The Pale Dreamer
Rating: 5/5
Buy or Borrow: Buy
Source: Early Copy, Courtesy of Bloomsbury (Released as an ebook NOW or in the back of the new version of The Bone Season series, released 9th February 2017)

In the perilous heart of Scion London, a dangerous and valuable poltergeist is on the loose – and it must be caught before chaos erupts on the streets of the capital. Here, the clairvoyant underworld plays by its own rules, and rival gangs will stop at nothing to win such a magnificent prize.

Sixteen-year-old Paige Mahoney is working for Jaxon Hall, the most notorious mime-lord in the city. He thinks she is hiding a powerful gift, but it refuses to surface. Maybe this is the opportunity she needs to secure her position in his gang, the Seven Seals…


A few days ago, the lovely people at Bloomsbury sent me an early copy of the new version of The Bone Season, which is released next month. I was really sceptical of the cover changes but now that I've seen them in person, they are simply stunning and I will definitely be collecting both editions now. In the back of the new copies of TBS, is the prequel novella: The Pale Dreamer.

I've been wanting to read The Pale Dreamer since it was released last month but I really dislike ebooks so when I heard it was to be released with the new copies, I decided I'd wait (as hard as it was, I'm glad I waited!). If you've not read any of the books before, I think this book is a perfect introduction to the series and some of the main characters. When you first read TBS, it can be a little overwhelming as there is so much to learn and familiarise yourself with; so if you just want to dip your toe into Samantha's world of futuristic, clairvoyant London...this is perfect! And if (like me), you've read and enjoyed the series, it's a great back story of how Paige became Jaxon's mollisher.

This book is written before The Bone Season, so we are introduced to a younger Paige, who has only just become part of Jaxon's gang. This novella follows Paige and (a much smaller) Seven Seals as they trawl the streets of London in search of a rogue poltergiest. Paige is new to the criminal underworld (clairvoyancy is illegal) and wants to prove herself to Jaxon and she will stop at nothing to show that she's worthy of being part of his elite gang...

This novella was fabulous and I wish Samantha could write more about Paige's journey up to our first meeting of her in The Bone Season. It's short but crammed with lots of detail and was definitely unputdownable. Every piece of writing Samantha Shannnon touches, seems to turn to golddust, this was no different.