Castles In Their Bones by Laura Sebastian Review

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Title: Castles In Their Bones

Series: Castles In Their Bones #1

Author: Laura Sebastian

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton (UK) | Random House Children’s Books (US)

Pages: 528

Summary & Review

Gloriously immersive and full of intrigue, this plot twisty tale of sisterhood is the perfect start to Laura Sebastian’s brand new series and fans of Tricia Levenseller’s The Shadows Between Us are going to absolutely love it!

Born to rule. Raised to deceive.

In a plot that’s been in motion since their births, the triplet princesses of Bessemia are trained in seduction, espionage and deception. On their sixteenth birthday they’re sent to three distant lands to marry three princes (technically two princes and a King) with the sole intention of destroying and weakening the kingdoms from within—allowing their mother to sweep in and expand her rule.

But when they arrive, each sister discovers that her task is not so simple and their mother’s motives may not be as straightforward as they seem…

An exquisitely written and enjoyable read, I loved it soo much that I practically devoured it! The world building was beautifully expansive—full of vivid detail and varied settings that really gives a wonderful insight into the kingdoms and their cultures. Laura Sebastian’s writing here is a true feast for the senses with decadent descriptions and gloriously vivid details.

I loved the use of multiple POVs (we get four: Daphne, Beatriz and Sophronia for the majority of the book, with the fourth in the last chapter) and the vast but utterly compelling cast of characters really helped to bring the whole world to life.

The multiple POVs really helped to provide insight into the triplet’s lives pre marriage (and their mother,who is definitely a piece of work and gives off major Cersei Lannister vibes) with the added benefit of keeping the momentum of the narrative going.

All three sisters; Daphne, Beatriz and Sophronia were well written and full of depth, I loved the way all three tackle the unexpected challenges they face and showcase their individual strengths. I also really loved how they overcame their own weaknesses in creative and unique ways simply by thinking more like each other— I feel even Machiavelli would be proud.

Another really interesting element to the plot was the sisterly bond between them- especially as triplets (or multiples in general) are usually portayed as sharing a closer bond than regular siblings. But, as almost the entirety of the novel occurs with them seperated we really get to thoroughly explore the nuances of their familial ties, through shared experiences, friendships and even bitter rivalries.

As the fourth of six children I did enjoy the inclusion of the sibling disagreements which I felt added a touch of realism to their relationship (as well as dimension to their character development.)

Sophronia, who is portrayed as the kindest and most empathetic of the sisters was probably my favourite but I feel Daphne and Beatrice were far stronger in terms of character development.

At first glance Daphne comes across as rather mercenary but, she definetely grew on me as the narrative unfolds as does Beatriz, who is a complex mix of the two (and seems to have the trickier and most unsavoury of jobs.)

The romance was *chef’s kiss* utter perfection! There was a lot of chemistry-laden scenes (with longing looks or empassioned kisses) and the relationships are pretty varied too (enemies to lovers, friends to lovers and arranged marriage leading to love) so there’s definitely something for everyone. My fave pairing has to be Daphne and Bairre—their scenes were at time, quite emotionally intense and utterly swoon worthy.

Overall this exquisitely expansive and deliciously scheming, female centric YA Fantasy is a page turning and unforgettable read with an ending that will literally blow your mind —trust me it’s unbelievably magnificent!

I also a huge thank you to Hodder&Stoughton and Netgalley for the e-arc.

Castles In Their Bones is released 1 February 2022

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5.

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About The Author

Laura Sebastian was born and raised in South Florida (the Redlands and Key Largo) and has always loved telling stories–many apologies to her little brother who often got in trouble because of them. She got her BFA in Performing Arts from Savannah College of Art and Design before realizing she preferred the other side of storytelling.

When Laura isn’t writing, she’s probably reading, cooking/baking, or buying more clothes than her overstuffed closet can fit. She currently lives in London with her two dogs, Neville and Circe.

Her New York Times Bestselling series, Ash Princess, is out now from Delacorte (Penguin Random House. Keep an eye out for her debut adult fantasy book, Half Sick Of Shadows, out in 2022, and the first book in her new YA series, Castles In Their Bones.

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