Houston's writing is fantastic. At the sentence level, it's well-paced and compelling - to the point where it took me a long time to notice that... Not much happened. I enjoyed the little glimpses of Slavic folklore with the various creatures, but there isn't any real tension apart from Kada's apparent paranoia. Secha doesn't seem to care or notice how much her mother agonizes. And Inog is just kind of... There. I appreciated the queer representation (and the casual mention of "I guess you could marry her if you want" as though hinting that same-sex marriage is acceptable in this fictional history).

All in all it felt kind of scattered. I wanted a more clear direction and a more focused build-up to something

I was provided an ARC of this book by NetGalley and Angry Robot in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

In all honesty, this book just wasn't for me. At several points throughout the story the only thing that kept me from DNFing was the fact that I got to read it for free in exchange for a review. It took me quite a long time to get through as it felt more like a chore than anything else. I fully expected to give this two stars, but the story finally picked up the pace and stakes in the last 100 pages and those were genuinely good enough to warrant a third star.

The good:
It is a solid story of what it means to be a mother, what one is willing to sacrifice. Slavic folklore is very interesting and this book might introduce new readers to it.

The bad:
It is VERY slow. Hardly anything happens by the time we hit the 60% mark. The prose didn't sit well with me. A Slav myself, I at felt like I was reading more or less literal translations from a Slavic language, at others it just did not feel natural at all. Granted, this might be the fault of the English language for being significantly blander than Slavic languages and not the author's, but it still was a cumbersome read at times.

It didn’t expect this book to almost make me cry.

The draw of the novel obviously is the focus on motherhood and the strong feelings a mother has for her child, which is a theme I absolutely need more of in (fantasy) literature. I loved that the plot pushes the two mothers in opposition to one another but does that with such a complexity where I felt strongly for both, rooted for both, but still didn’t like everything each of them did. It is a mostly quiet, character focused story – my favorite kind – made even more special by how magical the world felt. Woven from Slavic folklore, it has this very familiar medieval feel but with unique details added into the mix, creating a special kind of atmosphere.

While some of the tertiary characters can be a bit cliché, there was one side character that I pretty much thought I knew his role in the plot at the beginning of the book, who then totally surprised me and kinda became my favorite, making him grow on me simultaneously as he grows on another character.

I loved my experience reading this book and I absolutely want to read more by the author and wonder if – maybe in a longer book – she could pull of some mastery of character writing.

This book is most definitely different from the books I have read. I loved how the author stayed true to the culture and heritage of the witch and folklore. The story did not stray from the time period with inserts of modern cursing and frustrations. Names and explanations were given at the end of the book. If you love a good witchy story with multiple third person POVs, love for your children, found family and creatures, this is the book for you.

There were a couple of things I couldn’t grasp sometimes. Mostly, it was hard to relate with the main FMCs and I wanted to so much. That might have been my fault. However, if you like what this book is strong in and the other listed tropes it contains, this is a read for you. Thank you Netgalley and Angry Robot for the advanced chance to read.

This book hurts. As a mother, it hurts. I loved it. But man.


There is Slavic folklore in this. Essentially two mothers will do whatever it takes to keep their child safe, even if it means they have to betray the other. And honestly, same.

This is not a happy story for one.

Book Review 📚
The Bone Roots by Gabriela Houston - 4/5 ⭐

I was somewhat worried when I first started this book, simply because I thought I wouldn't be able to keep hold of the information given about Slavic folklore. But, Houston made it possible to not only read it easily but retain the information and refer back to certain pieces of it.

There are multiple POVs which I will always love, it always deepens the thoughts with each and every character and it's known what they are thinking rather than assuming. The amount Houston clearly puts into this book is truly phenomenal. There's description, characters and world building that is beautifully done throughout the entirety.

Although there isn't much of a plot to the book, the multiple POVs and characters keep it interesting. It's definitely a slow burn for the first half but it's worth seeing it through as the second half of the book picks up massively!

Thank you to NetGalley and Angry Robot for allowing me to read this ARC - this is an HONEST review from my own personal opinion.

The fact that this was a book based on Slavic folklore was what made me decide to give it a try. I'm not familiar with Slavic mythology and wanted to read more about it. The author is of Polish descent so there were a lot of Polish terms. I was a bit worried, but I was able to pick up pretty quickly what they meant, mostly due to the context in which they were used.

