Here’s a short summary of Bone Crier’s Moon:
Bastian’s father was killed. Every night, Bone Criers - guardians of the dead - come out in lilac-colored robes and play a flute, luring men to their imminent deaths. Bastian, however, is out to kill every one of the Bone Criers, no matter the cost, and will not succumb to the same fate his father did. On the opposing side, two Bone Criers will fulfill their last coming-to-age parade - to kill one person before coming full-fledged guardians. But the truth is: in this French-inspired fantasy world, one person will die, and whether it be a Bone Crier or a human is entirely up to fate.
Here's a short review of the novel:
I think on a scale of fantasy novels, it ranks somewhere in the middle, but in the scale of how-original-is-this-book, I would rank it very high. The magic system is incredibly intricate with witch-like Bone Criers who kill animals and use their bones as charms and magical cores, but to become a fledged Bone Crier, they must commit a human sacrifice. They seem to be the guardians of the underworld, who are forced into this role to control the anchored spirits from escaping. Bastian is also a strong character with fears and regrets - plus the desire of utmost revenge. He was a character I think had a lot of potential in the story that was mainly unused. The two Bone Criers were vicious and viper-like, which opposed the singular force of Bastian very well. Overall, I would say this book wasn’t the most amazing novel out there, but it’s worth at least one read, especially for lovers of fantasy and historical worlds.