The Boneless Mercies [September 5, 2020]

[Niki Hawkes, I made it past GOTM... barely]

This is a Buddy Read for The Boneless Mercies by April Genevieve Tucholke starting September 5, 2020.


(this one looks good! -Niki)

[Charlie]

Excited!

[Siobhan]

Thanks Niki!! ☺️

[Charlie]

Chapter 1

(view spoiler)[ That was a creepy start but very atmospheric. It definitely hooked me. I think I'm going to like this a lot! (hide spoiler)]

[Siobhan]

Charlie wrote: "Chapter 1

[spoilers removed]"

Yes a very good start!

I'm through chapter 5 now, (view spoiler)[ and I'm really liking the premise and the little band of characters. Runa is very dramatic and feisty!

There's a lot of information being dropped on races and professions/groups, struggling to take it all in. We've got Sea Witches and Quicks and Gothi nuns and so on. Not sure what all of these groups are/do. (hide spoiler)]

[Siobhan]

I love the pseudo-norse / Viking style places and names. I wish there were a map so I could see it all, there's so many places mentioned I'm struggling to picture it all! I bet a map of this world would be gorgeous!

[Charlie]

Up to chapter five too (view spoiler)[ I really like all the characters too.

I do feel like there's been lots of info dumping about the world. It's done as part of the story but since everything moves so quickly it seems like we've got a lot of info very fast.

All the different races and people are a mystery and I'd like to learn more in the future.

Sea witches sound fun though! (hide spoiler)]

[Charlie]

Ooh yes I think a map would be amazing!

[Siobhan]

Chapter 14 - (view spoiler)[ I wonder if Elan is really evil like her reputation, or if the Sea Witches are really just as bad, and want Frey to kill her before she exposes them. It's disgusting that they draw girls to them to die in the thorns and then be sacrificed to the sea! The Cut Queen isn't doing anything worse or even as bad as that.
They have ended up in the middle of a Witch war and I don't know if they're on the right side! Probably shouldn't be on any side! (hide spoiler)]

[Charlie]

7 chapters in (view spoiler)[ so the book is about Boneless Mercies who quit being Mercies. I'm disappointed about that. I thought the concept of Boneless Mercies sounded really cool. I would have liked a story about these girls doing Mercy killings I think.

Still, I'm enjoying it. They're about to go on a big adventure. Though how four young women with no training in fighting or weapons hope to defeat a monster of unknown origin is still to be seen. (hide spoiler)]

[Charlie]

9 chapters in (view spoiler)[ well that was exciting! They just escaped death and now they've found the Witches. (hide spoiler)]

[Siobhan]

Charlie wrote: "7 chapters in .."

I was thinking that too Charlie!

(view spoiler)[ I was really interested in their trade of being Mercies! Surely there's an interesting story to be had in that!

Going off after a monster with no training seems a bit more generic. But like you say, it's still an adventure. I'm assuming they'll all just be naturally brilliant with weapons... 🙄 (hide spoiler)]

[Charlie]

Siobhan wrote: "Charlie wrote: "7 chapters in .."

I was thinking that too Charlie!



Lol you called it! One of them is (very conveniently) (view spoiler)[ an expert archer. (hide spoiler)]

[Siobhan]

Chapter 16 (view spoiler)[ So the witch war is over - the Mercies (who as predicted are naturals with weapons) have killed all the Willows! Defo saved the Sea Witches a job.

This chapter was a bit weird for me. The healer knowing that they were going to fight a beast without anyone telling her, felt awkward and slotted in to remind us of the story. And her asking Trigve to share her bed, felt forced just to show how cool Frey is with their undefined relationship...

I don't mean to complain, it's been pretty good so far, just a bit awkward and simple at times. I genuinely think there could have been an awesome story about actually being Mercies. (hide spoiler)]

[Siobhan]

Charlie wrote: "Siobhan wrote: "Charlie wrote: "7 chapters in .."

I was thinking that too Charlie!



Lol you called it! One of them is (very conveniently) [spoilers removed]"

Hahaha oh yes!! Runa. Little details like that take me right out of stories, don't know about you!

[Charlie]

11 chapters in (view spoiler)[ it's all just a little too convenient. The witches just happened to dream that the monster had a weak spot on its head. Also the witches are going to change their ways after thousands of years and take in outsiders because a random girl tells them to. It kind of snacks of lazy writing to me. The dialogue is a bit juvenile too. I feel like this could have been amazing, the premise is awesome, but so far I'm a little underwhelmed. (hide spoiler)]

[Siobhan]

Charlie wrote: "11 chapters in [spoilers removed]"

I'm so glad to hear you say that, I was worried I was just being picky! :( I'm kinda disappointed by the writing! It is lazy and convenient. I feel let down. :(

[Siobhan]

It feels like middle grade instead of YA, like only little children would buy this story.

[Siobhan]

I finished! (view spoiler)[ You might have already seen my review. But I'm a bit sad that the whole thing was so convenient and easy. Yes Runa died, but they still killed the giant beast that 100s of trained soldiers couldn't... 🙈 I really wanted them to fail lol. To have some semblance of reality.
Also, what was with her sleeping with Roth? They made it seem like her and Trigve were an item from the start, then decided nah theyre both just gonna sleep around because that's so empowering #feminism 🙄 I just found it annoying. Decide what you fucking are to each other. (hide spoiler)]

[Charlie]

I agree, I was also thinking it was feeling MG// the younger side of YA. It started out so well and had such promise so I'm really disappointed.

[Siobhan]

Charlie wrote: "I agree, I was also thinking it was feeling MG// the younger side of YA. It started out so well and had such promise so I'm really disappointed."

We win some we lose some! :(
It's not awful, just not as good as we hoped.

[Charlie]

Siobhan wrote: "Chapter 16 e...."

Yeah I agree with all of this, it's an enjoyable little read but it has so much potential it's not living up to.

I've just finished chapter 19 (view spoiler)[ yeah the healer asking Frey's clearly boyfriend yet not boyfriend to sleep with her in exchange for learning to heal was weird.

The thing with the cut queen was so rushed, like everything in this book. We just meet her, they girls are there a few pages and now she's dead. That storyline alone was really cool and could have been great. (hide spoiler)]

[Siobhan]

Charlie wrote: "Siobhan wrote: "Chapter 16 e...."

Yeah I agree with all of this, it's an enjoyable little read but it has so much potential it's not living up to.

I've just finished chapter 19 yeah the healer ..."

Totally! It was so rushed. Could have done with a lot more development.

[Charlie]

Siobhan wrote: "I finished!.."


Finished! (view spoiler)[ I agree with all your comments! Totally not realistic that a few untrained girls managed to defeat the giant. I also think that the giants story was just slotted in at the end. That could have been done better.

Good ending, enjoyed it, 3.5 stars I reckon. The concept was excellent, the writing was rushed and juvenile. I would really recommend it to the 14-16 age group. (hide spoiler)]

[Siobhan]

Charlie wrote: "Siobhan wrote: "I finished! You ..."

Yeah definitely recommend to a younger reader moreso. Oh well, we tried!!

Oh you've unhidden my spoiler by the way, best edit just in case anyone else who wants to read it gets spoiled. :)

[Charlie]

Thanks will do!

[Charlie]

And I didn't hate it, it wasn't terrible. I've just read so many genuine amazing books that this couldn't compare.

[Siobhan]

Yeah exactly!!