It takes a lot for me to dislike a book. Not to say that I didn't like this book, but the majority of the backstory is pretty much a repeat of "Memoirs of a Geisha". Without discussing the differences (yet), here are the similarities I noticed:
*a young girl being "adopted" into a house
*an older, stern "mother" who doesn't think said girl has *potential, also a financial guru
*young girl needs to earn her keep by doing chores
*young girl will debut at some point
*young girl will go to "school" and learn the arts of her trade
*young girl provided a wardrobe specific to her, which she will pay back once she earns money
*will eventually "buy" her freedom once she pays back her house
*even the main dance (you all remember that scene, right?) is in this book!

If you've read/watched "Memoirs of a Geisha" that sounds familiar, right? That is why I was particularly disappointed with the backstory details. It is for this reason alone that "The Bone Witch" deserves a 3 star rating.

For the FULL review please visit:
https://quitterstrip.wordpress.com/2016/12/30/do-not-let-the-prejudices-of-a-few-people/

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This is a tale of witches, curses and necromancy beginning an interesting dark fantasy trilogy. Key character is Tea, a young woman of a family of witches. Her sisters have talents of mundane areas like fire, forest, water and wind. But Tea's unknown talent puzzles not only herself but all around her. She is a necromancer, one who can raise the dead which she discovers when she wakes her brother, Fox, in his coffin. People of the community fear those with this talent so an older wiser bone witch named Mykaela takes Tea and her brother elsewhere to train. Mykaela is an outstanding teacher who becomes a mother figure for Tea while Tea becomes an asha (master of her talent). Ashas, she finds, manage elemental magic.

Bone witches, for that's what Tea is, are rare and the training is long and marked by danger. However, as a bone witch she can destroy the resurrected monsters who could destroy all she knows. With the coming of Daeva or demons, Tea must overcome many obstacles. Her bond with her brother is so close that they make an unbeatable team as they face danger. A character known as the False Prince creates Daeva with death magic, demons that come to life periodically. Bone witches can defeat the demons. However, because monsters are created with death magic, bone witches are likewise feared.

In Tea's world people wear heartglasses. While heartglasses have a dominant color, they do reflect how people feel: green = sickly; blue = worry; orange = disinterest; yellow = fear; red = healthy and happy; pink = romantic; black = punishment; silver = can draw runes and fight. Silver heartglasses are key to survival. Tea wears a silver heartglass but one must never lose or give up a heartglass or disaster will strike.

Don't miss this fascinating and creative tale. It's so very good.

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