I loved the idea of a spare heir who has to find the details of their sibling’s murder. And while I liked the story, the world building felt a bit flat in some areas. Keep reading this book review of Drown the Bones for my full thoughts.
Summary
As the younger twin, Merridan has never minded being the “spare” to the Rothian royal throne. She knows her brother, Von, will be an excellent king, and she’d rather devote her time to the Goddess, faithfully using her magic to send deceased spirits from the holy lake to the Afterworld.
When the unthinkable happens and her brother is murdered, she is certain their rival kingdom, Nova, is to blame. After all, they worship a false deity and use their magic to toy with necromancy. But when the Goddess halts the investigation of Von’s death, Merridan takes matters into her own hands, using a forbidden Novian ritual to speak to her brother’s ghost.
The last thing Merridan expects is to raise the wrong ghost. Now she’s bound to Phoenix Darragon, the arrogant crown prince of Nova—who was murdered the same night as Von. The prince makes Merridan a deal: if she takes his spirit to Nova to be resurrected, he will help her find her brother’s killer.
But uncovering the truth about the murderer means discovering Phoenix’s secrets, too. As the attraction between Merridan and the prince becomes undeniable and the threat of war builds, she must decide whether finding the truth is worth its cost if it means her beloved relationship with the Goddess is changed forever.
Review
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
My favorite element of leaving one’s faith. To realize that not all the things we have been told are true. It’s hard to question what we were taught, what we take to be true and solid, and realize that the foundation was always on the backs of other’s, on the trust of those with ulterior motives. Drown the Bones exists at this nexus and this is my favorite element. I did enjoy Drown the Bones, but the world building felt a bit one-dimensional in some elements. I enjoyed all the world building for Merridan and their kingdom, the idea of tying obedience, silence, and punishment. But it felt a bit too clear cut ‘good’ and ‘bad’ when compared to Phoenix.
Drown the Bones was still a satisfying read because I do love good necromancy magic. It was a very intriguing premise to look at how their different cultures approach death and these ritual. But I just wish we got a bit more depth in their kingdoms so it didn’t seem so clear cut. I also love a good murder mystery especially one exposing the rot of the gilded stairs. And her relationship with her brother was so cute! Overall, Drown the Bones explores the push and pull between justice and mercy, I just wish it had the space to be a bit more dimensional in some aspects.
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