I’ve only reviewed one book by Laura Sebastian, but I’ve read all their work. I’ve enjoyed everything I read. My favorite is Half Sick of Shadows, a reimagining of the King Arthur story. If you want to see my review for Into the Glades, check it out here.

Into the Glades by Laura Sebastian: Magical Bridge to Terabithia

When I first found out about this ongoing trilogy, Castles in Their Bones was not the original title. On Goodreads, it was listed as Constellations of Chaos. When I read the synopsis, I was immediately interested. When the book was released last year, I was so excited to finally read it, preordering months in advanced.

This year will be my second time reading this first book. Stardust in Their Veins is out now, so it’s time to review the first book here. If you want to see all the content on Castles in Their Bones, check out this playlist.

You can also see my Laura Sebastian playlist if you want to see my other content regarding this author.

Synopsis

Since birth, Princesses Daphne, Sophronia, and Beatriz were destined for the crown. Empress Margaraux has had plans for them since before they were born. They’re trained in deception, seduction, and violence. All of this is to further their mother’s plan, to rule over the continent.

The princesses are now 16 and must leave each other and their homes to marry their princes. Each has a deadly skill and a mission to complete. Once they arrive for their new homes, will their loyalties change?

Book Information

Genre: Fantasy
Category: Young adult
Explicit violence: Not much
Explicit sex: No
Content warnings I noticed: None
This is the first book in a trilogy.

Review

The prose is good. Very accessible and easy to read.

The story is told in the sisters’ point of views. Most of the time, each chapter follows one of them. The last chapter is in the point of view of Margaraux, something that surprised and excited me. I have yet to read the point of view of a villain in Sebastian’s work. It’s my favorite chapter.

After reading Ash Princess and starting this new trilogy, I think I found what their formula is for series. They follow a similar style to Kiersten White. The first book is set up or act one. The second is important information being revealed or act two. Finally, the last one brings everything together and ups the stakes or act three. Beginning, middle, and end, an entire story in three books. It’s a style I enjoy a lot and am interested in attempting one day.

The world-building is great. Each location feels very different.

The pacing is good. It could bother readers that it’s very slow. We spend a lot of time with the characters and enjoying this world.

The theme of world domination is one of my favorite things to read about. I see it in a lot of anime, including Overlord. It’s fun.

The characters are great. I love them so much, especially their sister dynamic. Sophronia is my favorite, followed by Beatriz and Daphne. Sophronia reminds me of Torhu from Fruits Basket.

The romantic plotlines are interesting. I enjoyed them.

Conclusion

Overall, this is a great story. I had an amazing time reading it. The first time, I rated this book four stars because I wanted more world-building. However, on a second read, the world-building is good. I rate it five stars.