Bones of Jade, Flesh Like Ice

by Gracie Marsden

A young woman makes a bargain with a shapeshifting demon who promises her power, if she will give up love--a painful price that sets her on a dark journey in this historical fantasy inspired by Taiwanese myth

Eleventh century Taiwan. In a small village, far from the political conflicts of the royal dynasty, a too-young Yu’er is sold off to be married at the word of a jing, a shapeshifting-demon who prophesizes that her parents will thus gain wealth beyond their imagination. Her new husband Xiaozhu is, like her, barely more than a child himself—but he’s kind, and, over the years, Yu’er heals as they build a home together. They become allies, then friends, then lovers.

Until misfortune befalls them, once again at the hands of a demon. They’re left destitute and estranged. Reeling from loss, and determined to never leave her fate in another’s hands, Yu’er decides to strike her own bargain with a jing: she will have all the agency and riches she desires. She just has to leave Xiaozhu and their home together, forever—a price that will cost her more than she then understands.

Yu’er’s choice sets off a saga that will lead her to the heart of the royal court, and bring her more power than she ever dreamed of, but may kill her humanity along the way, in this sweeping tale of love, revenge, and redemption.

Genres: Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Historical, Mythology, Fiction, Adult, Romance

304 pages, Hardcover

First published November 10, 2026

About the author

Gracie Marsden is a proud Taiwanese-American who grew up moving frequently between Taiwan and the US. Her favorite books (and writing) highlight both the beautiful and awful things that make us human. Gracie also has a deep obsession with mythology and cats. She is also the young adult librarian at the Marshall Public Library in Pocatello, Idaho. Bones of Jade, Flesh Like Ice is her debut novel. You can find her on Instagram @thegraciemarsden or online at www.graciemarsden.com

Reviews

[Saranya · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

4.5 stars!

I am utterly at a loss for words. To think that this is the author’s debut novel is mind-blowing! This book took me on an unforgettable emotional journey that ruthlessly tore my heart out. It is magnificent, but also not for the faint of hearts as it has some brutal and graphic depiction of violence and body mutilation

The story follows Yu'er, a young woman bartered into marriage by her greedy parents. Her life is defined by crushing poverty and relentless misfortune. Against all odds, she and her young husband, Xiaozhu, managed to forge a deeply tender and resilient bond as they go through the harsh realities of their existence. Their fragile peace is shattered however, when a jing (shape-shifting demons) intrude upon their lives. This catastrophic encounter puts Yu'er onto a devastating trajectory fueled by grief, desperate survival and agonizing, impossible sacrifices.

One of the most spectacular thing of this novel is its worldbuilding. The author seamlessly weaved ancient myths and folklore into the fabric of the story. In such a short number of pages, the author managed to make it sound so beautifully rich and ancient, yet wonderfully paced.

Yu’er herself is a fascinating, brilliantly multifaceted protagonist. She exists in the gray areas of morality with both light and darkness within her. Because of this, her actions felt incredibly human. You can't easily label her choices as purely "good" or "bad" because they are inherently tied to survival.

This book brought me to tears because of heavy reality of grief with stunning realism. The sheer amount of character development and intricate storytelling packed into such a concise page count jus shows how talented the author is.
── ⋆⋅𖤓⋅⋆ ──── ⋆⋅𖤓⋅⋆ ──── ⋆⋅𖤓⋅⋆ ──── ⋆⋅𖤓⋅⋆ ──
pre-read: ⚜ ఌ︎.
I'm so excited to read this. Thanks to Nancy that I immediately requested for the arc when she told me about it<3

Thank you NetGalley and Viking Penguin for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

publication date: 10 Nov 2026

[aoife · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

ᥫ᭡ ∙ 3.5 stars

tw ∙ there is very, very descriptive gore in this book !! check content warnings before reading 🤍

There was once a girl who lied. She told herself she was marrying for safety, but in truth, it was because she wanted power.

this book made me unwell.

bones of jade, flesh like ice follows yu'er ( FMC ) as she navigates her life after being sold into marriage by her family. she marries xiaozhu, and they build a complex, fragile, yet strong relationship ─ before she enters into a deal with a jing (demon). what follows is a heartshattering story of fighting for freedom, sacrifices, and revenge.

i liked many things about this book. the world-building, the complex characters, the plot, the setting ─ everything was written so vividly & beautifully, and the pacing was amazing. the first few chapters of this already had my heart breaking, and seeing yu'er change into a much more cynical & distrusting character was one of my favourite parts of this ; her character development was flawless as well, after enduring through so much betrayal and grief.

