I first picked up The Bone Season in 2014, and from that moment, I was hooked. It’s been a long journey, waiting for each installment, but I’ve cherished every moment spent in this world. Samantha Shannon has created a series that has kept me engaged for years, despite the slow release schedule, and I deeply respect an author who takes the time to mature and refine a story rather than rushing to completion.

With The Mask Falling, I felt the depth of Paige’s growth—both as a leader and as a person. This book resonated with me in a way that felt deeply tied to her maturity, her evolving worldview, and the cultural nuances that shape her experiences. Her relationship with Mime Order continues to be a driving force behind her development, especially in her shifting dynamic with Jaxon. Half the time, I want to kill him; the other half, I understand him and his sheer will to survive—even if that understanding makes me uncomfortable.

“I had danced with death for many years. My life had been a tightrope walk. Yet since I was a child, I had maintained an iron will to live.”

“She possesses the loyalty of a beagle and the chaotic abandon of a headless chicken.”

These remain two of my favorite quotes from the series. They perfectly capture Paige’s essence—her resilience, recklessness, and the complicated mess of emotions that make her such a compelling protagonist.

It’s always a delight to return to Shannon’s writing. Every time I read one of her books, I think, Maybe this is my favorite. In The Mask Falling, I loved being back with Paige and the gang—it was comforting to see familiar faces, though some returns were more welcome than others. There were even a few unexpected reappearances that took me by surprise.

One of the aspects I truly enjoyed was how this book built upon the foundations laid in previous installments. Shannon has a talent for expanding her world in ways that challenge what we thought we knew—introducing more voyant types, uncovering hidden histories, and deepening the layers of belief within the world of Scion. And, of course, there’s always that lingering question: Can you trust what you think you know?

Experiencing the free world outside Scion’s grasp was fascinating, especially as we got to see how characters who had spent their lives under Scion’s rule adapted (or struggled) with their newfound freedom.

I had an amusing experience reading this book—I tore through it with an unstoppable hunger… until I reached the end, where I found myself flicking through the glossary, desperately hoping there was more.

Now, all I can do is wait (again) for the next installment, but if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that a story this well-crafted is always worth the wait.

Please can we have TB6 soon.
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This was a brilliant addition to the series and kept me on the edge of my seat at parts. I'm so invested in the characters in this series and seeing them navigate these new challenges was great. Some parts (to no one's surprise) had me sobbing, and I cannot wait for the future books in this series

With The Dark Mirror, Samantha Shannon continues to prove why she is one of the brightest voices in fantasy today. The fifth book in the Bone Season series, it delves even deeper into Paige Mahoney’s personal and external struggles, as she faces the daunting challenge of piecing together the year of her life that’s been stolen from her memory. When Paige finds herself outside the Republic of Scion for the first time in over a decade, she is thrust into an even more perilous world where secrets, betrayal, and alliances shape the fragile balance of power between humans and immortals.

The novel kicks off with Paige grappling with the disorienting void left by her lost memories, but as the story progresses, she embarks on a journey that takes her to Venice, where a dangerous secret could change the entire course of the war. With the fate of Italy hanging in the balance, Paige's quest becomes intertwined with the enigmatic Arcturus Mesarthim, the only person who can help her unlock her memories—and who might hold the key to saving a nation.

Shannon’s storytelling is both immersive and thrilling, weaving political intrigue, high stakes, and poignant emotional moments into a powerful narrative. The action scenes are dynamic and filled with heart-pounding suspense, while the quieter moments offer a chance to explore Paige’s inner turmoil and growth. Paige’s evolution as a character continues to captivate, as she faces not just external threats, but the vulnerability and self-doubt that come with her growing understanding of her role in the larger conflict. Her relationships with other key characters, especially Arcturus, remain at the emotional core of the series, adding depth to the action and heightening the stakes.

The world-building in The Dark Mirror is as rich and detailed as ever. Shannon expands the universe of the Bone Season series in exciting ways, offering readers new realms to explore and deeper insight into the war between humans and immortals. The complex layers of this conflict, both on the personal and global scale, create a thrilling backdrop for Paige's personal journey. The introduction of the Domino Programme and Operation Ventriloquist adds yet another dimension to the story, deepening the mystery and increasing the tension.

The Dark Mirror is a captivating and thought-provoking continuation of the Bone Season saga. With its mix of action, mystery, and character-driven storytelling, it’s a must-read for fans of the series and anyone who enjoys epic, intricately crafted fantasy. Samantha Shannon proves once again that she is at the height of her powers, delivering a novel that not only advances the overarching narrative but also deepens the emotional and thematic complexity of the world she has created.

