The Sins on Their Bones by Laura R. Samotin

There seems to be a sub-genre of “traumatized queer couples engage in politics, mostly feudal adjacent” popping up in SF/F and I am HERE FOR IT. (See also Everina Maxwell, Foz Meadows and Freya Marske)

TSoTB is soaked in trauma (Samotin provides trigger warnings at the beginning, and you should heed them) but it doesn’t feel exploitative at all. Every horrible thing that happens propels the story forward or provides explanations for why the characters behave the way they do. Set in a feudal Russian-esque world, Jewish mythology underpins the story and provides mystical explanations and background.

The novel ends on a cliffhanger, and book 2 is scheduled to be published in 2025. I will definitely be looking for it.

Recommended for older teens and up and again, please heed the trigger warnings.

I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my unbiased opinion.