the way gracie marsden writes is truly one of a kind 💮 the world building and prose in this book was among the best i've read, and the writing fit the setting stunningly. bones of jade, flesh like ice is set in eleventh century taiwan + considering how short of an ARC this was, the amount of mythology and culture incorporated into this book was perfection. i learned so much more about taiwanese tradition just from this alone.

i felt yu'er's anger so deeply and i resonated with her a lot. i admired her fight for vengeance + survival, her perseverance and her willingness to sacrifice anything for freedom. she was painted as morally gray, and though it took some time to connect with her in the beginning, i adore her character.

however, i wish there could've been a much more detailed resolution, as the ending seemed very rushed compared to the buildup of the plot. there is so much grief and suppressed anger tied into the fmc + this book, and i think there could've been a bit better of a resolve to the story. i also predicted parts of the book pretty quick, but i did like the way the plot moved fast.

tbh, this book reminded me a LOT of the poet empress by shen tao. the multilayered & complicated characters, the stunning setting, everything about this ─ truly gorgeous.

Even if we are monsters for staying, let us be monsters together.

. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁. ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁. ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁. ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.

   ୨ 🌸 ୧ pre-read ⏖ [ 09.30.26 ] ⟡
⤿ the cover of this one is so pretty eek 🥹 i've been wanting to read this one for SO long and i finally got approved for the arc !! i'm so excited 🤭 i've also seen so many good opinions of this one too, i hope this lives up to the reviews 💮

‎ꫂ᭪݁ | huge thanks to netgalley for the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review 🤍

[rina · Rating 3 out of 5]

‎ ‎ ੭୧‎ ‎ 3 stars‎ ‎ . ۫

overall thoughts — This was a really lovely, short book, and I had a good time reading it!! Where the book really succeeds is definitely in its structure. The pacing, length, and the way certain plot points were revealed were exceptionally well done. I was invested the entire time. I thoroughly enjoyed the different POVs, which really helped me better understand and empathize with each character.

The story follows Yu'er, who is sold off to be married by her parents. Her life is marked by misfortune and poverty until she decides to make a deal with a jing: in exchange for leaving her husband, her home, and marrying a great lord, her family will gain riches. What follows is a tale of tragedy, revenge, and sacrifice.

Certain parts I did wish were more fleshed out or given more depth. For example, [redacted]'s death, the entire ordeal, and the aftermath all felt very abrupt. I wanted a little more time spent there because it had the potential to be even more impactful. Other parts were also a bit predictable, especially near the end.

The beginning of the novel was definitely my favourite part, especially seeing the progression of our fmc into becoming more hard-hearted. Watching how her circumstances shaped her and slowly changed her was one of the strongest aspects of the story for me. There were so many heart-wrenching scenes. It is quite a bleak and depressing story, which I am always a sucker for!

There were also a lot of scenes that were much more graphic than I expected, so please be very mindful of content warnings before reading!

final thoughts — Bones of Jade, Flesh Like Ice is a stunning, lush, and poetic debut, and I wish the author lots of success when this releases. Gracie Marsden, this is definitely not the last you will see of me!!! 🤭

Thank you to Gracie Marsden and Viking Penguin for the ARC! Bones of Jade, Flesh Like Ice releases November 10, 2026.

CW: torture, death, physical violence, murder, blood, gore

────

finished: 04/16/26 𖥻𓈒 ꒱ ੭
i knew the ending was going to break me 😖 a solid debut <3

pre read: 04/14/26 𖥻𓈒 ꒱ ੭
i get to read this early!!! 🥹 i've been following the author on ig for quite some time, so i'm excited to see what her debut has in store <3 the premise sounds so promising; i love women and revenge!!!!

[Shen Tao · Rating 5 out of 5]

My blurb for Bones of Jade, Flesh Like Ice:

"Rich and heartfelt, Bones of Jade, Flesh like Ice scintillates with power, sacrifice, and sisterhood, finding warmth and magic amidst brutality."

[liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hey so this is the ghost of Liz writing this review because I’m not exaggerating when I say this book may have actually ended me? 6 stars. No questions. I am in PAIN. UNWELL.

Let’s start off with the opening BANGER of a line that immediately pulled me in: “There was once a girl who lied. She told herself she was marrying for safety, but in truth, it was because she wanted power.”
You’re absolutely kidding me?!

