Review: The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon

Before it was even published, this debut novel by a twenty-one year old Oxford English graduate had been the talk of the literary world for over a year. Samantha Shannon has been dubbed ‘the new J.K Rowling’ by the press. The Bone Season, which is the first in an expected seven book series, has been compared to Harry Potter, The Hunger Games and His Dark Materials. As an avid fan of all of these books, as soon as I heard of The Bone Season, I could not wait to read it. I was curious to see if it would live up to the hype and how an English student the same age as me could land herself a six figure sum for her debut novel.

The novel opens in a dystopian London during 2059 with our narrator and heroine, nineteen year old Paige Mahoney. Paige is a clairvoyant who is forbidden to practice her art by the police state, known as Scion, which has controlled England for two hundred years. Yet, Paige does not comply with the rules of the state, and unbeknown to her father she is a member of a criminal syndicate of clairvoyants who are based in the Seven Dials, Covent Garden.

It is not long until Paige is discovered, captured and sent to the lost city of Oxford, which is now a penal colony called Sheol I. Here we learn that it is not Scion, but an ancient race called the Rephaim who are in control (very reminiscent of Doctor Who). Each decade the Rehpaites abduct elite clairvoyants, such as Paige, in Bone Seasons in order to train them up to fight off horrific flesh-eating creatures known as the Enim. Paige becomes slave to a Rephaite master, “Warden”, and although he is her natural enemy she shares an important bond with him, and must learn to trust him in order to regain her freedom.

As you can probably gather from my short synopsis, the plot is incredibly complex. History is rewritten and the future re-imagined. There are many unfamiliar terms, ideas and concepts to get your head around in just the first few pages. The novel includes a glossary at the back and a diagram of the Seven Orders of Clairvoyance at the beginning, both of which I found I had to keep referring to. Yet, despite my initial confusion I was drawn into Paige’s strange universe and felt compelled to read on to discover more.

Paige is an excellent heroine. She is feisty and strong, yet also displays a vulnerable side which ensures she remains human. She reminded me of Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games with her resilience and loyalty to her people. Even though Paige’s world is incredibly different to our own, I felt I could empathise with her universal struggles as a young woman, and this ability to relate to Paige ensured that her world did not feel too alien. From a feminist point of view, it is brilliant to see a strong female protagonist in science fiction, a genre historically dominated by men.

I found the character of Warden intriguing. The idea of the master-slave relationship is reminiscent of Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre (Bronte provides the novel’s epigraph).  However, I feel that this relationship is not fully explored. Right until the end, Warden is a mysterious character and it seems that Paige’s reliance on her master undermines her strength as an independent woman. Yet, The Bone Season is only the first novel; there are still six more books yet to come in which the characters can develop and relationships progress.

Upon finishing The Bone Season I was left with many questions.  Shannon ensures that her readers are hooked on the series, and I for one cannot wait until the second novel is published.  Yet, as much as I enjoyed The Bone Season, I would not describe it as the “next Harry Potter”. It does not appeal to as wide an audience as Harry Potter, and the complex plot may alienate some. That said I do envisage the series having a large and loyal fan base. If you are into science fiction or dystopian novels, I definitely recommend you read The Bone Season – you might just find your new favourite series!

                                         Shannon’s novel has also been adapted for the big screen[divider]