It's clear that Stewart has her final destination in mind, setting up what promises to be even more exciting challenges in subsequent installments, and I can't wait to follow her there. It takes place in an empire consisting of many islands where the emperor keeps control of everything with the help of his bone-shard magic.

Yet such power carries a great cost, and when the revolution reaches the gates of the palace, Lin must decide how far she is willing to go to claim her birthright - and save her people. To maintain a monopoly on the magic, the Emperor has withdrawn into his palace and disengaged from the populace, letting his constructs run the empire’s bureaucracy, much like the eunuchs of Imperial China dictated policy from emperors who grew disconnected from their citizens. Also, there’s a talking cat-like creature who was so adorable that I want a book just from her perspective.

There is Lin, the daughter of the emperor, trying to figure out why she has no memories of her past and trying to learn everything about bone-shard magic without her father knowing.

The differences in their background caused differences in perspectives, and despite how much they loved each other, it is bloody challenging to truly understand what the other person is going through unless you live in their shoes. Are choices or expectations what shape us, and what decisions do we choose to make with that in mind? A triumph of fantasy and science fiction populated with memorable characters and bone-chilling secrets that keep you turning the pages. The Drowning Empire is an apt series name, and I do believe we’ll learn more about this phenomenon and the Alanga in the sequels.But I'll confess, before reading this novel I thought Lin was going to be the one with a f/f relationship, and then when I learned she wasn't . The ending of The Bone Shard Daughter definitely leaves the door open to more volumes set in this world. The one thing that bugged me a bit was about a relationship where one of the partners clearly used the other in the name of love. There are also some incredible plot twists (two, actually) I didn't see coming which linked to her narrative and fuel my excitement for the sequel. Lin learns that her father created Bayan (he’s been growing people…), and he plans to put his consciousness into him.