Bone Crier’s Moon is an entrancing fantasy novel written by a #1 New York Times Bestseller author, Kathryn Purdie. This book was first published in 2020 and won a Whitney Award for Best Young Adult Fantasy the same year.
In this article, I will go through some of the most frequently asked questions about the book. Any spoilers will be clearly marked.
What is Bone Crier’s Moon about?
The Bone Criers have a sacred duty to ferry the spirits of the dead into the afterlife. So, the gods demand a promise of dedication – all the Bone Criers must kill their one true love to complete their rite of passage.
A Bone Crier is responsible for the murder of Bastien’s father. Now Bastien seeks revenge.
Ailesse has prepared her whole life to become the next matriarch of the Bone Criers. When the time comes to complete her rite, hers and Bastien’s fates become intertwined.
Sabine has always been the careful and cautious one between the two best friends. For instance, she can’t bring herself to murder animals to collect her grace bones.
However, when Ailesse is taken captive, Sabine has to rise to the occasion to save her best friend’s fate. Sabine must break Ailesse and Bastien’s soul bond before it’s too late for all of them.
Is this book a standalone, duology, or series?
Bone Crier’s Moon is the first book in the Bone Grace duology.
The sequel – Bone Crier’s Dawn – came out in 2021 and picks up right where Bone Crier’s Moon left off.
Is Bone Crier’s Moon YA?
Yes, Bone Crier’s Moon is a young adult fantasy.
The book features a nice balance between dialogue and descriptive text. The language is nothing too complex which is very characteristic for a YA novel.
Consequently, I would highly recommend this book to those whose native language isn’t English but want to begin reading in English.
Is there a map in this novel?
Yes, there is a one-page map at the beginning of the book. The map features the surrounding isles and waters of Dovre, the kingdom in which Bone Crier’s Moon takes place. This map is pictured above!
Is Bone Crier’s Moon a romance or does it feature romance?
Yes! Bone Crier’s Moon has a heavy subplot of romance and has many fitting tropes. For instance, the soulmate trope is featured in this book, which is one of my personal favorites!
In any case, the romance is slow-burn but it is very sweet and heartfelt.
Is there a love triangle in this book?
No, there is not a love triangle in this book.
A mini spoiler warning – the story sort of sets up a love triangle, but it’s not a very prominent conflict and it’s very obvious to the readers who the main character ends up with.
Is Bone Crier’s Moon an enemies-to-lovers?
Yes, it is! Since Ailesse is a Bone Crier herself and Bastien hates them, as a result, this story is almost a textbook version of the trope.
The tension and banter between the two are just as satisfying to read about as the lovers of this particular trope have grown to expect.
Is this novel spicy?
No, Bone Crier’s Moon is not a spicy book. That is to say, it is a young adult novel, so there aren’t any mature scenes.
Does Bone Crier’s Moon have LGBTQ+ rep or characters?
No, Bone Crier’s Moon doesn’t have any LGBTQ+ representation.
Books similar to Bone Crier’s Moon
Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin – This book features enemies to lovers, a different magic system, a group of powerful and magic-wielding women whose ways are frowned upon, the similarities go on! If you liked these aspects in Bone Crier’s Moon, definitely check out this book.
The Bone Shard Daughter by Andrea Stewart – If you particularly enjoyed the magic system and the badass female heroine in Bone Crier’s Moon, check out this story for even more bone-related magic.
The Merciful Crow by Margaret Owen – This book has an epic adventure (with romance sprinkled in as well) and bone-related magic as well. This is also a duology if you enjoy that length for a series.
All the Stars and Teeth by Adalyn Grace – This is another story featuring bone magic, but also several other kinds! The main characters head out for an adventure with romance, magic, and danger. While this book does take place at sea and has pirates as well as mermaids and such, it is fun, quick, and easy to get through.
Characters
There are a few important characters in Bone Crier’s Moon. Below, you can find some info on some of them. Character descriptions will be spoiler-free.
Ailesse
Ailesse is the daughter of the Bone Criers’ matron, Odiva.
