Review by Elizabeth C. Bunce
Sarah Beth Durst’s new standalone novel The Bone Maker answers the perennial fantasy question “What has it got in its pocketses?” And that answer is: bones. The magic in the Kingdom of Vos is worked by manipulating the life force remaining in bones to build animated machines, tell the future, or create powerful talismans. Any animal bone will work, but human bones are taboo. Twenty-five years ago, a wizard bent on revenge broke this most sacred rule of bone magic, and reanimated human bones to wreak destruction on the kingdom and its people.
Five warriors—bone workers all—stepped forward to stop him, and four came home heroes. Now, a lifetime later, that war should be long past, only a dark and haunting memory. But for the woman who lost her husband in the war, the fight has never ended. Kreya has spent the last twenty-five years perfecting the spell needed to permanently resurrect her beloved husband. The only problem is, the spell requires two unspeakable ingredients—half her own life, and enough human bones to power the magic.
joins 2011’s 
and 2013’s 
about the nation of Welce, where every citizen feels a kinship to one of the five elements, thanks in part to random blessings drawn by strangers at their birth. The sweela are drawn to the element of fire, and 
, etc.), to her Twelve Houses high fantasies (
, etc.), to the recent urban fantasy Shifting Circle novels (
, etc.), Shinn’s series consist of separate standalone stories linked by characters and worldbuilding—not one-long-novel-in-five-parts, although there may be an overarching series plot, as well. But it’s her worldbuilding that makes Shinn such a standout fantasy series writer. The worlds are rich, deep, unique, and immediately accessible. Shinn has said that Elemental Blessings was originally planned as a single book, but it was so obviously destined from its conception to be a classic Shinn five-volume series (we hope and assume!). Like many of Shinn’s worlds, Welce has a special sort of magic tied to the land within its borders. Not only do Welchins identify with the elements (the elay relate to air; the coru to water; the hunti to wood; and the torz to earth), but some possess an even stronger connection, sensing and even manipulating the elements around (and sometimes even within) them.
, a high fantasy adventure about a thief on the run who stumbles into a Renaissance era revolution. 
, by Suzanne Collins, 2009 Newbery winner 
by Neil Gaiman, and 2012 Eisner winner 
by Vera Brosgol. Elizabeth is one of only a handful of writers to have two books on Oprah’s Kids Reading List. Her first novel, 
is the fantasy noir sequel to 
, 
