The Bone Knife: A Short Story by Intisar Khanani
4/5 STARS
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Author: Intisar Khanani
Published: January 2013
Publisher:Smashwords
Pages: 40 {e-book}
The Bone Knife
Having loved Khanani’s Thorn of course I had to pick this novella up. This is the start to a different series by her and the second book is coming out later this year. The Bone Knife is free to download as an e-book and it’s only about 40 pages so I recommend picking it up! I really enjoyed this quick start to a new adventure and I’m already in love with the characters. I cannot wait to continue reading the series with Sunbolt, book one, to see how everything links up.
This tells the story of a family through Rae’s perspective – and she’s a cripple, although hates that word. She has a deformed foot and so isn’t as perfect or complete as she would ultimately like, and certainly not used to having any special attention on her. She has two sisters, Bean (a nickname) and Niya and they live with their parents. Whilst we don’t find out a bundle about the world they’re living in or what role magic actually plays in the story, we do get a good glimpse of it. There are several things apparent:
1) Magic is clearly feared within this kingdom. Niya has some magical ‘talent’ but the family is hiding her so that they’re not separated. I’m not sure what it would entail if she were to go away to an academy, or wherever it is that these magically gifted people go, but I feel like it’s not just the prospect of separation that stops Niya from leaving.
2) Faeries are powerful and distrusted. I can’t really comment much more on that but that’s definitely the feel this novella gives off. The faerie who comes to do business with their father was definitely an interesting character and I want to know more. Let’s put it this way, he’s no Tinkerbell.
Summary
Anyway, I’m a real sucker for any books involving Fae and I love Khanani’s writing so I’m sure this will be an epic adventure. I just want to snuggle up with a cup of tea and storm through book one now, HAND ME THE BOOK! I have three words to sum this up: I am sold.
Upside-Down Books 
Ooh ooh me too! I’m a sucker for faerie books and the creepier the BETTER in my opinion. XD I have vaguely heard of this one? I’ll be very curious to try the actual book, and probably the novella too at some point. 😛
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Yes! I’m not 100% sure when the first book is coming out – the author seems to have taken a break from writing this one to write a different series but I’m sure it’ll be fabulous when it comes out!!
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