I actually picked up this book because the author of my favorite book of all time (Shen Tao) reviewed and recommended it and it was the best / worst decision of my life. It hurt so good. I don’t even know where to begin.

Reading a book Bones of Jade, Flesh Like Ice are one of those really rare books that will have you staring at a wall afterwards wondering how you even got so lucky to have gotten the privilege to read something this beautiful with your mortal eyeballs. I shouldn’t even be able to exist in a space with words this beautiful. Prose this mesmerizing. Messages this profound.

Everyone get behind me because I AM LITTLE PIG’S #1 DEFENDER UNTIL THE DAY I CEASE TO BREATHE! God every single character get underneath your soul and sit in your heart in the most enchanting ways. I cried several times! Several! When I flipped to PART 2 and saw the POV I legitimately had to put my kindle down and walk away. I crashed out so many times over this book. I never knew where this story was going to take us but god was every raw, intense, brutal moment of the journey worth it.

And the way everything comes together over each of the 4 parts? And the epilogue?! Stunning.

If you like:
- Folklore vibes
- Love vs power
- Vengeance
- Magical realism
- Lyrical prose
- Tragic love

This one is for you. A 300 page gift packed with unputdownable pain and suffering; tied with a beautiful bow of hope and love.

Thanks to Viking and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for my review. 6 stars no questions. Running to preorder this forever.

[Freefall]

beautiful cover, poetic title, intriguing synopsis...very much something i would associate with poet empress

[Anna Makowska · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bones of Jade, Flesh Like Ice reminds me of Chinese historical movies, where history, legend and fairy tale intermingle together, there are stories nested within stories, and truth is hard to separate from hearsay or myth. It's atmospheric and melancholic. It's well written on a line level, and a fast read.

That's the good part. Now the bad part is, this is a misery fiesta. It is not a story of female rage, or a villainess, or about a choice between power and love. It feels like the protagonist never has any real choice and is always forced into the role of a victim.

I don't even know what is the point of this story. Life sucks and then you die? Oh wait, you can't even die until you've fulfilled your duty?

There was once a storytelling advice I've heard, that to keep the audience engaged, you need to balance hope with despair. This book mostly provided despair, and very little to no hope, so at some point I just emotionally checked out.

I'm really tired of stories that are a compilation of relentless oppression and suffering. We get it, life was bad, especially if you were a woman, poor, or otherwise disadvantaged. I don't think anyone really needs another reminder.

TW: miscarriage, domestic violence, parental abuse, child brides, torture, brutal punishments and executions, colonization, marital rape (non-graphic), extreme poverty, alcoholism, death of an animal, mentions of foot binding, misogyny. I might have missed something, because oof, there was a lot in this 200-page short read.

Recommended for: fans of dark Chinese historical movies like Raise the Red Lantern, and books portraying historical oppression of women like Aicha.

I feel the comparisons to the The Poet Empress are a bit far-fetched, yes, both feature Chinese historical courts and a story of a poor oppressed woman trying to get out of her predicament, but I feel The Poet Empress managed to balance its emotional tone much better.

Thank you Netgalley and Viking Penguin for the ARC.

[Ireen · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Even if we are monsters for staying, let us be monsters together."

I AM ACTUALLY UNWELL.

[Mai T.]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

ANHPI TBR

Valentine's Day TBR

[Aardvark Book Club · Rating 5 out of 5]

In one of the most creative takes on a Cinderella story we’ve encountered in a while, Yu’er transcends a lifetime of rags for unimaginable riches—but what does she lose in the process?

Bones of Jade, Flesh like Ice is a gorgeously written historical fantasy where magic lingers behind every chance encounter: where a beautiful woman might just be a powerful shapeshifter, and a shady deal with a mysterious being might lift you out of misery and into wealth beyond your wildest imaginings. The setting—a magic-tinged eleventh century Taiwan—is captivating and unique, with a rural atmosphere played up through a vocabulary of animal imagery: from pigs to butterfly jings to the “rat-like man,” or the phrase that reverberates across each choice Yu’er makes: “Are you a cat or a mouse?”

What emerges is a nesting doll narrative, a story within a story, with “The Story of Menger and the House of Zhong,” leaking through the primary plot. In the world of the novel, oral storytelling is supreme—indeed, Yu’er’s husband, Xiaozhu, can’t read, so Yu’er reads aloud to him—and this is reflected in the way Bones of Jade is told. The prose is beautiful and concise, with metaphors that lend themselves to easy visualization: “Even in her fury, she was beautiful,” Xiaozhu thinks of Yu’er, “like the most poisonous of flowers.”

[Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. Just wow.

This book took me on a journey. One that ripped my heart out over and over again. This book is not for the feint of heart. It’s dark and gritty and makes you address some hard truths, including what love is worth and what it means to be a monster.

Yu’er is such an interesting character. She’s multifaceted, with both good and bad inside her. And that just made her feel real. She makes some tough decisions in this book, and I don’t think you could assign a moral value to any of them, because there is both good and bad in everything she does. That just brings us back to the key question: What does it really mean to be a monster?

Thank you so much to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy. I loved reading this one so much!

[Beth | Bookwyrm.Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you PRH Audio for the gifted book!

✦ 𝐌𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 ✦
This was an undeniably beautiful and unapologetically brutal, slow-burning tragedy. The fairy-tale cadence to the writing made me feel completely swept away, but the bleak, cruel world became increasingly difficult for me to endure. I enjoy deep, emotional, “depressing” stories, but this was completely without hope and a little much for me overall.

I appreciated how much depth and complexity the author was able to inject into her character dynamics. The relationship between Yu’er and Xiaozhu was particularly compelling; their quiet evolution from forced child-spouses into fierce allies and deeply tender companions provided a fragile heartbeat to an otherwise punishing narrative.

Watching Yu’er navigate her desperate bargain with the Jing was both fascinating and immensely heartbreaking. It gripped me deeply to watch Yu’er harden her heart, and her journey had me reflecting upon what it truly costs a woman to carve out a destiny within a system designed to chew her up.

Yet, for all its emotional resonance, the book isn’t without its flaws. The narrative was distinctly front-heavy, dedicating vast stretches of the opening acts to establishing the trauma of Yu’er’s youth before the core magical conflict is permitted to unfold. While this deliberate foundation made some of the plot points profoundly shattering, it tested my patience and resolve. When coupled with the relentless barrage of grimdark elements, ranging from descriptive body horror to relentless emotional loss, I felt honestly fatigued and a little numb.

In addition, there were a multitude of subplots that felt very under-developed and simply there to pad the plot. Without sharing spoilers, the world occasionally bent to the immediate whims of the plot rather than maintaining consistency or an organic balance. The pacing was also really mixed, frequently slowing down and speeding up so sporadically that I had to go back and reread passages several times.

Despite these issues, I found the story to be memorable and haunting. I look forward to reading more of this author’s work in the future.

***** This is immensely dark and a very heavy read. I highly recommend checking out trigger warnings on this one, which can be found on the author’s website.

✦ 𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗼 𝗡𝗼𝘁𝗲𝘀 ✦
Single narration by Katharine Chin.
This is a short, impactful listen and I loved hearing the precise pronunciation of the Taiwanese names and places. Katharine did an excellent job balancing all the shifting stories and mixed narrative, while giving this tragic story as much room to breathe as possible. Excellent, clear recording and direction. I recommend the audio for this, or a tandem read!

𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙡𝙤𝙧𝙚:
Deal with a Demon
Morally Gray Characters
Tragic Love
Sisterly Bonds
Vengeance vs. Forgiveness
Grief as a Metaphoric Force
The Duplicity of Stories
Power and Institutional Cruelty

✄----------
Genre: Dark Fantasy, Horror, Romance
3 Stars
✄----------

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[Courtney N · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars ⭐️

When I finished the last page of this book, I was immediately overwhelmed with thoughts. I found myself flipping back to certain pages, rereading my highlights, typing long notes and generally wanting to start it all again from the beginning. The thoughts, complicated feelings, theorizing and wishes for the characters were endless.

That to me is worthy of five-stars but also worthy of becoming a new favorite book.

For a story that carries *extremely* heavy themes (you are certainly going to want to check trigger warnings), I could not put this down. The writing itself was captivating enough (simple prose yet each word carried weight) but the unique format and timely reveals really made this propulsive and bingeable.

The characters were all deeply flawed and yet not without reason.

This was a complex and layered story that does not shy away from plaguing the reader with conflicting thoughts and tough emotions. If you’re anything like me you’ll feel anger as much as you’ll feel joy, sadness, and hope.

It feels unfair to compare this book to another one but because of it’s success I feel it’s a justice to say it lives in the same space as The Poet Empress by Shen Tao, and for me personally, I don’t think many books in my lifetime that will touch what that one did for me but this is right in its league.

