The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon – review

http://www.theguardian.com/childrens-books-site/2015/feb/15/review-samantha-shannon-bone-season

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I have to admit that when I started this book, I was apprehensive as I was unsure whether I would like it; I was terribly but happily wrong. The Bone Season was one of the best books I've read in a long time; its characters were interesting and developed throughout, and I really enjoyed getting to know the setting and the world in which the clairvoyants lived.

The book is set in Scion London, a futuristic version of the capital city, where clairvoyance is considered a crime. Paige, the female protagonist, is one of the most talented clairvoyants in the city, and uses her talents in an underworld of unnatural crime, with a group of people called the syndicate. The story explores what happens when she finds herself separated from her group and thrown into a place she never knew existed.

I enjoyed learning what was going on as Paige did. Whilst at first it was sort of hard to keep up with what was going on as we are trying to learn what the world of Scion is and also keep track of what is happening to Paige, I didn't struggle after the first couple of chapters to settle into the plot and enjoy the story.The characters were so varied that you never got bored with what was going on. Shannon creates characters which aren't just 'good' and 'bad'; you can never quite be sure what you are dealing with, communicating the ambiguous feelings which Paige experiences whilst she lives in Sheol 1. I particularly enjoyed the character of Nick, as although he wasn't in the plot for long, he was written as such a likeable and supportive person that you can't help but admire him and understand Paige's feelings towards him easily.

In all honesty, I have never really had a great relationship with fantasy; I have always avoided the extra attention it takes to learn the setting and place yourself within a completely new world, but after this book I will certainly be looking for more to read. The sequel to The Bone Season, The Mime Order has recently been released and I know I will be diving straight back into this interesting and thought-provoking world; the unique action is something which I have never really experienced before, and I can't wait to read more.

• Buy this book at the Guardian Bookshop.

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