Huge thank you to Simon & Schuster (Australia) and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to review this book!

I’ve never read any of Tucholke’s previous works but after reading The Boneless Mercies, I now want to go back and read them all! The level of detail, the flawless world-building, the careful unfolding of each characters backstory, the slow-building intensity leading up to the ending; almost every detail of this story was executed perfectly.

Full (spoiler-y) review here: http://wmsreads.tumblr.com/post/177957497877/

There are so many women in this book. There are very few men in this book at all. It’s glorious. It’s been a week since I read it and I recall two. Two men whose importance to the story is almost entirely tied to their emotional significance to the protagonist. Is this what being a man feels like?

The Boneless Mercies is a heroic saga focusing on a band of young women who travel a vaguely medieval eastern european continent as mercy-killers for hire. On the off chance you aren’t already leaving to go pick up a copy, I will do my best to explain why you should.

First - this is not a kissing book. This is not a book ‘about women’ where there is as much or more time devoted to how she feels about some guy as there is to the actual plot. In fact, while Frey does eventually do some kissing, the book is more than half over by the time she even thinks about it. Instead, she thinks about her quest, and her companions, and how her quest might be affecting her companions. There is a lot of entirely platonic compassion and love and I dig it.

Second, the tone of this book is GLORIOUS. Reading it felt like floating, if that makes any sense. Picking up this book is like walking into an old growth forest, hearing the complete lack of machinery, knowing you are the only person for miles. It truly captures the poetry of traditional fairytales and epics. Like breathing night air. I loved it.

Third, and this is a little big repeating, but the women in this book! They are all different, they are all complex, they all have different stories and motivations and they’re all fleshed out and deep and have skills and flaws and gosh I just love them all so much. Juniper, in particular, is my favourite.

The Boneless Mercies is a standalone novel, and it suits it, it is one heroic tale from beginning to end, but it is the kind of standalone where I wish I had another twenty chapters to tell me about how they lived the rest of their lives in comfort and safety, so that I could know for sure that my girls were okay.

[REVIEW] - The Boneless Mercies {1.5}⭐️
by April Tucholke
Thanks to @simonandschuster for providing a copy through @netgalley

"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 I received the approval for The Boneless Mercies I was super excited as the book seemed to be so promising - a bunch of girls wanting to leave their miserable death-trade life looking for a new adventure? Boom, you've got me! However, this book is probably one of the top 3 most boring books I have ever read in my entire existence🤦🏻‍♀️

The plot its just soooooooo boring that I found myself struggling and actually pushing myself to go back to the book and finish it. Now I wish I had just DNF it and use that time to read another book because nothing really happens in this book. Simple as that.

The characters are meant to have different personalities due to their varied backgrounds but they are all so bland, depressing and boring that sometimes I had to go back and read again because I couldn't identify who was who. The bad guys are just a punch of crying babies and very weird ones. And the Boneless Mercies are just so depressing, hating their lives and killing old and sick people that its impossible to believe that any of them are badass enough to fight a giantess - they know nothing about fighting or combat, they are always starving and have no fighting capacity and yet they want a go at killing a creature who has destroyed entire villages? *rolling eyes mode: on* 😤

The saddest part of all is that this book had so much potential. And not only the characters or the world building had a huge lack of development: what about exploring the ethics of killing people who is sick or old? Girl, you had a gold mine in your hands! A freaking shame.

This book just wasn’t for me. I read 25% but at this point I found that I wasn’t that interested in the story
, where it was going or what would happen to the characters. I can’t quite work out why though. I liked the characters but am feeling there wasn’t enough dialogue or maybe the story was just skimming the surface as I didn’t really feel like I knew the characters. I am definitely a character driven reader and generally need to read about strong well defined characters who have interesting and engaging dialogue.
As I said, can’t quit put my finger on why I didn’t get into this story so let’s just put it down to ‘it just isn’t for me at this time’.

This was an interesting book. I loved the premise of it, four young girls, warriors really, making their way in the world.
This book is rich in characters, from the four girls, to Trigve, to Sasha and Roth.
But I felt it was lacking something, a bit of punch, something to spice it up.
For me, I would've liked a bit more romance, just to give the book a bit of depth. I also felt the battle scenes were over too quickly and a little bit anti climatic.
Still, the cast of characters is great and the book is enjoyable for this reason alone. Give this book a try, I think it's worth your time.