There are parts of me that wrestle with the end and the pacing of it. I do think this book could have had another 20-30 pages of detail towards the end, however I don’t feel that took away from the lasting impression.

Besides the pacing, everything I wanted was given to me in the end plot wise. And yet, there was so much room left for my mind to keep exploring.

Overall, this book is truly a win all-around. Read this if you want to be challenged and rewarded for the journey.

[Sam♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

So you're telling me this was a debut book?
Oh wow.
Such a good debut book that I am fully prepared to get on my knees and beg for a sequel because Miss Gracie cannot leave me hanging like that. What was THAT ending?

(My breakdown was probably already evident from the mini review I posted on my story at an ungodly hour of the night, but here's the longer and considerably more dramatic version.)

This book did not simply take me on a journey.
It dismantled me. It took my heart apart piece by piece, examined every fragment under a microscope, and then handed it back to me fundamentally altered. This is not a book for the faint of heart. It is dark, unflinching, and surprisingly philosophical beneath its fantasy exterior. It constantly asks uncomfortable questions about agency, sacrifice, power, survival, and whether the price of freedom can ever truly be measured.

More importantly, it refuses to provide easy answers. There is kindness in this story, but it is not a kind story. There is cruelty in this story, but it is not a cruel story. Instead, it exists in that uncomfortable space where human beings are forced to make impossible choices and then live with the consequences. What I admired most is that the novel never mistakes suffering for virtue.

Yu'er wants freedom with a desperation that borders on obsession. She is willing to sacrifice pieces of herself for it, and the story never fully absolves her of those choices. It allows her to be ambitious. Angry. Loving. Selfish. Brave. Terrified. Human. And because she is allowed to be human, every decision she makes carries weight. Watching her transform from a powerless child bride into a woman willing to bargain away even love itself for autonomy and survival was both exhilarating and devastating.

And then there's Xiaozhu. (Or, as jen can attest, the man responsible for approximately seventy percent of my emotional instability while reading this book.)

Their relationship is one of the most compelling aspects of the novel because it understands something many romances forget: love is rarely built through grand gestures. It is built through familiarity. Through trust. Through small acts of recognition. They do not fall in love all at once. They learn each other first. Which is precisely why everything hurts so much later.

The novel understands that the greatest tragedies are rarely born from the absence of love. Sometimes they emerge because love exists, abundantly and undeniably, and still cannot save people from themselves.

The mythology deserves its own paragraph because it is absolutely magnificent. The jing feel ancient in the way old forests feel ancient. Beautiful and terrifying at the same time. Every interaction carries the sense that something is lurking beneath the surface. Every bargain extracts a cost. Every gain leaves a wound.

Power in this world is never clean. It decays. It corrupts. It demands. And the novel never lets you forget that. What lingers with me most, however, is not the plot. It is the feeling. The lingering ache. The sense that I have finished the book but the book has not finished with me.

Some stories entertain you. Some stories impress you. And then there are stories that quietly move into your mind and refuse to leave. This is one of those stories.

So, Miss Gracie, if this review somehow finds its way to you, please take it as a completely reasonable and measured request for a sequel.
I am asking politely.
For now.

[Cassie G. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Viking Books and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

———

As the songs say, “You don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone.”

Yu’er wants more out of life than the poor hand that’s been dealt to her: an arranged marriage, poverty, conflict after conflict, and so much heartbreak. So she makes a choice, and it may haunt her for the rest of her days.

I loved the blend of magic and mythology within this work, and the importance put on the art of storytelling to drive the plot along. I began to feel so much for the characters, sharing in their hurts and their triumphs. I got angry at the politics of their world, at certain characters’ inaction when acting would’ve changed everything. I wanted more for Yu’er, for Xiaozhu… Needless to say, I became so engrossed in this book that I finished it in basically two sittings. Incredible.

[Kemi Ashing-Giwa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was impossible to put down. It took a bit for me to connect with the characters, and I’m generally not a fan of serious romance-heavy plot lines, but to my surprise, the book won me over. Once it grabbed me, it never let go. This is not the typical “girl is sold off like livestock and then claws her way up to being the Ultimate Girlboss” adventure—this is a contemplative tale of love, revenge, and storytelling that has a lot more in common with Nghi Vo’s The Singing Hills Cycle and Shen Tao’s The Poet Empress than it does with She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan or The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang, two other books I’ve seen it compared to. The characters of those stories (both of which I very much enjoyed) are far more ruthless and unhinged than Marsden’s Yu’er; this novel is less about sacrificing yourself and others to seize power than it is about dealing with the consequences of doing so.

