Title: The Sins on Their Bones
Author: Laura R. Samotin
Page Length: 416
Publication Date: May 7, 2024
Publisher: Random House Canada
Synopsis: Dimitri Alexeyev used to be the Tzar of Novo-Svitsevo. Now, he is merely a broken man, languishing in exile after losing a devastating civil war instigated by his estranged husband, Alexey Balakin. In hiding with what remains of his court, Dimitri and his spymaster, Vasily Sokolov, engineer a dangerous ruse. Vasily will sneak into Alexey’s court under a false identity to gather information, paving the way for the usurper’s downfall, while Dimitri finds a way to kill him for good.
But stopping Alexey is not so easy as plotting to kill an ordinary man. Through a perversion of the Ludayzim religion that he terms the Holy Science, Alexey has died and resurrected himself in an immortal, indestructible body—and now claims he is guided by the voice of God Himself. Able to summon forth creatures from the realm of demons, he seeks to build an army, turning Novo-Svitsevo into the greatest empire that history has ever seen.
Dimitri is determined not to let Alexey corrupt his country, but saving Novo-Svitsevo and its people will mean forfeiting the soul of the husband he can’t bring himself to forsake—or the spymaster he’s come to love.
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A dark fantasy set in a queer normative 19th-century Eastern Europe and inspired by Jewish folklore, The Sins on Their Bones is a powerful debut by Laura Samotin. I was drawn into the story from the first page with Samotin’s immersive writing style and storytelling.
The story starts off quite bleak as we see Dimitri, the ex-Tzar of Novo-Svitsevo, a year after losing his throne to his (now ex) husband Alexi. Dimitri is broken, but he grows so much over the course of the story, and his journey is compelling. There are two other points of view besides Dimitri’s, which gives you a glimpse into all of their thoughts, feelings, and struggles. One perspective is Vasily, Dimitri’s spymaster and possible love interest, and though his narrative didn’t feel as fleshed out as the others, I enjoyed it. He and Dimitri and their friends are all trying to find a way forward after the trauma of the war and the horrible losses they suffered.
I thought it was interesting (and daring) to have Alexey’s perspective as the third point of view since he is the main antagonist of the story. It was difficult to read, as you’re seeing things through the unreliable lens of an abuser trying to justify his actions, but it worked in the context of the story.
Though the story is very character-driven, the world-building is developed well, as is the plot. And one of my favorite tropes is the found family, which is so well done in this story! This group is a bright spot in an often bleak world, and I liked how supportive and strong this group was, especially as Dimitri dealt with all of the obstacles in his way toward healing and reclaiming his throne. All of the characters have suffered from the war and their alliances, and it’s interesting to see how each was affected and how they dealt with everything. I also liked the relationship between Dimitri and Vasily, which started off feeling more sexual but turned into something deeper.
This is a dark fantasy, and I would definitely suggest checking out the content warnings at the beginning of the book before starting because, though there is a romance, I would say the story more explores toxic relationships, abuse, trauma, political intrigue, the abuse of power, and more. However, with the inclusion of a wonderful found family and a queer normative setting, there’s also healing and support and learning how to love and be loved again, which balances the story well. Special thanks to Random House Canada for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.
- found family
- friends to lovers
- demons and angels
LAURA R. SAMOTIN and her spouse live with two enormously large felines. When she’s not pursuing her academic research on military tactics, power politics, and leadership, she relishes her role as a full-time cat servant.
Great review, Julie! I’ve only read one other review of this book but that one mentioned the same things as you, especially about the darker aspects of the book, but it sounds like all of it was done quite well. This is now on my TBR and I can’t wait to give it a go 🙂
Thanks, Dini! I would def. check the content warnings before starting, but it was a really good read!
I’m looking forward to reading this book. I received an eARC of it, but I’m having trouble reading it (format issues on my end). So, I preordered the audiobook. Everyone I know whose read it, enjoyed it; I hope I do, too.
Looking forward to this one!
I hope you enjoy it!