"Samotin’s breathtaking debut is a Gothic, deeply Jewish tale about love’s power to both wound us and set us free. Passionate and gruesome, heart-pounding and poignant, this story will be carved into your very bones." —Allison Saft, New York Times bestselling author of A Far Wilder Magic
"I really enjoyed this read—sweeping yet intimate, gory and chilling, and impossible to put down. The point at which the story begins—after Dimitri loses the war to Alexey—was a great choice, and I appreciate how carefully Laura R. Samotin delved into the depths of trauma, depression, and grief, while still leaving room for humour and hope.” —Samantha Shannon, New York Times bestselling author of The Priory of the Orange Tree
"The Sins on Their Bones is a book that will break your heart and then fuse it back together, stronger for having been broken. It's a story of agency and abuse, about what we deserve and what we owe ourselves, about finding the strength to forgive ourselves and to accept the forgiveness of others. Samotin is a powerful new voice in the genre, with this queer dark fantasy that reminds us that there is always, always a light in the dark.” —Kamilah Cole, national bestselling author of So Let Them Burn
"Emotionally devastating and tenderly nuanced, The Sins on Their Bones is a story of trauma, survival and hope, set in a world of dark magic and courtly intrigue." —Frances White, Sunday Times bestselling author of Voyage of the Damned
"The Sins on Their Bones is a novel of grief flayed open with surgical care, a story like a broken bone healing stronger than before. From war-torn shuls to opulent palaces to hidden rooms with cold secrets, Samotin has created a queer Jewish fantasy world that feels real enough to step into. The journey is dark, but never lonely." —Lauren Ring, World Fantasy Award winner and Nebula finalist
"Intense and visceral, with a romance that showcases the restorative power of love on the wounded, this stunning debut will leave you spellbound from the first page." —Aden Polydoros, author of The City Beautiful and World Fantasy Award finalist
"Samotin's debut is both epic and intimate, both sharp and sumptuous, both painful and ultimately hopeful, with Jewish magic in its bones. Novo-Svitsevo will linger in my heart for a long time." —Rebecca Podos, Lambda Award-winning author of From Dust, A Flame
“Samotin has crafted a modern classic which explores love, family and loyalty whilst dabbling in dark magic, high octane sexual tension and a web of romance that I will never stop thinking about. The Sins on Their Bones is a book that you will devour with ease, but be careful, because it too will devour you—soul, heart and mind. I CANNOT stop thinking about this book.” —Ben Alderson, author of Betrayal of Storms
"Set against a backdrop mysticism, a brewing war, and impossible choices, The Cursed Crown duology is a deep exploration of love, friendship, and responsibility—and what happens when they converge." —Kalyn Josephson, author of This Dark Descent
"An enthralling story that never flinches away from its darkest moments—Dimitri, Vasily, and even Alexey will carve themselves into your hearts and linger with you long after reading. With impeccable world-building, gut-wrenching prose, and a deeply compelling plot, The Sins on Their Bones is a must-read book of 2024. I can’t wait to read whatever Samotin writes next." —Lillie Lainoff, author of One for All
"Gothic and glorious, The Sins on Their Bones is the dark Jewish fantasy I've been craving. Novo-Svitsevo will stay with you long after you've finished the last page." —Natasha Siegel, author of Solomon's Crown
"An implacable tangle of dark histories and intense passions, damaging desperation and many kinds of healing love." —Davinia Evans, author of Notorious Sorcerer
“Set in an imaginative, lived-in world steeped in Jewish mysticism, The Sins on Their Bones walks a tightrope between darkness and light, between heavy themes and levity, between escaping the monsters from your past and becoming one in the present. Get ready to fall in love with Samotin’s characters—even the villain! Especially the villain.” —Genoveva Dimova, author of Foul Days
“A heart-wrenching tale of love, loss and the long, difficult road to healing, The Sins on Their Bones is an unmissable debut from a powerful new voice.” —K.M. Enright, author of Mistress of Lies
"Wrenching, brutal, and fiercely loving, The Sins on Their Bones is a remarkable and unflinching fantasy debut." —Emily Skrutskie, author of Bonds of Brass
"Clever and inventive, Laura R. Samotin's debut novel filled me with giddy nostalgia for the heady days when a younger me first discovered fantasy adventures, deliriously unhinging my jaw to devour entire books whole in a single night. Which is exactly what I did with The Sins On Their Bones: it was simply too much fun to put down! It's left me desperately craving both blinis, and the second book in the series!" —Rose Sutherland, author of A Sweet Sting of Salt
"Rich in wrenching intimacies, The Sins on Their Bones is a paean to healing and endurance against all odds." —Foz Meadows, author of A Strange and Stubborn Endurance
“The Sins on Their Bones is absolutely unique and potently atmospheric. The darkness nearly wafts off the page.” —Ariel Kaplan, author of The Pomegranate Gate
"Immersive and original, The Sins on Their Bones is the Jewish fantasy I've always dreamed of reading. Samotin has created a world that is rich and evocative and absolutely steeped in Jewish folklore, and a cast of wounded, messy, enchanting characters that grab you by the heart and never let go. Every page took my breath away, and the ending left me absolutely clamoring for more. This tender, violent, breathtaking debut will keep you on your toes until the very last word." —Shelly Jay Shore, author of Rules for Ghosting
Sometimes a book fights you a little before it lets you in… and sometimes, it’s worth the struggle.
