyant prison is a separate city—Oxford, erased from the map two centuries ago and now controlled by a powerful, otherworldly race. These creatures, the Rephaim, value the voyants highly—as soldiers in their army.
Paige is assigned to a Rephaite keeper, Warden, who will be in charge of her care and training. He is her master. Her natural enemy. But if she wants to regain her freedom, Paige will have to learn something of his mind and his own mysterious motives.
I found the blurb of this book to be very confusing as to the plot. The concept is actually more simplistic than that. At some point, many people become Clairvoyant and in many different ways can communicate with the Aether (or the spirit world shall we say) this increased activity causes a tear to other worlds allowing 2 kinds of being through. The Rephs, who "protect humans" by kidnapping the clairvoyants and using them as slaves and soldiers and The Buzzers who The Rephs fight off.
This concept confused me as we were thrown straight into the world and rest assured this is high fantasy, but once I found my bearings, I moved through the world easily. Paige is a Celaena Sardothien comparison worthy protagonist. She works for the Mob (Seven Seals) and is basically kept alive on life support so her spirit can wander the Aether and keep lookout during jobs. I mean awesome right, but then after she kills an underguard she is kidnapped by Reds (The soldiers of The Rephs) and taken to Oxford where she has to embark on two tasks to become a Red or fail and live in the slave city in squalor. Of course Nashira the leader of The Reph's is corrupt and plans to steal Paige's power - Dreamwalking as they call it is very rare.
This book is everything you want it to be. The love story with Nick was so heartbreaking because even though he was older I was still rooting for them, and then knowing he loved Zeke was not only a shock plot twist but also bittersweet. I wanted to Nick to be happy, he was into guys, I had no idea but then he was confiding this in a girl who'd loved him since she was 9 years old. I mean ouch! Then we have Warden, I hated him, I hated him so much at first and slowly as Paige's opinion changed so did mine, I didn't want to like him and find him endearing but I did, and man that kiss. That is my all time favourite book kiss ever! And she was stood watching them the creepy devil! This romantic part is probably about 50 pages of the 500 page book all in all.
This book really had some beautiful themes of slavery, unity and freedom. It ends like you feel a book should not with a fizzle but with a bang. With books like these, you expect a battle, an ass kicking, exploding stage, characters you love dying battle. And my god Shannon delivered, it is such a strong ending. And it just left me wanting more.
I may have already pre-ordered the next book.
I did do my fair share of complaining about how long this book is. I do feel it could be more concise because sometimes we aare literally listening to Paige think and in retrospect, the things she was thinking doesn't seem that relevant, but maybe it will be in future books, who knows. Also great news...this is a 6 part series! I mean, JACKPOT!
This is a stunning debut and the cover and hardback are beautiful and the story is enthralling, I kept trying to put it down but just kept grabbing it back up again. It was genius, much love for The Bone Season!
Happy Reading!
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