Since she will be taking the mantle next, she wants to prove herself to everyone around her as well as herself.
Ailesse is a good friend to Sabine and loyal to her family as well. She is quite adventurous and ambitious, which furthermore pushes her to do well and make the other Bone Criers proud.
Bastien
Bastien’s father was murdered when he was just a child. They were very close, so it’s no wonder that Bastien is so keen on getting his revenge.
The thoughts of getting back at the people who are responsible for his father’s death have been plaguing him all of his life.
After being left an orphan, Bastien has been living on the streets of Dovre as a thief.
Despite his rough life, Bastien continues to have a snarky sense of humor while still being compassionate and sensitive underneath the surface.
Sabine
Sabine is a fellow Bone Crier and a life-long best friend of Ailesse’s.
She is very kind and has a big heart.
Sabine is in fact the only Bone Crier who has a hard time killing animals. All Bone Criers must collect three grace bones from animals to attain their powers and to go through the rite of passage. Sabine only has one, the skull of a fire salamander, and she still feels queasy about murdering such a small animal.
After Ailesse goes missing, Sabine feels as if she’s the only one willing to do something about it and has to gather the courage to leave their beloved home to find her friend.
Jules
Jules is a friend of Bastien’s. She is a serious and hard-working woman who is wary of all things new.
She is supportive of Bastien’s need to take revenge and wants to see him go through with it.
When things go down a different route, Jules is not happy when Ailesse enters the picture.
Jules is very cautious and protective of herself and her friends. She feels like she has to keep her guard up at all times.
Marcel
Marcel is another friend of Bastien’s and Jules’s little brother. Together, Bastien, Jules, and Marcel try to navigate their way through life.
Marcel is kind of a nerd and wants to learn a lot about life. He is smart, curious, and resourceful.
He always manages to be cheery and happy. Marcel is truly a pleasure to read about throughout the book.
How does Bone Crier’s Moon end?
[SPOILERS]
This section is a summary of the last three chapters of the book.
Chapter 53
After Odiva jumps into Tyrus’s Gate, it disappears.
Sabine is devastated since she only just learned that Odiva is her mother too.
Sabine still holds the knife to Casimir’s neck. Ailesse asks Sabine to take him away. Ailesse explains that Odiva killed Bastien because she learned that he wasn’t Ailesse’s amouré.
Sabine tells her how Odiva told her that Ailesse was dead. Ailesse says she’s sorry. Sabine then tells her that they’re sisters. But Ailesse isn’t relieved. Instead, she’s more distraught.
Then she hears Bastien move and rushes to him. In the process, she falls since the bridge beneath her crumbles away.
Sabine rushes to her aid, letting Casimir go. Another piece of bridge falls and hits Ailesse’s leg, drawing blood.
Casimir yanks away the pouch containing Ailesse’s grace bones from Sabine. His soldiers enter the cave and he says to arrest Sabine.
After a fierce battle, Ailesse is taken away by Casimir and his men. Sabine is still held by one of the guards. Then the silver owl comes to her aid and Sabine remembers that she doesn’t need her grace bones to be strong and to try her best.
Chapter 54
The scene cuts to Ailesse waking up. She tries to stand up but her leg hurts too much. Casimir enters the room and tells her they’re in Beau Palais and that he’s the prince.
Ailesse asks about Sabine, and Casimir says that she escaped. Casimir then asks Ailesse about their magic and asks her to give him a chance.
She promises him to stay. However, Ailesse thinks to herself that she’ll leave as soon as her leg is healed, and she will find a way to sever their soul bond.
Chapter 55
The scene then changes to Bastien getting his wound stitched up by Birdine. Marcel comes back with food, knocking with his secret code on the door. Jules and Bastien then talk about Ailesse and how they will rescue her.
Marcel’s code comes from the door again. It is Sabine. She tells them how Casimir has abducted Ailesse. She then says that she has come to ask for Bastien’s help.
[SPOILERS END]
If you made it to the end of this article, thank you so much for reading! Please leave a comment below if you have any questions or opinions about this book.