The pacing in the beginning was annoyingly slow. Honestly, that, combined with the different POVs without any idea what was linking them, made me nearly stop reading it. However, it did get exciting a bit nearer to the end.

This book takes a look at how far a mother would go for their own. I was surprised at how much Kada was willing to do just to protect herself and her child.

I found the ending to be a bit rushed. However, the story was overall a great read.

Thank you to Angry Robot for the opportunity to review this book!

Let me tell you one thing -- it feels so GODDAMN GOOD to be reading a Slavic-inspired fantasy that doesn't make me cringe with the level of creative liberties (generously put) or appalling ignorance (realistically put) that seems to accompany the genre. I don't know what kind of cursed tradition of romanticising Slavic women and/or fairy tales to curse with that one, but the trauma is real enough to approach each new voice with caution, trying not to let the hopes go up too much.

I have good news for you - Naomi Novik is not the only person who is free of that curse. Gabriela Houston's book is different from Novik's, absolutely, but there is an authenticity to them that allows me to exhale, relieved, that we won't be seeing butchered names and stupid sexy barns on chicken legs or anything of the sort here.

The plot is not the book's strength; it is more interested in character portraits and introspective, and permeated with the theme of motherhood and privilege. If you are into this kind of things, The Bone Roots will be very gratifying to read. If you are more into sexy sexy immortal Koshcheys romancing people with hopelessly mangled patronymics - I mean, good for you, but that's not the book for it.

Thank you #NetGalley for an ARC of #TheBoneRoots.

Based on Slavic folklore this is a gentle paced story of mothers and children with fantasy twist. Thank you to #netgalley and publisher for an advance copy

"The Bone Roots" by Gabriela Houston is a novel that embarks on a journey to test the depth of a mother's love and devotion, all set against the backdrop of Slavic folklore.
The book starts off a bit slow in the first half. However, the story gains momentum as it progresses, building up tension and intrigue towards the end.
The book immerses readers in the world of Slavic folklore.. The writer does not shy away from the darker and more unsettling aspects of these tales, which adds depth and complexity to the narrative.
In summary, "The Bone Roots" provides an exploration of maternal love and the depths to which it can drive individuals, all set against the backdrop of Slavic folklore. While the pacing may test the patience of some readers, the story's atmospheric elements and character depth make it an interesting choice for those intrigued by folklore and its darker undertones. It offers moments of intrigue and emotion worth experiencing.

A huge thank you to the author, NetGalley, and Angry Robot for providing this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This story is told from mostly two points of view - Vedma Kada, and noblewoman Sladyana. We also occasionally get a point of view from the fox - our main antagonist in this book, as well as Secha, Kada’s daughter. There are a few others sprinkled throughout, but these are the most plot significant.

Kada is the Vedma for the town she lives in, a kind of witch who helps people with their issues - delivering babies, curing ailments, as well as communing with the goddess Zemya - the source of the bone roots which gives the book its name. Her goal is to protect her daughter Secha at all costs - as her daughter will only become fully human, and safe from the goddess claiming her as her own, when she turns sixteen. Until then, she runs the risk of being captured by the fox and given to the goddess Zemya - unless Kada can stop her, even if it means betraying everything she’s worked for.

Sladyana is a noblewoman whose daughter, Luba, went missing 15 years ago - taken by the same fox hunting Secha. She has been searching everywhere for a trace of her daughter, but has also adopted a four year old mute child named Tula. Sladyana is convinced Kada - who is the woman who helped her have a child in the first place years ago - knows something about what happened to her missing daughter. And she is willing to do whatever it takes to get her back.

The conflict in this book is between these two mothers trying to do anything they can for their daughters. However, we eventually find that only one of them can have a truly happy ending - and she must bring suffering to the other to achieve it.

Once the plot of this book kicks off, it’s easy to sympathize with both of the mothers and their respective scenarios. We might not agree with everything they do to achieve their goals - but we can understand them. There’s also a twist at the end that I very much didn’t see coming, but it recontextualizes previous scenes in a way I wasn’t expecting. The reveal at the end makes much of the earlier character’s actions (especially Kada’s) make significantly more sense than before, and I thought it was a really clever interpretation, as well as fitting into a common theme in folklore of hidden agendas and betrayals. I was especially not expecting how this book ended itself, with neither mother getting what they wanted or expected to happen by the end.