I received an ARC of The Bondeless Mercies. I was intrigued by the cover first off, the blue and feathers looked really appealing and then learning that it was in my favourite genre- Ya Fantasy I had to have a read myself.

I really enjoyed this book. I read it almost non-stop and couldn’t put it down. It was easy and quick to read and the flow of action meant that the story was always progressing at a good pace. I really enjoyed the world building and the information that was revealed as the story moved forward. The characters were quickly likeable and I wanted to know more from the very start.

Saying that - It is a traditional Fantasy “Quest” story. Which I love - but can become predictable if you are used to the genre. (I only found out after reading it that it was based on Beowulf, so this makes sense) I loved the idea of a female group charging into battle and changing the paths life had set them on. I liked how the story addressed that all the girls - from different circumstances and walks of life had all come to the same path and could be friends. That society is unfair but we can do our best to be our best. I also liked that the relationships between characters were true friendships, and that the romantic themes were subtle and it really let the friendships shine through. Yes the story contains some gruesome parts - the cut-queen scene could be viewed as a little disturbing - but it was not out of the ordinary for this genre.

I really liked that the story was complete. I get so dis-heartened when stories are a part of a series and you don’t realise until 70% through or up until it’s finished and there is more story to come. Don’t get me wrong - this story could easily be turned into more books. The world building and the main characters scream for more of their story to be told, but I was also satisfied with how it ended.

A beautiful read, I would definitely recommend for people starting out in the Fantasy genre, and young readers.


(Also posted to Goodreads)

“They called us Mercies, or sometimes the Boneless Mercies. They said we were shadows, ghost, and if you touched our skin, we dissolved into smoke. We made people uneasy, for we were women with weapons. And yet the Mercies were needed. Men would not do our sad, dark work.”

Hallelujah, an awesome young adult fantasy standalone. Interesting history, great world, awesome magic, characters that had you cheering for them. The villains aren’t just villains, they are complex with compelling backstories.

Frey and her team are mercy killers, they bring death when illness and age are taking to long. It’s a thankless job, they aren’t heroes, they won’t be remembered and it takes a toll. The girls are worn down, and when they have to kill a young boy, it’s just one sliced throat to far, even for the hardest of the girls. Choosing a different life path isn’t an easy option, but its necessary.

The four Mercy girls are very different. Their personalities, their backgrounds and even their hopes for the future. Each is her own distinct person and they don’t blend into each other at all. Written from Frey’s perspective, we always know who is being thought about. Runa was strong, brave and haunted. She just wanted to run and hunt and be free. Ovie was the oldest of the girls, the quietest. She was wise, loyal and brave. Juniper, the youngest of the quartet, a sea witch; she had awesome magic, bravery and nimble thieving fingers. These girls were so full of passion, it practically poured off the pages
Frey wanted glory, she wanted battles and blood, she wanted to be remembered. Why did the men get the songs sung about them?

“I wanted to be known. To be sung about. I wanted men and women to hoist me onto their shoulders, to shout my name into the rafters.
I was a Mercy-girl with no family, no home, no fortune, and yet my blood sang a song of glory.”

Frey and the girls set out on their quest, I did have a couple of issues with the pacing and the fact it felt like they were given a list and were just crossing them off but the relationships and people they met distracted me from this. The Sea Witches, fellow Mercies, the Quicks and the Pig People. Each of these peoples were so interesting, the author could write a series about all of them. The constant in all of their adventures is their friendship. I liked the way they were accepting of each other, loyal and had faith in each other. There was so much growth for each girl, not just Frey.

For me the best part were the villain/villain’s. There is no black and white, cookie cutter bad guy in this book. As with life, nothing is ever what it seems. I cried with the villains and I cried for them.

The writing was phenomenal, it flowed, the tension rose and fell perfectly. I enjoyed the highs of the story and the slow bits in between, there seemed a purpose to the quiet slow times. It wasn’t an accidental lull. I can’t articulate my thought well enough to do the structure of the book justice. Throughout the story we are given glimpses of the worlds history, reminded of the way history has a habit of repeating itself.