A flawless masterpiece from start to finish. Whilst the wait between book is certainly torturous, the quality of each instalment in this series is certainly a fantastic pay off for it. Listening to SS talk about her writing process you can tell how much she cares about her characters and the world she's created, and the extensive research that goes into each of her projects. Paige and Arcturus have captured my heart right from book one, and whilst I might not ever forgive SS fully for the trauma she's put them through, I will still keep reading everything and anything she ever publishes forever more. Here's me hoping that the wait for book 6 is bearable!

I’ve been a fan of Samantha Shannon ever since reading The Priory of the Orange Tree. Wanting to read all her work, I then delved into the Bone Season series. I’m so glad I did, because it’s now one of my favourite series of all time. After the cliffhanger art he end of The Mask Falling I couldn’t wait to read the next installment. Needless to say I devoured The Dark Mirror, and it’s one of my favourites in the series yet. Having grown up just outside of Venice, I was delighted to see how much care Samantha has spent on the worldbuilding: it was flawless. And the characters, and the plot… I could go on and on. I loved it.

What a wild ride. Thrilled to be back in the ever expanding world of clairvoyants. Will this series ever end? I’m happy regardless. Can’t believe I now have to wait more than a year to find out what Paige does in Canada. Samantha Shannon, you are a cruel queen. This series is the perfect hybrid of sci-fi, fantasy and dystopia, I love it.

i have spent over a month pondering what to say in this review now; thats how speechless this book left me. i have never felt such a desperate urge to reread something immediately after i finished it. prefacing this by saying i am the biggest bone season fan out there, i own each book 5 times in different editions. Paige Mahoney owns my heart.
This is definitely the start of a new arc for the series, and the scale of the story and the world has increased massively. Because of this, I spent the first 100 pages repeatedly going ‘what?’ but in the best way possible. Shannon expertly uses first person to make you invested in Paige and her character journey. You are locked so tightly into Paige’s head that you feel everything she does. This is also a pivotal installment for the relationship between Paige and Arcturus as their bond develops further with a lot of big mysteries revealed, expanded on, and introduced for the reader to think about until TBS6 releases. The emotions are incredibly high, and I cried twice! I’ve never thrown my kindle across the room before, but I did it no less than 5 times for this! So blessed to have been allowed to read this early, and I cannot wait to gush about it to every customer on release day!!!! I do feel like this will become my favourite instalment in the series after I get to read it a few more times. Needless to say, I LOVE THIS BOOK

“I had danced with death for many years. My life had been a tightrope walk. Yet since I was a child, I had maintained an iron will to live.”

It is always such a delight to read a new Samantha Shannon book. Every time I read one, I think, “Huh. Maybe this is my favourite.”
I loved being back with Paige and the gang - after TMF, it was nice to see so many familiar faces again. There were a couple that were… less welcome on their return and there were some I didn’t expect to crop up again.
I really enjoyed how this book took what we’ve learnt in previous instalments from the series and developed them, either tipping them on their head or adding new information. Like more voyant types, more history, more beliefs. There’s the classic but-can-you-trust-this going on every time you learn something though. It was also so interesting to be in the free world and see Scion from outside - but also to see how the characters, so used to Scion, coped without it.
I had a really funny experience reading this. I could not put it down when I was reading it… until I finished chapter 25. I walked away for aaaages because I was content with how it ended. But then curiosity got the best of me and I finished the rest of the book more or less in one sitting. The ending was INTENSE and I know the rest of the series will continue to ramp up.
Oh. And Paige got to sleep. And try new coffee. I’m thrilled for her.

100% worth the wait! Chapter 12-13 will knock you on your ass. Samantha Shannon can do no wrong, bring on the next book please!

I am so unbelievably honoured to have received an ARC of this, surely one of 2025's most anticipated releases, and it didn't disappoint. "Everything is about to change"? You're damn right it does!

This book was sooooo good. The Dark Mirror by Samantha Shannon is one of the best books I've ever read. This was soooo soooo good.

Absolutely stellar tome of fantasy delight. Just when I think Samantha is done torturing poor Paige, she finds something new to put her through. This girl needs a holiday. The Dark Mirror is full of action, twists and turns and builds even further on the rich, magical world of The Bone Season. Also, it is absolutely wonderful that the author provides such an in-depth glossary to help remind readers of all that has gone on so far as there has been a lot. Cannot believe there are only two books left but I can’t wait to see how explosive the ending is going to be.

You can tell I had not read all the details fully as I did not realise this was actually the fifth book in a series, meaning I had to read the first four books before I could even pick this up.

I don't know why I have not picked this series up before now, but in a way I'm glad I just read it now as I got to read the new editions with the updated text.

The Dark Mirror is a masterpiece and for other readers who have been anxiously anticipating this, especially after the ending of The Mask Falling, it is well worth the wait.

Readers will not be disappointed.

The tagline for The Dark Mirror is:

“Everything is about to change"

This could not be more apt.