[Katrin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A rather dark story with interesting mythology, a complicated heroine, and an unusual romantic storyline.

At first, it feels like a story about a poor girl who is sold into marriage and tries to find her place in a cruel world. But as the plot progresses, things take a very different turn, introducing magical creatures, curses, blessings, and the whole mythology surrounding the jing.

I really enjoyed Yu'er's character development. Her transformation from a frightened girl into a powerful creature seeking revenge was one of the most interesting parts of the book. It was especially fascinating to see how everything she went through changed her and how she struggled to balance her human side with her new nature.

I also liked the relationship between Yu'er and Xiaozhu. Their story is quite heartbreaking, but also genuinely sweet. I enjoyed seeing how their feelings survived years of separation and all the changes Yu'er went through. Xiaozhu remained devoted to her, and their interactions were one of the more enjoyable aspects of the story.

Another big plus was the worldbuilding and mythology. The magical creatures, mountain clans, curses, and blessings all add a lot to the story and help create a unique atmosphere. Even though the book can be quite brutal, especially in its portrayal of how cruel people can be to one another.

The only thing I felt was missing was a more balanced pacing. Some events and plot twists happen rather quickly, especially towards the end, and I would have liked a little more time for certain developments to unfold.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC!

[Leah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a great debut novel!
I loved the Taiwanese mythology, the world-building, and the realism woven throughout the story.
Yu’er is such a well-written, multifaceted character. I felt like she was in a constant state of survival from such a young age. While some of her decisions were questionable, they were rooted in grief, sacrifice, and a longing for something better.
This story also explores a thought-provoking question: Is being powerful truly worth it if it comes at the cost of your humanity?

Thank you to Gracie Marsden, NetGalley, and Viking Penguin for the ARC.

[Charisa Flaherty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC of this book. I enjoyed this book. It was a cautionary tale of be careful what you wish for. Every time someone wished for something from the jing they got it in ways they did not necessarily want. I enjoyed the story and it was well written. The part where Yu’er met the goddess was necessary to me. And for the jing being mythological beings they affected Yu’er’s life a lot - her parents interaction, the rabbit, the hen, the snake lady, even the prophesy the Great Lord had. This made the jing seem more common than mythological. But that didn’t take away from the overall story.

[Hamad Naif · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bones of Jade, Flesh Like Ice by Gracie Marsden
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I love when a book manages to feel both haunting and completely absorbing, and this one sounds like such an intriguing read! The title alone sets the mood, and I’m always drawn to stories that blend dark, atmospheric fantasy with a sense of mystery and something just a little unsettling. Gracie Marsden has created a story that feels wonderfully evocative, and I love the promise of a world that draws you in and leaves you wanting to uncover more. Definitely one for readers who enjoy their fantasy with a darker edge and plenty of atmosphere!

[Alexandra Morales · Rating 2 out of 5]

****Many thanks to Netgalley and Viking Penguin Books for an advanced eArc in exchange for my honest opinion****

A solid 2.5 but I won't be rounding up for this.

I have read countless tales of horrible things happening to main characters. At this point its how the story starts or shapes the the character. This is by FAR the main character who endures the most in so little of time. I'm left feeling like a part of my soul has died reading all the torture that Yu'er endured. For me the torture, the pain, the injustices have to cumulate into the breaking point, the point of no return where the character absolutely snaps. I wanted a rage fueled rampage, I wanted cities to be burned, I wanted the men who wronged her to be slowly consumed by Yu'er in all the worst ways. We got SO much detail in regards to Yu'er why can't I have the sordid details of what she did to THEM??

Throughout this entire book I was really hoping Yu'er would catch a break, just a brief moment of time where she could be happy with the people she loves. We get one such scene but its around the 60% mark that we do and it last's only six months, we get brief descriptions but it isn't even in her POV!

I really wish we could have gotten her POV when she went to marry the "great" lord. I think I would have connected with her stronger if it wasn't just a story we get brief flickers throughout the book. Even if it was a longer chapter and we switch to Peishan's POV afterwards.

The repetitive use of "rat man" to describe her father in law was overbearing. You can describe this man by just his name and add on characteristics of someone who looks like a rat... Beady eyes, prominent or protruding ears, long angular face, unkept hair etc. Xiangzhu or Peishan should have grown a spine a lot faster then he did, half the time I'm asking myself why am I reading his POV? I wanted to read more of the confidence he had as he was studying with Chongliang. He didn't have to be physically strong but I wanted his growth emotionally and I felt it lacking.

