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In an Italian city ravaged by plague, Sofia’s mother carves beautiful mementos from the bones of loved ones. But one day, she doesn’t return home. Did her work lead her into danger? Sofia and her little brother Ermin are sent to the convent orphanage but soon escape, led by an enigmatic new friend and their pet crow, Corvith.
Together they cross the city underground, following clues in bones up to the towers of Siena, where – circled by magpies – the children find the terrible truth …

I’ve read quite a few of Kiran Millwood Hargrave’s books by now and I haven’t found one I didn’t like! I’ve had this one on my TBR ever since release and I finally got around to reading it with Alex. In this book, we follow two siblings who are taken to an orphanage in Sienna. I loved the setting of Sienna, which came across beautifully in the writing and I thought suited the story well.

The two siblings were easy to root for on their adventurous journey through the orphanage and beyond, and I really enjoyed the family aspect of this book. There was also a boy they met along the way, Ghino, who I quickly built up a soft spot for.

This one was slightly darker than I expected, and had a Gothic atmosphere about it that felt perfect for the setting and I really enjoyed. The writing was quick and easy to read and I sped through it, as well as telling the story beautifully.

Overall, this one might not be for everybody and might be a little dark for some children but I loved the atmosphere!

★★★★
4 out of 5 stars

-Beth

May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽

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