REVIEW| The Song Rising

The Song Rising (The Bone Season #3)
Samantha Shannon
⭐⭐⭐⭐

Add on Goodreads


DISCLAIMER: This review might contain spoilers for both The Bone Season and The Mime Order due to the nature of this being a third book in a series. 

Synopsis:

Following a bloody battle against foes on every side, Paige Mahoney has risen to the dangerous position of Underqueen, ruling over London's criminal population.

But, having turned her back on Jaxon Hall and with vengeful enemies still at large, the task of stabilizing the fractured underworld has never seemed so challenging.

Little does Paige know that her reign may be cut short by the introduction of Senshield, a deadly technology that spells doom for the clairvoyant community and the world as they know it . . .

Review

The Cover

Alternate cover for The Song Rising.

I said this before in my review for The Bone Season, but I prefer the old covers. Bold, graphic and unique. These were the covers that I would pick and go "Ooo..." and go through that experience of reading the blurb and the first chapter.

Perhaps a new audience will pick up these books for their blander appeal and will enjoy them, but these books need a cover that is just as unique as the story inside.

The Content

I spoke to Samantha Shannon on my thoughts on The Song Rising, when we crossed paths at a Laini Taylor signing in April. She told me of a sort-of-theory on her books: people who loved book one will tend to love book three, and is sure people who loved book two will love book four. 

Although that isn't a guarantee, it sure does get me excited. This book just didn't reach that expectation (and ending) to The Mime Order. No book has, however The Song Rising still remains a strong book of a septology, showing examples of great writing.

The first half felt weaker than the second half. It was grappling to get the momentum going, starting at the point where Paige has settled into her position of power, if only a little unstably. Once the first act was read and over and new characters were introduced, that is when it felt like I had my feet firmly back in the world of Scion and the pace picked up again. Which is why I hold of from giving it five stars. It didn't hit the ground running like I had thought it would have.

This book. and series, is emotion as much as it is plot. The degree to which Samantha Shannon can convey Paige's emotions, her triumphs, her drawbacks and have my full empathy and heart, is what keeps me coming back to this story. 

Last of all, I'm enjoying how with every book, Shannon expands the boundaries of her world. From, London and Oxford, to Manchester and Edinburgh, and other places I won't name out of pure spoilers for the end. These branches keep pushing out as Paige learns of the scale of threat that she must soon face. And let's just say- I'm totally (not) ready!