A Burning in the Bones

by Scott Reintgen Narrated by Caitlin Davies, Jesse Vilinsky, Erin Ruth Walker

Overview

Ren's quest to dismantle Kathor's corrupt system comes to a head as political machinations and a mysterious disease take hold of the city in this “unwaveringly tense” (School Library Journal, starred review) conclusion to the New York Times bestselling Waxways series.

After taking control of House Brood, Ren and Theo dreamed of using their newfound influence to change the rest of Kathor, but now they find their efforts being countered by the other great houses, who have no interest in a world where they enjoy less power.

No one understands that better than the Tin'Vori siblings. The return of their ancestral home was a decade in the making, but they're eager to keep rising from the ashes. Nevelyn begins researching House Brood-and ends up face-to-face with an enemy that's already slouching toward the gates of the city. The one enemy no one can avoid: a plague.

The victims experience strange bruising, an unquenchable thirst, and a temporary disruption in magic. When doctors trace the illness to its source, they find another mystery: corpses placed in strategic locations around the city. As Ren leads the hunt for the culprits, she'll find herself two steps behind a devious enemy whose sights are set on an unexpected prize: the city's magic.

Survival will require every ounce of their skill, every bond old and new, or else the future Ren and Theo have worked to build will burn down with the rest of the world.

Editorial Reviews

School Library Journal

★ 05/01/2025

Gr 8 Up—Following the bloody revolution that overthrew Landwin Brood, Ren and Theo are adjusting to new responsibilities in Kathor. Their former ally, Nevelyn, has found herself enmeshed in more revolutionary activity. Mercy, Balmerick student from Ren and Theo's class, is tasked with controlling a new, contagious disease in a rural area to complete her magical physician certification. The three storylines come together as the characters work to end the classist corruption at the heart of Kathor. The remnants of previous catastrophes are tangled with the overarching political scheming and the personal struggles of each character. This political fantasy pairs an unwaveringly tense narrative and breakneck pacing. Information retention is necessary but there is never over-complication, creating an excellent starting point for teens scaling up to long fantasy epics. VERDICT Purchase for all fantasy-loving teens, but particularly those who need motivation to build reading stamina.

Kirkus Reviews

2024-11-09
As in earlier entries, this trilogy closer blends genres as it presents a quest to resolve a strange plague alongside a heartfelt romance and an exploration of shifting allegiances.

With Theo Brood’s father dispatched, Theo and Ren Monroe begin the arduous task of turning the Brood estate into something more egalitarian. Meanwhile, medical student Mercy Whitaker has been sent by her mentor, Dr. Horn, to help victims of a plague that’s sweeping nearby farms. Quick thinking and dogged detective skills lead her right to the source—but not to a full explanation of what’s going on. Concurrently, questions arise after someone from Ren’s past goes missing. Nevelyn Tin’Vori’s careful research, part of her ongoing desire to undermine the Brood dynasty, leads her right to the answers everyone seeks, ones that are directly connected to Mercy’s gruesome discovery. Alliances new and old form and break, as a shadowy group called the Makers threatens to bring down not just the Broods but magic itself. The solidity of the central characters, who continue to grow emotionally through their many varied experiences, brings coherence to the series. Though Ren and Theo, who present white, have grown up over the course of the books, the steadily upbeat pacing and judicious worldbuilding remain ideal for teen readers, preventing any stagnation in this series that ends as interestingly as it started.

A meticulously crafted magical medical mystery with an emotionally substantive romance. (map)(Fantasy. 14-18)

Product Details

BN ID:	2940192031544
Publisher:	Simon & Schuster
Publication date:	02/04/2025
Series:	Waxways
Edition description:	Unabridged

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