Samantha has truly set the bar with The Dark Mirror, from the storyline, the setting, the characters, and lastly the many plot twists which are STILL coming even after five books.

I'm now anxiously waiting for the next two books in the series.

I am beyond grateful to have received an ARC of The Dark Mirror, the latest instalment in the Bone Season series. Thank you so much to Bloomsbury for the copy! It releases at the end of February, and I just reread all the previous books in the series in preparation.

It has been 4 years since I read an ARC of The Mask Falling at the end of 2020, and I remember a lot of crazy stuff happening, but not many details. I am so glad I reread right before diving into The Dark Mirror, especially because Samantha Shannon loves giving us cliffhangers.

This is not a spoiler review, but there will probably be spoilers for previous books in the series. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be able to mention much at all, given how much changes throughout the series.

The Dark Mirror picks up 6 months after the events of The Mask Falling, when Paige wakes up, miraculously, outside of Scion. However, she can’t remember how she got to the free world. Now, she has to navigate unfamiliar locations and people, as well as work to overthrow even more sinister plots. And then there is Arcturus to consider…

The beginning of this book had a great tone because I felt just as confused as Paige. Given the presence of Scion in all the previous books, albeit in different locations, it was fascinating to see the free world. This makes the world building feel even more rich because of the stark comparisons between countries.

I must admit, I missed the French setting, as I really loved that in The Mask Falling. Still, I really enjoyed seeing some new places, and Venice fit really well as a place of mystery. I thought it was interesting to see Paige in the free world as it was a big adjustment. Samantha Shannon’s writing is so eloquent, and the setting descriptions were detailed and beautiful. I really liked all the classical references and explanations, and seeing Paige get used to things not available in Scion!

The plot developments here really established a new arc, and emphasised the transition that began in the previous book. Yet again we see the Domino Programme and meet new characters involved. I won’t say too much here because I think it’s best to go in knowing nothing at all, but the political elements included a lot of twists and turns and information reveals. In addition to Domino, there were even more mysterious organisations that I’m sure we’ll see more of in the futures.

There is a big theme of betrayal, including Paige reflecting on events that may not have been betrayals after all, and double agents that surface in the story. My heart was literally pounding throughout so much of the story because I was stressed and second guessing everything. Every time I went to stop reading, something happened that compelled me to start the next chapter. It was such an immersive reading experience!

I love Paige as a main character. Yes, she is impulsive and self sacrificing and makes crazy decisions, but that only makes me love her so much more. She feels her emotions so strongly, especially for those she cares so much about.

Why is it impossible for Paige and Arcturus to be together without one of them being captured or something?! Ugh the tension is crazy and I just want them to be happy. Even though many characters were apart, we also saw the return of some past favourite characters of mine, as well as some unexpected connections between people. Shoutout to some of my favourite side characters who came back and provided some needed heartwarming and funny moments.

Samantha Shannon is so clever because past plot threads and mysteries resurfaced once again, and wow I could not have predicted some of them. It was an absolute emotional rollercoaster. This book is pretty chunky, but I read it in a few sittings because I found it impossible to put down.

The ending has made me very excited for the next book in the series. The scope of the world building is expanding even more, both in terms of locations and plot details. I’m really intrigued to learn more about some of these organisations, although I’m very suspicious now that there has been so many betrayals.

If you are a fan of the Bone Season series, I think you will love this new release! Now I’m just going to suffer waiting for the series to continue. Thank you once again to the publisher for providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Samantha Shannon could write a shopping list and I would be first in line to buy it, she's my favourite author and I was absolutely beside myself with excitement to be approved for an ARC of this book. I was just a tiny bit worried going in that it wouldn't live up to the long long wait following The Mask Falling but I didn't need to be, this book was everything that I hoped for and more. I finished it a week ago and I'm still thinking about it all the time.

Her writing style sits in that phenomenally difficult to achieve space where it's both engaging and easy to read but also beautiful and lyrical and literary. The world building is immaculate and stunningly detailed. I felt like I lived every moment of this book along with the characters, and I laughed and I cried and I gasped aloud.

I don't want to share any spoilers but I already know I will be reading this whole series again and again, and I think this was the best installment yet.

I was at odds with how to rate this book. I started The Bone Season in 2014, and almost four years have passed since the last book, so my expectations were high. And I’m sad to say I’m not entirely satisfied with The Dark Mirror. It was still a great book, but it’s not my favorite in the series.
My main problem was the Domino Programme. I felt it was an unnecessary detour. It took away the focus on the important things. Paige lost her agency. She was constantly at others' mercy, and she had to do what was told. I missed the clairvoyant underworld, the unnaturalness. Luckily, the last 30% of the book made up for it.
My favorite part of the novel was Paige and Arcturus. The romance was top-tier. The angst! The longing! The tenderness! I loved it. Paige and Arcturus are still one of my favorite ships. Nothing has changed.
The ending was not a cruel cliffhanger, so the waiting will be more manageable. There were a few bitter pills that Paige and I had to swallow, and because of that, I’m full of doubts about the next two books. I really, really hope that we will get answers in Book 6. I want to know the big secrets. I guess we will see. It was great to see some of the characters again. I especially loved Maria. As I mentioned, the last 30% were great. It was epic. I already feel a reading slump forming.

