Name: Jeremy Wang's review of Speaking Bones by Ken Liu
Item: Speaking Bones
Rating: 5
Author: Jeremy Wang

Ken Liu

The battle continues in this silkpunk fantasy as science and destiny collide against the will of the gods in this final installment in the epic Dandelion Dynasty series from Hugo, Nebula, and World Fantasy Award–winning author Ken Liu. The concluding book of The Dandelion Dynasty begins immediately after the events of The Veiled Throne, in the middle of two wars on two lands among three people separated by an ocean yet held together by the invisible strands of love. Harried by Lyucu pursuers, Princess Théra and Pékyu Takval try to reestablish an ancestral dream even as their hearts grow in doubt. The people of Dara continue to struggle against the genocidal Lyucu as both nations vacillate between starkly contrasting visions for their futures. Even the gods cannot see through the Wall of Storms, for only mortal hearts can decide mortal fates. Award-winning author Ken Liu fulfills the covenants first laid out a decade ago in a series delving deep into the connection between national myths and national constitutions in this ambitious, “magnificent fantasy epic” (NPR).

The Dandelion Dynasty #4

Speaking Bones

Genesis (@whisperingchapters)

Jeremy Wang

"The world is grand and the sea boundless, but two hearts in sync will always find each other."

there's no one who writes like ken liu, no one else who can write an epic tale that touches on every experience that is human, who can evoke true grandeur of emotion again and again and again. i cried a dozen times over the ten straight hours that i read this book, and i'm sure i'll keep feeling pangs for weeks to come. following three generations of the dandelion dynasty and their loved ones as they encounter beautiful, idealized manifestations of humanity's greatest nobilities and depravities was a singular experience, one for which i will be forever grateful. 

for a christian, this book is evidence of common grace. how else can a human being write something so full of hope and beauty? the veiled throne is redeemed.

charisa

i’m undone. that ending was everything i ever needed and now i’ve just dissolved into one giant puddle. ken, you absolute genius. 

to call this series mere fantasy would be doing it a deep injustice. from the shores of dara to the plains of ukyu-gondé, through waves of generations, i have learned time and again about the deepest loves and atrocities humanity is capable of. there is so much richness threaded through these pages, so many questions pondered thoughtfully. what makes a worthy ruler? how can we draw from nature to innovate? what defines our true understanding of home? how can we pursue a disruptive future when we are bound by history? how can i love you, but also let you go? 

though these characters are so far from my own life, i saw myself reflected in their stories. i felt echoes of their pain and longings with what heartache i am currently reckoning with. i tasted their joy, knowing that ultimately, there is so much hope to be had! what a testament to such masterful storytelling! i will hold onto these books for a very long time to come. 

there are indeed so many loves that make up the web of our being — but truly, there is something invaluable about someone who mirrors your soul. what wisdom and joy we have to reap from those who share in the deepest understanding of ourselves.

Genesis (@whisperingchapters) &
Speaking Bones by Ken Liu

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Genesis (@whisperingchapters) &Speaking Bones by Ken Liu

Reviews

Join the club

Genesis (@whisperingchapters) &
Speaking Bones by Ken Liu