The Biased Bibliophile‘s Spoiler-Free Review of Sofi and the Bone Song
Publication: 19 April 2022
Series: Standalone
Genre: YA Fantasy, High Fantasy
Pages: 416
Rating: 4.5 Stars
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Blurb
In this gorgeous standalone fantasy with a “sweet sapphic romance” ( Booklist ), a young musician sets out to expose her rival for illegal use of magic only to discover the deception goes deeper than she could have imagined—perfect for fans of An Enchantment of Ravens !
Music runs in Sofi’s blood.
Her father is a Musik, one of only five musicians in the country licensed to compose and perform original songs. In the kingdom of Aell, where winter is endless and magic is accessible to all, there are strict anti-magic laws ensuring music remains the last untouched art.
Sofi has spent her entire life training to inherit her father’s title. But on the day of the auditions, she is presented with unexpected competition in the form of Lara, a girl who has never before played the lute. Yet somehow, to Sofi’s horror, Lara puts on a performance that thoroughly enchants the judges.
Almost like magic.
The same day Lara wins the title of Musik, Sofi’s father dies, and a grieving Sofi sets out to prove Lara is using illegal magic in her performances. But the more time she spends with Lara, the more Sofi begins to doubt everything she knows about her family, her music, and the girl she thought was her enemy.
As Sofi works to reclaim her rightful place as a Musik, she is forced to face the dark secrets of her past and the magic she was trained to avoid—all while trying not to fall for the girl who stole her future.
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Review of Sofi and the Bone Song
I listened to and thoroughly enjoyed the audiobook of Sofi and the Bone Song by Adrienne Tooley. The premise behind the story immediately drew me in. The worldbuilding in the novel was fantastic, and I loved how music was an intricate part of life in the world Tooley created, especially for the protagonist.
Similarly, Sofi’s character development was phenomenal. I typically don’t read many books with child abuse or toxic relationships, but I appreciated that it helped explain Sofi’s behavior but didn’t take over the entire story. The way Sofi was able to form new, healthier relationships was heartwarming.
Additionally, there was queer representation in the novel, which is always a great addition! Both Sofi and some supporting characters were LGBTQIA+, and the fact that queerness is normalized in the world is wonderful.
Finally, I thought the ending was very satisfying. I won’t give anything away, but everything that happened felt right. This book is a great standalone novel that will take you on an epic adventure and leave you content at the end!