The Bone Season series is one of my favourite on-going series'. I'm so grateful to have read this advance readers copy after 4 years of waiting for the fifth installment. Unsurprisingly, I have given it five stars, my second of the year!

I can't say too much without giving away spoilers, so I will keep this review short. In The Dark Mirror Paige visits non-Scion controlled countries for the first time, with Italy being the main setting. From her time there you get a real sense of just how much control Scion has over the countries it rules, as Paige experiences mundane things for the first time such as drinking a latte or wearing jeans. I don't read urban fantasy but the fantasy elements in this series combined with the dystopian elements blend together nicely to create an unique and fascinating world. Shannon paints such a vivid and beautiful vision of the countries Paige visits, it makes you feel fully immersed, as if you're really there.

I would say that this is the most romantic book in the series so far. Warden and Paige have a complex relationship, and while usually at this point, five books into the series, I would loose interest that most definitely isn't the case here.

Paige is as resilient as ever, and the cast of secondary character from Nick and Maria to Maria's girlfriend Verča made a wonderful team. I also like that we see more of the Ranthen, we start to get to know them and their personalities better, and I hope their presence continues to grow in the next book.

With a high stakes and cleverly woven plot The Dark Mirror made me feel a roller coaster of emotions. I can't believe we're nearing the end of this series, with two more books to go, hopefully the wait for the next installment isn't long!

An excellent next installment in the series. After a time skip, Paige wakes up outside of Scion with no memories of the past half year. The Domino programme finds her, and she ends up working for them in Italy, to prevent Italy falling to Scion.

I liked how the world keeps expanding in this series. The first book takes place almost entirely in Oxford with some glimpses of London, book 2 expands upon the syndicate in London, and from there it keeps building, to now European countries outside of Scion.

Paige teams up with some old character, Nick and Maria especially feature more in this book, and I really liked them both, and we're also introduced to some new characters. And of course, Jaxon is back with some plans of his own, and I love how complex a character Jaxon is, even if I also hate him.

I can't wait for the next book, would recommend this book to anyone who read the previous ones, and would recommend the series for fans of dystopian full of action, a chaotic but determined female main character who gets stuff done, and an intriguing manipulator you sometimes can't help but root for.

I honestly feel so lucky that I didn't have as long of a wait between book 4 and 5 like a lot of people since I only started the series in June this year!

Continuing off from THE MASK FALLING, there's no hesitation in jumping straight in to the story. It had me enraptured from the beginning, as did the previous books.

To the surprise of no-one, it's action packed and a rollercoaster of emotions combined with plot twists.

And now I'm going to sit and twiddle my thumbs until the next instalment...

BOOK REVIEW: The Dark Mirror by @say_shannon @bloomsburypublishing

5 Stars!!

This is a tough book to review without giving anything away and yet doing this INCREDIBLE book justice. I won't be going into the storyline of the series so...just READ IT! That's an order!

Somehow Samantha Shannon gets better and better with every book. Although I have given every book in this series 5 stars! These characters and this storyline has me in a chokehold. I could not put it down! Samantha, you owe me sleep!

The intrigue and politics in this book is on a WHOLE new level. It utterly astounded me and the amount of detail that went into it was simply incredible. I was completely hooked and was desperate to find out more about all the new organisations and people involved. I couldn't guess anything about how this story would go and it had me both anxious and LOVING it.
The book involved a lot of action, confrontations and tense moments which had me on the edge of my seat. There was also beautiful intimacy, reconciliations, friendships and growth of relationships. Basically it made me happy, stressed and incredibly obsessed!
I loved how we knew more than Paige for some of this book. And also how Samantha Shannon sprinkled clues in for Paige to try to remember. It added a real sense of urgency for the reader.
The humour in this book is really brilliant. Its a VERY full on story with a lot of hardship so these moments of humour meant a lot and had me laughing and smiling along. A certain pyromancer in particular was an absolute gem!

The writing is Samantha Shannon at her very best. Which is PERFECTION. I was hooked from the first word to the last and that is due to the characters and the storyline but also how engaging the writing is. It really shows off the work Samantha puts into research and also just how incredibly intelligent she is. It really blew me away.

I genuinely cannot recommend The Bone Season series more. It is in my top 3 series of all time and I just want MORE people to be as obsessed as I am. Now to wait for the next book...