The Bone Shard Daughter

The Bone Shard Daughter is a complex and immersive epic fantasy, the first in the Drowning Empire trilogy, suitable for mature young adult readers (ages 14+). It follows multiple interwoven perspectives, including Lin, the emperor's daughter, who seeks to master a dangerous magic to prove her worth and challenge her tyrannical father. Other storylines feature a smuggler searching for his lost wife, rebels fighting for social justice, and a woman discovering a shocking truth about her own identity. The book explores themes of power, justice, identity, and rebellion against oppression, set in a richly imagined world of floating islands and bone shard constructs. Parents should be aware of themes of tyranny, body horror (the tithing process), and violence inherent in a revolution, making it best for teens ready for darker, more intricate fantasy narratives.

The Bone Shard Daughter is an unmissable fantasy debut from a major new voice in epic fantasy — a stunning tale of magic, mystery, and revolution in which the former heir to the emperor will fight to reclaim her power and her place on the throne. The emperor's reign has lasted for decades, his mastery of bone shard magic powering the animal-like constructs that maintain law and order. But now his rule is failing, and revolution is sweeping across the Empire's many islands. Lin is the emperor's daughter and spends her days trapped in a palace of locked doors and dark secrets. When her father refuses to recognise her as heir to the throne, she vows to prove her worth by mastering the forbidden art of bone shard magic. Yet such power carries a great cost, and when the revolution reaches the gates of the palace, Lin must decide how far she is willing to go to claim her birthright - and save her people.