I have seen other reviews compare this to the Poet Empress by Shen Tao... Let me be clear. In NO WAY is this close. The Poet Empress balances cruelty with kindness and repulsiveness with beauty. Reading the torture of Yu'er, hearing the screams of her friend while being tortured will haunt me for some time. I'm no spring chicken, I've read some brutal passages across a variety of books but this borders/crosses into grotesque. And with slap after slap AFTER slap of horrible things happening to Yu'er I'd had enough. She didn't get happy ending nor did she get her cumulative badass moment.

I'd take the bamboo stick at this point.

What I will say is Marcie did a phenomenal job with her descriptions of scenery. All the senses were there! I could smell the mouthwatering food, feel the cool mist hit my face, hear daily sounds of the mountains with the Shuli people. Where Yu'er turned cloth into moths, or dragged her finger up a table and it rotted in her wake. These were incredibly well written and played out like a movie in my head.

I have hope her next book will be even better, it can only go up from here!

[Chelsea · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the writing. But at about halfway through, I wasn't liking the plot as much as I did at the start. I finished reading it because it was such a short book and it was easy to get through.

[mariela · Rating 5 out of 5]

thank you to netgalley for this arc ♡

i LOVED this. i cannot believe this is a debut😭 the writing is so beautiful but easy to read. the story FLEW by, i would sit down expecting to take my time and then i would look at my percentage and 30% flew by, then 60% and then i was finished?!
the story was beautiful and i was captivated from the very start. if the author writes like this forever i WILL READ EVERY SINGLE BOOK!?!?!?

there is MUCH more horror (death and gore) involved than i was expecting so cw for that! as well as child loss.

[Chii ✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Rounded Up.

tw: brutal and graphic depiction of violence and mutilation, torture

Marsden's debut, Bones of Jade, Flesh Like Ice is emotionally and criminally short. Yes, I'm talking 200 pages short. I think I would have liked to see certain parts more fleshed out and maybe then there would have been more impactful emotional moments while I was reading, which is where I deducted half a star. Nonetheless, I thoroughly enjoyed the tragedy of this one.

Yu'er is sold off by her greedy parents to be married, finds solace in her marriage, but once a jing gets introduced and threatens that peace, we see her become more hard-hearted due to the various circumstances that she's been put through: grief, agony, and doing anything within her reach for survival. The pacing felt right, and the folklore/mythology incorporation felt rich. If you're expecting a happily ever after, well... I can't spoil that one. Let me say this felt more like a Shakespearean tragedy and will definitely stay in my library.

I cannot wait to see what other works Marsden has in store for us!

Thank you netgalley and viking penguin title for the earc in exchange for honest review

[Ai Jiang]

My blurb for the book!

BONES OF JADE, FLESH LIKE ICE is a mythical journey filled with elegance, vengeance, and melancholy. Marsden has woven a magnificent tale of pain and the resilience that follows.

[LadyoftheBlade (Britt) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for an e-arc of Bones of Jade, Flesh Like Ice. I absolutely adored this novel. The story revolves around Yu'er, who is sold by her mother and father into marriage. After marriage, Yu'er's life is filled with misfortune, tragedy, and loss. However, there is also love and the creation of a new family. Alongside the story of Yu'er, the reader is introduced to the story of Meng'er, the new wife of a cruel Lord. Through a staggering of timelines and interspersing of mythology, the stories of Yu'er and Meng'er intertwine to tell a tale of two opposites. This is is story drenched in grief, cruelty, fear, loss, and betrayal. But, underneath all of that...there is friendship, hope, forgiveness, kindness, and love. This is also, in part, a story of revenge and shows what people are willing to give up in pursuit of revenge and what may unintentionally be lost. It is set in Taiwan and seeped in Taiwanese mythology. Above all of the questions Bones of Jade, Flesh Like Ice asks of the reader is what is a monster. (And the unspoken question...are monsters worthy of love and forgiveness).

The novel is very quick to let the reader in on what is going on, but it is told in two viewpoints. The first viewpoint involves Yu'er and her sister Jiajia. Their parents sell them off to be married in hopes of hastening the jing's prophecy that their parents will have riches beyond their wildest dreams once their daughters are marries. Jiajia is married off first to a fuli shaman. Before she departs, she hids her jade pendant in a place for Yu'er to find. The jade pendant becomes an important symbol to Yu'er. After her sister, Yu'er marries Xiaozhu, the son of an abusive drunkard. She lives with Xiaozhu, his father, and his grandmother. Yu'er is used to a life with some luxuries, so she is unused to the life of lean meals and hard work. Slowly, Xiaozhu and Yu'er fall in love. And that is where everything falls apart.

