I loved this book, the first and best book in a great trilogy. Wonderful story and characters. I especially loved the dynamic between Tobin and Ki. ( )

Skala is a land to be ruled by women as decreed by the oracle. When the throne is usurped by a power hungry king with murderous intensions to any female born to his kin, the land is thrown into decline. To ensure a return to the rightful matriarchal rule two wizards attend the rightful heir and half-sister to the king during the birth of her twins and in an act of witchery hide the baby girl in the guise of her dead brother, driving a young mother insane and creating a demon in the bargain.

I have to say I entered into reading this story full of trepidation. I love the Nightrunner books but just wasn't sure I'd enjoy another story by this author. A bare handful of chapters in and my apprehensions about this grew exponentially as the first major act by the main characters I considered to be heinous in the extreme. However, I was determined to push on and give it a chance and I'm quite glad I did. The disquieting beginning was not merely gratuitous as I originally feared but was a necessity to the plot. As much as I disliked the beginning as Prince Tobin's story moved on I became more and more involved. This is not a happy story by any means although it certainly grows into a thoroughly engrossing one. I grew to like many of the main characters, with the exception of the wizards, and really enjoyed the story of Tobin's growing up.

In the end my major complaint was just that. The end. I've never been a fan of cliffhangers and this one leaves you with a doozy. I really take issue with authors who end a book in the middle of an active scene and I certainly never expected it of this particular author as all of the Nightrunner books had satisfying finales even while leading you into waiting on the next book. Despite this I will be reading the next of the series. This was a very intriguing and unique fantasy and if it were not for the non-ending I would probably have ranked it as high as the last two Nightrunners. ( )

I have to be honest. When I first picked this book up I came close to putting it right back down. It had a real rough start for me. But because I had read really good reviews about it I decided to follow through and finish it. I'm glad that I did.

The further I got into the book, the more the story pulled me in. There is so much of the story that I feel unfulfilled on but I think that is partly because there is more books but I cannot help but feel that the end was very unsatisfa...more I have to be honest. When I first picked this book up I came close to putting it right back down. It had a real rough start for me. But because I had read really good reviews about it I decided to follow through and finish it. I'm glad that I did.

The further I got into the book, the more the story pulled me in. There is so much of the story that I feel unfulfilled on but I think that is partly because there is more books but I cannot help but feel that the end was very unsatisfactory for me. There is much more to this story. That being said I need to read the next book in the series, I need to follow through and see what happens to the main character Tobin.

I also enjoyed the book enough to recommend it to my teenage daughter. That being said though I do not recommend it for young teenagers. Ms Flewelling handles the subject of homosexuality in a very sensitive fashion that I thought was good. ( )

This series is a great exploration into what is gender - how can it be defined and what does it do (or not do) to shape our minds?

The country of Skala has been ruled by Queen's from its inception, guarded by a prophecy stating that as long as a daughter of the royal line sits on the throne, Skala will not fall to outsiders. However, when the insane queen of the previous generation was disposed by her subjects, her son took the throne as his sister was too young to rule. But the taste of power is sweet and he refuses to give up his power as his sister grows, determined to pass on the title to his only surviving child, a son.

Misfortune is slowly destroying the realm, and the people cry for a female ruler, but the King kills any who might claim the throne from his son. Another prophecy gives hope to a select few: the King's sister is to bear twins - a girl child and a boy. In an elaborate plan featuring forbidden magic, two magicians kill the boy and bestow her form on the girl. For all purposes, Tobin is now a boy, his "sister" having died at birth. In this way, they hope to hide her, the only hope left for Skala, until she is old enough to take back the throne from her cousin.

This is Flwelling's second series in this world, this one set far before the first one, but you can read either series independently of the other without missing anything (other than a really good fantasy series). This is the first book in a trilogy.

Her characters are again, interesting and compelling, her magic system is fascinating, and her premise is fabulous and haunting. I recommend this series to fantasy readers but also to queer fiction readers as it explores gender in a really interesting way. ( )

I just finished reading the Bone Doll's Twin for the second time and was once again struck by the care and skill that Flewelling brings to her writing. This trilogy is marked by the careful crafting of all the characters, from our central hero/ine to the supporting cast. Her success in this area creates an emotional power which is the hallmark of good fiction and, sadly, rather uncommon withing the fantasy genre. ( )