With a heavy Norse influence, the women have had the spotlight shone on them here. In Boneless Mercies we look at women’s strengths, we see them stand up when others run, we see them support each other. There is no petty bullshit, because this author knows that women are strongest together, they are the masters of their destiny, they aren’t jealous and catty. They don’t need someone to tie them down. They can love, they can have their own dreams, they can follow their calling. They don’t have to conform to another’s expectations. She knows, that those who love them, will want to see them flourish, they will be proud. She knows that women have the right to choose.

There is a lot to like about this book for a mythology geek like myself. While it’s a little slow to start, the world the Mercies live in is well painted and the characters have both good and bad traits. Their actions as Mercies hit quite close to euthanasia, which made me uncomfortable; but that gave me a glimpse into why Frey was so weary inside and out of her role in society.

The book relies on retelling of (mostly) Norse mythology (thank you Mr Gaiman for your excellent work), with Celtic, Roman and even a bit of Judaism thrown in. Interactions between the characters are thoughtful and in line with YA age group, and what I did like is that sex isn’t a driver for the story.

In summary – it’s clever, descriptive, action-filled, thoughtful and I’ll definitely read again.

I received an ARC from Simon & Schuster (Australia) in return for an honest review.

This one just wasn’t really my cup of tea.

I really liked the synopsis but unfortunately couldn’t connect with the story or characters. The writing was done really well though and I’d be interested in reading more from this author.

The cover is beautiful too!

This book initially sounded like everything I would have enjoyed... If only the plot felt more original. The writing felt as though it was forcing me to see the world, the characters and the plot, this made it feel incredibly clunky.
Also the protagonist got straight on my nerves and I found her to be quite boring.

The Boneless Mercies had a lot going for it. I loved the Beowulf links and the creation of an alternate Norse world. The idea of the Mercies was also good, although I have seen something similar in a couple of other works. The pacing let the work down a little. It was very slow at first, and in comparison, the final confrontation with the beast therefore felt rushed. There were also a lot of characters, some of whom died, but it was hard to care about them to any great extent as we never fully got to know them. We'd be offered an odd snippet of their background or hopes for the future, but in many cases it wasn't enough to build a deep reader-character bond. Frey was the one exception. She came across well and I was invested in the outcome of her story. The ending certainly left things open for a sequel, and, given the opportunity, I would read it. However, this is not a book I would rave about or wish to reread. For me, it's a 3.5 stars. It was enjoyable and had several good points, but it also had a few faults, and given that six major publishing houses were desperate to get hold of it, I guess I had expected a little more.

Actual rating of 4.5.

Wow, what a story. I was intrigued by the cover and the title when I first came across this book. The idea intrigued me, a story about a group of 4 women, who are known as the Boneless Mercies. They deal in death, trading the peace of dying for coin along their way, but they are not all content with their life. Juniper, the young, kind, and innocent Sea Witch with the pearl green hair. Runa, the strong girl with a penchant for starting fights. Ovie, the stoic and mostly silent ghost. And Frey, the girl who wants more. Along with them travels Trigve, a man they came across on their travels who had nothing left and decided to join them, not as a mercie because men can't be boneless mercies, but as a companion and storyteller who dreams of being a healer.

The story starts with the mercies granting the wish of a lone woman in black silk who wishes to die and follows them as they travel. Runa is tired of the death trade, they all are, but no one will take in former boneless mercies, people turn away from them, their life full of death. They hear of a jarl who is calling for aid, his lands are ravaged and destroyed, along with his people, but a being called The Blue Vee beast. So many warriors have gone to his aid, only to end up dying. Do they continue their death trade? Or do they take the chance of something greater? We follow them as the travel to the sea witches in the merrows, to the red willow marsh which is ruled by the cut-queen, and onward. I can't say more, or I risk spoiling the adventure.

I found the characters interesting, and I want to know more about them, I'm hoping that the story continues as a series so that we're given the chance for the characters to develop more and become deeper. The world was well fleshed out and touches into, what I believe to be an alternate Norse reality, known as Vorse. I have read that a few people have likened this to a retelling of Beowulf, I haven't read it so I can't talk about it as being a retelling or any of the similarities that might be there. I found the opening of the story interesting, I've never read a book about someone who deals in the trade of death, the story lagged a little bit up until the mercies make their decision of whether they will travel to battle with the Blue Vee Beast or not. Once the story started to move, it moved fast, and kept me interested and needing to know what happened next. I definitely hope that this will be continued, I'm interested to see what happens to our Mercies, and where their journeys have taken them.