Yu'er and Xiaozhu's love story is one of love and loss. Without going too much into what follows, much of the novel is Xiaozhu and Yu'er making their way back to each other even though their grief and choices have irreparably changed them. Once you are let in on what is going on, the novel gets super tense while you are waiting for the shoe to drop. The conclusion broke my heart, but the ultimate resolution healed it (slightly).

Overall, if you like Taiwanese myths, morally questionable FMCs, and a tense atmosphere...then this novel is for you.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The beginning started off slow and I was debating about DNF-ing it but I highly encourage you to follow through because once I passed 60-70 pages, I was *invested*. I do wish the ending ended differently; however, that's only because I don't like open ended or bittersweet endings.

[Emilee · Rating 5 out of 5]

5⭐️

FIVE. FREAKIN. STARS. I got literal goosebumps after finishing this book.

We follow Yu’er, who is sold off by her parents to an impoverished family. Out of desperation, she makes a deal with a jing—a shapeshifter capable of wielding both curses and blessings—which ultimately leads her to leave her husband and marry a great lord. Yu’er’s pursuit of power slowly evolves into her ultimate demise.

This story took my emotions on a complete rollercoaster. My heart felt caught in a vicious cycle—torn apart and then stitched back together again. The immense character depth and intricately layered storytelling that Marsden weaves into such a short book is genuinely impressive. The writing is lyrical, with a style reminiscent of traditional fairy tales. The structure offers glimpses into the future that will have you flipping pages at breakneck speed, desperate to understand how everything unfolds.

I truly have nothing but positive things to say about this beautiful, heart-wrenching story.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

[justine ⊹ ࣪ ˖ (back-ish?)]

i've been thinking about this book for some time now since i'm following the author on IG >< now, it's finally on netgalley, but i can't put in a request 🤧

[Jerica Mercado · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gracie Marsden's debut novel, Bones of Jade, Flesh Like Ice is a powerhouse of a fantasy that had me enthralled from the first pages to the last and will stay with me for some time to come.

*Thank you Penguin Viking for the free advanced copy; this review is entirely my own opinion.

Set in the eleventh century in a version of Taiwan where jings--magic-touched beings who can curse or bless as they choose--walk among the people. Young Yu'er grew up listening to stories of the jings who appeared as animals and could choose to bless a person with great fortunes. When a jing crosses her own family's path, however, it promises her parents great wealth once Yu'er and her sister are married and driven by greed, their parents sell both girls into marriage at young ages. Scared, but determined to survive, Yu'er becomes first allies and then friends with her young husband until tragedy finds their home. Reeling from hurt and betrayal, Yu'er wishes for a different life and finds herself entwined in a dangerous court of intrigue and lies that may be her downfall.

Elements of this book that I loved:
-Yu'er and her husband, Xiaozhu. We meet them as children and watch as they slowly learn to trust and care for one another. It was so perfectly placed and plotted that watching them fall in love felt like falling in love myself; later, watching them experience tragedy and loss felt equally devastating, I was so invested in their lives and story.
-The fantasy elements. We meet the jing through stories the characters tell Yu'er, and later when various jings touch her life for better and worse. As the story develops it becomes clear that a blessing is not always straightforward and may seem like a good thing only to be devastating with time. These little story vignettes were lovely and left me longing to know more Taiwanese lore.
-The plot twists. This is a sweeping story that dips and dives like a roller coaster from highs to lows in Yu'er's life and a couple of the plot twists in the story left me stunned. They kept the narrative compelling as the story moved forward, connecting elements and revealing their importance. I finished this and wanted to start it again just to see things I missed the first time around.
-The storytelling. So much of this story had the feel of sitting and listening to someone weave tale after tale of oral history and legend for the room. The stories of the powerful jings and the longer story of Meng'er, the twenty-fifth wife of a powerful lord, woven into the story of Yu'er and Xioazhu, enhanced that feeling that this was all a sweeping story told night after night to a roomful of rapt listeners.

This is an epic fantasy, perfect for readers who loved The Poet Empress earlier this year, and for anyone who loves a heroine who may stumble often, but always gets back up.

*This story deals with pain and suffering as well as love and redemption, so I do encourage readers to check the content warnings as some elements may be triggering.