The Sins On Their Bones drops us into a fractured empire, a broken ex-Tzar, and a revenge plot that is equal parts political intrigue, emotional wreckage, and… divine horror? Yes, that too.
What immediately stood out to me is that this is a queer-normative world — no fuss, no explanation, just people existing as they are. We love to see it.
But let’s talk characters, because wow. Every single one feels distinct and layered:
- Vasily? My absolute favourite. Sharp, compelling, and honestly the glue holding everything together.
- Alexey? Terrifying, fascinating, and easily the most interesting character in the book — the kind you can’t look away from, even when you want to.
-Dimitri starts off as… let’s be honest, a bit of a cry-baby 😅 — but watching him grow into a soft, cinnamon-roll-of-a-man with actual backbone? That arc hit.
The world-building is another standout. There’s a really intriguing blend of Jewish and Russian influences, which makes sense when you learn a bit about the author. Samotin is a queer, Jewish writer with a background in international relations, and she deliberately set out to create a Jewish-normative fantasy world rooted in Eastern European history and folklore.
And honestly? You can feel that intention on every page — from the magic system to the cultural texture of the world. The religion and mythology aren’t just aesthetic; they’re the backbone of the story.
Now, here’s where things got complicated for me personally: the heavy religious themes.
Interestingly, Samotin has spoken about wanting to move away from the typical “Christian-coded” fantasy narratives and instead build something grounded in Jewish mythology, where there isn’t a clear saviour figure or easy absolution.
And while I can absolutely respect and appreciate that intention — and what she’s doing here is genuinely unique — as a secular reader, I still struggled with how central those elements were. I couldn’t help feeling that the story might have worked better for me with two fully fictional opposing belief systems.
Because of that, the first half was a bit of a climb; it took time for me to find my footing and fully engage with what the story was doing. But once I did? I was in. The intrigue sharpened, the emotional stakes landed, and suddenly I was fully invested in who survives, who falls, and who breaks along the way.
And I have to say — I am definitely looking forward to the conclusion of The Cursed Crown duology, The Lure Of Their Graves. I need to know how all of this chaos, heartbreak, and divine meddling is going to resolve.
And honestly, I love a book that makes me wrestle with my rating a little. This one definitely did.
Not a flawless read for me, but a bold, character-driven story with a lot to offer — especially if you enjoy morally complex characters, messy relationships, and a touch of the divine gone very, very wrong.
Alexey is one of the greatest villains I've encountered in a long time. Some of the things he does are unforgivably evil. Yet, he has a charismatic seductiveness that meant I was never expecting it. Again and again, I would think "Oh he would never..." but, yes, yes he would, and it was even more brutal than I was prepared for. The author did a good job of hammering home how abusive Alexey became while still making him compelling enough that I understood why Dimitri clung to him so vehemently.
While I loved Vasily as a character, I never felt the same depth of emotion in his relationship with Dimitri. Dimitri and Alexey's relationship is told in flashbacks to moments of high tension: a whirlwind private wedding and their caustic fights over Alexey's paranoia and obsession with the occult. By contrast, much of of Dimitri and Vasily's relationship consists of earnest, emotionally honest conversations unpacking their childhood trauma. Is that healthy? Hell yeah. Is it a good model for IRL relationships? Yup! Did I find it a bit boring and overwrought? Also yes. I 100% understand that's a personal preference but it did make it a little difficult for me to get into.
All that to say, while this is a romantasy that is quite heavily focused on romantic relationships, I actually enjoyed it more for the world building. The religion and occult in this are so cool! Samotin draws on her own experience as an Ashkenazi Jew, as well as having extensively researched Jewish myths and folklore as the basis for the world of Novo-Svitsevo. It's paid off big time. I was as obsessed as Alexey with the mysticism of Holy Science and the awe-inspiring/awful power of angels and demons. What I loved most is how thin the divide seemed to be between the sacred and profane. Communing with an angel is no less painful or frightening than calling on a demon. It gave a window into how Alexey could delude himself into believing his practices were on the side of right. Dimitri and his supporters are forced into many questionable rites that had me wondering if they were straying too far from God's graces too.
I enjoyed the book overall, no complaints at all.
It's important to note that it's based on Ashkenazi Jewish myth and traditions. It was not explicitly stated in the description and so people might expect a different subgroup to be prominent.
I have to compare it to only other book series with a similar setting I've read. I attempted to complete Leigh Bardugo's Shadow and Bone trilogy previously and did not get far specifically because some terms and names were used incorrectly. This probably wouldn't make a difference to non-slavs, but Laura Samotin did a much better job in that regard so her book is much easier to read. I also feel like religion was better integrated into Samotin's setting.
It's nice to see more adult fantasy too. I hope this trend continues. And I hope we get more of covers like this from Mirari: is a good edition.