Book three of The Bone Season series, The Song Rising, by Samantha Shannon is memorable for several different reasons. Not only is it the first book where we move beyond London and Oxford to see other Citadels, we see Paige as the natural leader she is. We also get the exquisite torture that is Warden and Paige trying to define their relationship, and it redefines the meaning of slow burn.
In every book, my love and admiration for Paige increase tenfold. She is not a reluctant heroine, like Katness. Instead, she understands what is at stake, recognizes her role in the revolution, and seeks to save her fellow voyants at any cost. Every action she takes is with the goal of taking down the Scion. Her willingness to put herself in danger is with the understanding that she is the face of the rebellion and therefore leads by example. Fiercely loyal, highly conscious of her role within Scion and the Syndicate, and dedicated, she is an admirable heroine.
Paige is not without her faults, however, as is true of any good heroine. While she understands that she is the face of the rebellion and therefore must lead, she does take on much of the danger herself. She recognizes that her willingness to do so threatens the resistance but cannot seem to change. Plus, she has a tendency to underestimate her foe, something that leads to problems on more than one occasion. In addition, she lives in her head a lot, afraid of sharing her thoughts with loved ones. For someone who is so quick to throw herself in harms’ way, she is very slow to admit her feelings and express her concerns. These failings only make me love her that much more though.
With the situation in London fraught with peril, Paige makes the decision to seek help and answers in other Citadels, which allows the reader to discover what Scion and the clairvoyant society are like in other major cities. Her travels take her to Manchester and Edinburgh, where we see differing degrees of Scion control. We also see the beginning fruits of Paige’s efforts to foment rebellion against Scion among all clairvoyants. This opportunity allows the story to progress in a necessary fashion, but it also provides us more information about Scion’s reach. For, it is one thing to know that Scion exists outside of London and Ireland, but it is another thing to see it for ourselves. Once we do, we understand just how monumental Paige’s goal is and how very far away we are from her achieving it.
The Song Rising also gives us more of what is truly important – more Paige and Warden alone time. Here is where I view Ms. Shannon as a true wordsmith. I say this because there isn’t much that happens physically between the two, but these scenes are still HOT. And frustrating. Paige suffers too much from not sharing her thoughts with Warden, but had she done so, they could avoid a lot of frustrations and awkwardness that occurs between them. Plus, they both deserve happiness in their lives, and their continuous hot and cold spells delay that. Still, those scenes show the potential for fireworks, and I cannot wait for that moment.
I finished The Song Rising convinced that The Bone Season series will end up becoming one of my all-time favorite series. Also, I am thankful that I delayed my continuation of the series because it means a shorter wait for book four than if I had read this one immediately upon release. I already have a few must-reads among the list of 2021 releases, and book four is at the top of my list. If you have been waiting to start this series, don’t. You won’t regret it.
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