Boneless Mercies by April Genevieve Tucholke

Publisher: Farrar, Straus, Giroux
Publish Date:  October 2, 2018
Synopsis: Frey, Ovie, Juniper, and Runa are the Boneless Mercies—girls hired to kill quickly, quietly, and mercifully. But Frey is weary of the death trade and, having been raised on the heroic sagas of her people, dreams of a bigger life.

When she hears of an unstoppable monster ravaging a nearby town, Frey decides this is the Mercies’ one chance out. The fame and fortune of bringing down such a beast would ensure a new future for all the Mercies. In fact, her actions may change the story arc of women everywhere.

Full of fierce girls, bloodlust, tenuous alliances, and unapologetic quests for glory, this elegantly spun tale challenges the power of storytelling—and who gets to be the storyteller. Perfect for fans of Maggie Stiefvater, V.E. Schwab, and Heidi Heilig.

Boneless Mercies is one of my favorite reads of the year. First, it’s written by April Genevieve Tucholke. I feel that her overall prose is “dashingly dark.” For the most part, Tucholke is a fantasy writer, and from the stories that I have loved, she delves into a dark place and makes it beautiful. I originally fell in love with her writing when I first read Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea. My appreciation for her writing stemmed from there.

Boneless Mercies is an adventure that roams through Vorseland with the Mercies, a small band of death-traders who are doomed to deal quick, quiet, and merciful deaths for trade. Frey, Ovie, Runa, and Juniper are the warrior, the secret, the speed, and the Sea Witch. Together, they band together to fight the Jotund, and the outcome? A fight worthy of legends in Holhalland.

First of all, the Mercies are a formidable group. Not only did I relate to every single one of them, they gave me strength and inspiration. Together, they were a group of females that had respect not only for each other, but for their trade. Individually, I learned from their stories and also felt connected to them in their own way. And can we please give an applause to the fact that this warrior-cast is led by an all female cast?

Tucholke’s prose always has a factor that contains an emotional sway. There’s a relation that I correlate with Boneless Mercies to one of a somber song with minor chords. It gives me a tonal mood, adding another layer of this experience. I never once felt the pacing, and often I felt that I didn’t have enough time in the day to absorb all the fine qualities of this story.

I loved every bit of Boneless Mercies, and I urge you to read it.

*Thank you to the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.*