Format: Hardcover, 480 pages
Release Date: March 3, 2020
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Source: Publisher
Genre: Young Adult / Fantasy
Bone Criers have a sacred duty. They alone can keep the dead from preying on the living. But their power to ferry the spirits of the dead into goddess Elara’s Night Heavens or Tyrus’s Underworld comes from sacrifice. The gods demand a promise of dedication. And that promise comes at the cost of the Bone Criers’ one true love.
Ailesse has been prepared since birth to become the matriarch of the Bone Criers, a mysterious famille of women who use strengths drawn from animal bones to ferry dead souls. But first she must complete her rite of passage and kill the boy she’s also destined to love.
Bastien’s father was slain by a Bone Crier and he’s been seeking revenge ever since. Yet when he finally captures one, his vengeance will have to wait. Ailesse’s ritual has begun and now their fates are entwined—in life and in death.
Sabine has never had the stomach for the Bone Criers’ work. But when her best friend Ailesse is taken captive, Sabine will do whatever it takes to save her, even if it means defying their traditions—and their matriarch—to break the bond between Ailesse and Bastien. Before they all die.
Bone Crier's Moon is the first installment in author Kathryn Purdie's Bone Grace duology. Bone Criers are the last descendants of an ancient famille charged with shepherding the dead into the afterlife. The afterlife is separated by darkness (Tyrus) and light (Elara). But, there's part of the job that's pretty disgraceful. The women must kill the men who answer the call of their siren songs. These men aren't random unfortunate souls, they're amourés, a predestined soulmate. After they call their amouré with the bone flute, they are linked by the ritual and will both die in a year if they don't kill him first.
But, without the Ferriers, the dead would wander the land of the living. Ferrier's are completely composed of women who draw their extrasensory powers and physical strength from the animals they hunt and kill. The book is narrated by three characters: Sabine, Ailesse, and Bastien. 8 years ago, Bastien watched as his father was killed by a Bone Crier. He was told to believe every story that you hear about the Legend of the Bone Criers. Bastion, along with his friends Jules & Marcel, has sworn to find and hunt down the women in white so no other child loses their father.
17-year old Ailesse, daughter of Odiva, was born to hunt. Her mother Odiva, is the greatest Leuress huntress. Ailesse has been prepared since birth to become the matriarch of the Bone Criers, but first she must complete her rite of passage and kill her soulmate. Every Leurress must obtain (3) grace bones to become a Ferrier of the dead. The purpose of the bones are to be a strong enough fighter to "ferry" the chained and unchained souls to their final destination. The final passage is to kill a human male who is her amouré. When her ritual goes awry, she’s kidnapped by Bastien, leaving the spirits of the dead trapped and restless. Unbeknownst to Bastien, he is literally tied to her life precluding his ability of killing her and surviving.
16-year old Sabine is a bone carver with no desire for killing. She's only been able to force herself to kill one of the three animals required before she's able to have her rite of passage. The paltry salamander bone she killed for its graces (quick healing) still weighs heavily on her conscience. She's equally loyal to Ailesse and puts her needs in front of her own on numerous occasions. Sabine bears witnesses to what happens on Castelpont Bridge and vows to do whatever it takes to save her, even if it means defying Odiva to break the bond between Ailesse and Bastien before they both die. Sabine ends up doing things that she wouldn't normally do, including finding bones powerful enough to fight back against Bastien, Marcel and Jules who have prepared for years to gain revenge on the women who took their father's away.
One of the most predictable storylines is the Soulmates who are destined for death and go from enemies to lovers and then to make things even more diabolical, the author jumps in with yet another final twist and dagger straight for your heart. While Sabine, Bastien, & Ailesse are the main characters, it would behoove you to pay attention of Jule and especially Marcel who is the brilliant researcher who knows a lot about the Bone Crier's and then learns even more from Ailesse. I would also tell you to pay close attention to the machinations of Odiva and her stunning announcement that changes things for one character in particular.
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