Castles in Their Bones, Book 1
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this book.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Castles in Their Bones is the start of a new fantasy series by Laura Sebastian's (the Ash Princess trilogy). Yes, this book has a pretty princess in a pretty dress on the cover, but this story will get readers talking about the roles of women in power in the times of warring kingdoms. The three 16-year-old princesses are off to fulfill their marriage duties in three separate kingdoms and are subjected to sexual harassment, sexual shaming (having to produce a bloody sheet as proof of marriage consummation), and sexist language including "whore," "harlot," and "bitch." The princesses' ruthless mother prepares them for a world where they are underestimated by making them all skilled spies, forgers, and even poisoners. As kingdoms become more unstable, death tolls mount. There's one sad, shocking death of an important character. The most deaths are from poisonings and public hangings with some from skirmishes with knives, swords, a gun, and arrows, plus one death via guillotine. There are also injuries from knives, arrows, poison, a fall, and a shooting -- all healed by magic. The teen princesses and those around them do a lot of drinking, sometimes to drunkenness and once in a drinking game. Sexual content doesn't go beyond kissing and innuendo (the bloodied sheet was faked) with mentions that the princesses have been trained by courtesans on how to entice any man -- except for Beatriz's new husband, who's secretly gay.
What's the Story?
In CASTLES IN THEIR BONES, triplet princesses of Bessemia spend their 16th birthday together before being sent off to different kingdoms to be married. The Bessemian Empress proclaims that it's to build better relationships with other kingdoms on the continent, as advantageous marriages are apt to do, but her daughters know her real aims: to swiftly unite the continent under her rule alone. Each daughter has a role to play in destabilizing their new kingdoms, from stealing the royal seal and forging documents to sewing discord at court. Each has been trained in espionage, coding, and even poisons. When each arrives at court, however, little goes according to plan. The prince Beatriz marries is secretly gay and they both conspire to fake proof of their marriage's consummation. The young and inexperienced king whom Sophronia marries doesn't know that others are conspiring against him in his own castle -- if only she could sit back and let it happen as her mother wishes, but she likes him too much. And then there's Daphne, who, upon crossing the border in her royal carriage, finds out that her prince has just died of a mysterious illness. Now what?
Is It Any Good?
With this tale of triplet princesses, you get three warring magical kingdom tales for the price of one, plus a lot of fun espionage on the side. It's devious fun to imagine the girls' upbringing, learning forging, lock-picking, poisons, coded messages, and archery. It almost makes up for empress' cruel parenting, as she tells her daughters that power is everything and empathy is weak and you need to make men like you so you can exploit them later. The important part of the sisters' inner journeys is to find connections with people that prove their mom wrong, and to forge their own paths. For Daphne, mom's favorite, it proves hardest but she begins to change when she develops feelings for her betrothed. For Sophronia, it's far too easy to go against her mother and help the new husband she cares for, and too dangerous. Mom is always watching. For Beatriz, her surprising talent for magic proves dangerous -- she had to move to the kingdom that not only bans magic but will kill you for it.
The tensions build in each kingdom with coups in the works, rebel fighters, assassination attempts, treasonous plots gone wrong, spies discovered, the works. The only thing missing is a closer look at each of the sisters' sense of inner turmoil as things go horribly wrong -- but in this thrice split tale, something has to give.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about women in power in Castles in Their Bones. What prejudices do they face? How is sexism used against them? How is the empress using the way women are underestimated to her direct advantage? How does she train her daughters specifically to manipulate others in this sexist world?
How are the deep class divisions affecting Temarin? What other stories have you read about countries destabilized when the nobility serves themselves instead of their people? How is the extreme intolerance for magic (with a religious bent) hurting Cellaria? What other stories have you read of people persecuted for possessing magic?
Will you read more in this series? What do you think is next for the princesses? Will Daphne come around? Will their mother achieve her aims?
Book Details
- Author: Laura Sebastian
- Genre: Fantasy
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy, Princesses, Fairies, Mermaids, and More, Adventures, Brothers and Sisters, Friendship
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Delacorte Press
- Publication date: February 1, 2022
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 14 - 17
- Number of pages: 528
- Available on: Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
- Last updated: November 13, 2022
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