Alexandra Bracken, Silver in the bone (Silver in the bone #1), Hachette Children’s Books, April 2023, 576 pp., RRP $24.99 (pbk), ISBN 9781786541727
I must admit, when I first read the blurb for this YA fantasy I thought ‘Not another fantasy book about a quest for a ring’. Hasn’t it all been said before? However, I quickly found myself totally immersed in the world that Bracken has created. A contemporary world that lives alongside a magical world populated by Hollowers, who, for a price, break into the crypts of sorceresses looking for ancient treasures. Tamsin and Cabell Lark are Hollowers, raised by Nash their guardian, who is a Fagan-like figure. Nash is not a particularly kind man and teaches Tamsin that ‘in life, people only looked out for themselves, and to survive, you had to do the same’. After Nash disappeared seven years ago, Tamsin and Cabell have fended for themselves, relying on each other and nobody else.
But Cabell has been cursed and turns into a monstrous beast when fearful or stressed. It is the hope of finding a cure for this curse that sends Tamsin on a quest to find the ring from Arthurian legend: a ring that could release her brother from his curse. But she is not alone in the search for the powerful ring and finds herself allied with her rival Emrys. Against her better judgement, she finds herself starting to fall for him.
I love how Bracken mines the legend surrounding King Arthur and his knights but manages to put her own spin on these stories that we think we know so well. I also love her many references to libraries; she’s obviously a fan. Tamsin goes to the guild library, which was quiet, save for the crackle of the fire in the old stone hearth and the whisper of the books tucking themselves back into place on the shelves – what a wonderful visual! At another time, Tamsin thinks to herself, A library was a home to those who dreamt of better places – all library lovers will agree with this sentiment.
I know that Bracken has included many of the tropes that we have come to expect from this genre, including the obligatory attraction between enemies. However, she knows what she’s doing, and has written a book that feels fresh and certainly kept this particular reader turning the pages well after their bedtime!
For some extra fun, for those of us who actually look at the small print on the Copyright Page, there is an added entry:
Or, in the words of the Sistren:
Any thief who dares to steal this book will find it’s not the only thing they took. A curse shall fall upon their wicked eye, ensuring that their love of reading die. May every page appear as blank as snow as they suffer in eternal woe.
This is Book 1, which ends on a cliff-hanger. I can’t wait for the story to continue.
The publisher provides no guideline for recommended reading age, but I think it’s suitable for readers aged 12 years and above.
Highly recommended.
Reviewed by Gaby Meares