The biggest issue with this book is the pacing, and how it starts. Each chapter of this book is told from a different character’s perspective, which at the start of the book, with no knowledge of who or what these characters are - is very confusing and off putting. It was kind of hard knowing who was who, or how they fit together, until significantly later in the book.

As well as the fact that the two mother POVs aren’t connected to one another until later in the book, and I wasn’t aware until they met each other that they were happening at the same time, but separated from one another. I couldn’t tell if these POVs were past/present or who was what until this point, which made me miss a lot of the beginning context for the first 20% of this book.

Honestly, I think if you liked the premise given in this book, as well as stories focused on Slavic folklore - just read through the first 20% until it makes sense. Then, you can decide if you want to go back and re-read (or do what I did and just continue on the journey the book takes you.) Once you can piece together the relationships and how everything fits together, this is a very good book and I significantly enjoyed the last 70% and wanted to stay up to finish reading this to see how it resolved itself.

If you like Slavic folklore, I think you’d like this book. Even if you’re not too familiar with Slavic folklore, I don’t think this book will be altogether too confusing for you - as I’m not overly familiar with it and I was able to follow along fairly well. It was a really good read that made you understand the motivations and actions of all the characters, without a true villain in it causing the issues for you to root against. Even with the copious creatures and forms of magic present within the book, the conflicts feel real and grounded in a way I wasn’t expecting - nor was I expecting to be simultaneously rooting for the victory of both of the mothers at the end, regardless of what they had done beforehand.

(To the publisher: Reviews will be posted on Tumblr and Instagram the week of Sept. 25.)

4/5 ⭐️
1/5 🌶️

Fascinating folk law based fantasy about two mothers and what their love for their daughters will push them to do!

I loved that this book is nothing like anything I’ve read recently and the folklore inspired world was truly so interesting. To see the magic the Vedma, or moss witch as I thought was a fitting name, was able to call upon from the goddess and the elements was fascinating and a different kind of magic system than I am used to seeing.

This would have nearly been a five star book but I did feel it was a little off in terms of pacing and the end came very quickly and suddenly.

Overall I would recommend this to all my fantasy lovers out there who are looking for something a little different!

I read an eARC of this so thank you to Net Galley, the author and the publisher.

I found this a really enjoyable read. I particularly loved the Eastern European folklore influences which were embedded throughout the story.

This novel follows two perspectives both joined by the daughters they took from the goddess Zemya. One, Kada lives as a Vedma, a kind of magic wielding wise woman for her community. She lives with her daughter who she is trying to keep safe from the forest and a fox that seeks to claim her. The other Sladanya is wealthy but grieving as her daughter went missing many years ago and she’s desperate to find her.

Lots to like in this book, the atmosphere, the setting, the magic. It was very well crafted. The characters were distinct and their motives clear and made sense. There were elements of them being morally grey. Both Kada and Sladanya are inherently good but do things out of character in pursuit of that’s what is most important to them.

The plot was exciting, a good sense of menace throughout and quite wonderful with the creatures and magical elements.

“The Bone Roots” follows two mothers who have each lost a child, each sacrificing to a magical tree with bone roots for their daughters to be returned. While I liked the premise and really wanted to like the book, the clumsily purple prose and lack of truly compelling characters made it quite a slog to read.

Thank you Angry Robot books and Net Galley for providing me with this E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

When I saw the cover of this book it caught my eye, the intricate knots of the tree, reminding me of the world tree definitely made me want to read it. This book follows a dual POV of two women living in a world inspired by Polish mythology, which is so interesting. Something I've never read before so it was quite refreshing.

The first character we see is Kada, a witch figure who works for a richer man, she seems to be a healer, like a wise woman kind of thing. She has a daughter, which she is protective of, however there's something a little different about her daughter, which I won't spoil, but my goodness it was interesting to read. Our second character is Sladyana, a rich aristocratic woman who also has a daughter, who is deaf and talks through sign language, which I love, I loved this representation. Though she is referred to as 'mute' which isn't the kind of word I'd refer her to, however being in the time period it was set, I can see why this word was used. I wasn't too keen on Sladyana, the way she interacts with people and later with Kada, really annoyed me. But she was an interesting character to read.

I loved the premise of the magic in the world, with the different creatures from Polish Mythology, which was fun to see. Seeing how they're all differentiate, which ones are good and which ones are more sinister and bad was fun to see, and how Kada can talk to these creatures through her witchcraft and magic. I loved how the magic and the creatures added to the plot, helping add to the story, especially with the Goddess Zemya and her tree, and the myth behind her fox and what that fox does. Which let me say, the plot twist with these characters is just *Mind Blown*. As well, the hint of witch hysteria in this book, women living in fear of being burnt or worse for being a sinister witch kept me on my toes, then seeing this later one was very intriguing to read. Moreover, the one theme aside from the witchcraft element that I really enjoyed with this book was the wonderful overwhemling theme of Motherhood, and what mothers no matter how good or how bad, will do anything for their daughters, for their children and in a sense I found this aweinspiring.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and the ending to this book made me shed a little tear. It was emotional, I loved the witchy element, the cosy element and the horror elements within this book.

9.5 / 10 ✪

https://arefugefromlife.wordpress.com/2023/09/10/the-bone-roots-by-gabriela-houston-review/

In the years since the release of Gabriela Houston’s adult debut, the Second Bell, I looked back and wondered if perhaps I gave the author too much credit. I remember enjoying her first book—even loving it—but time had dulled my emotional response to the book, and my knowledge of its events. So when I got a chance to read the author’s sophomore effort, I approached it with interest, but also skepticism.

The latter of which was completely misplaced.

An imagining regarding the lengths a mother would go to protect their child, the Bone Roots tells a dark, thoroughly emotional tale. One mother, the Vedma Kada, is trying to shepherd her daughter through to adulthood, when she’ll finally be safe from the Fox and the goddess beyond (a vedma is like a witch or sorceress in Slavic mythos. Some are seen as good, others evil, but Houston’s depiction is very much a combination of the two—a person that uses magic to interact with the wilds, leaving them mistrusted by the commonfolk) (the Fox is a supernatural, well, fox, that steals children). The other mother, Sladyana, is still trying to find her child, taken by the Fox, that she is convinced is still alive. And who sees Kada as her opportunity to do so.

What follows is a thoroughly immersive, emotional tale of motherhood, love, and the lengths one is willing to go to accomplish their goals. And what starts as a tale of beautiful love and acceptance gradually turns dark. After all, what would you do to protect your children? And just how far would you go? Especially if saving them meant burning the world down around you. I mean, it was a damn good story, but it got surprisingly dark, especially for a tale that was built primarily on love.

It was… I mean, it was an AMAZING tale. Sure, there’s a learning curve if you’re not intimately familiar with Slavic mythos and legend, but this is quickly enough overcome, and I never found the immersion too far broken while I pieced out some particular bit of lore. But that’s the beginning and the end of my criticism. An amazing followup to the Second Bell, neither of which should be missed. I can honestly say that this book made me cry, but in the best possible way—and it’s one that I can’t recommend enough!

I really enjoy a book that isn’t YA and one that I can place myself in their shoes.

I really enjoyed the element of mythology to it so it really captured my attention! Also to have that element to fight to protect a child really resonated with me!

The Bone Roots was a bit hit-or-miss for me.
I enjoyed the depictions of Eastern European folklore/mythology. I always find it fascinating whenever I do read about European folklore, so I always appreciate getting to learn more about it.
I found the first half to two-thirds oddly paced. It felt like very little happened for the first half. However, the last half really picks up and it made up for the slower first half.
Overall, I like The Bone Roots. It takes a long look at motherhood and what (some) mothers would do for their children.

A tale of two mothers’ love and grief for their daughters, told through the lense of Slavic folklore.

The Bone Roots feels like the baby of Grimm and Emily Wilde. It reads as a darkly enchanting, and compelling, fairytale.

Whilst the pacing is overall quite slow, there is a tension throughout that comes to a head towards the end. Houston did not shy away from the darker side of the tales often told to children and the creatures and lore in The Bone Roots are fascinating.

This is an expert example of feelings and emotions being shown to the reader rather than told. I truly felt the tide turn as the story was brought to completion. The depth of even the most minor character is a testament to the author’s skill as a writer.