What do you think?
Rate this book
The Bone Season #5
The Dark Mirror
Paige Mahoney is outside the Republic of Scion for the first time in more than a decade – but she has no idea how she got to the free world. Half a year has been wiped from her memory.
As she makes her way back to the revolution, her journey takes her to Venice, where she learns a dangerous secret – one that could change the face of the war between humans and immortals. Before she can return to London, she must help the Domino Programme unravel the sinister Operation Ventriloquist.
And it soon becomes clear that the one person who could recover her memories – Arcturus Mesarthim – might also hold the key to saving Italy.
Lyrical and action-packed, The Dark Mirror drives the Bone Season series forward, showing Samantha Shannon at the height of her powers.
As she makes her way back to the revolution, her journey takes her to Venice, where she learns a dangerous secret – one that could change the face of the war between humans and immortals. Before she can return to London, she must help the Domino Programme unravel the sinister Operation Ventriloquist.
And it soon becomes clear that the one person who could recover her memories – Arcturus Mesarthim – might also hold the key to saving Italy.
Lyrical and action-packed, The Dark Mirror drives the Bone Season series forward, showing Samantha Shannon at the height of her powers.
576 pages, ebook
Expected publication February 25, 2025
About the author
Samantha Shannon
27 books25.8k followersSamantha Shannon is the New York Times and Sunday Times bestselling author, born in London in 1991. She studied English Language and Literature at St Anne's College, Oxford, from 2010 to 2013, specialising in the poetry of Emily Dickinson and Principles of Film Criticism.
In 2013, at the age of 21, she published The Bone Season, the internationally bestselling first installment in a seven-book series of fantasy novels. Her first book outside the series, The Priory of the Orange Tree, was a finalist in the Lambda Literary Awards 2020. Its prequel, A Day of Fallen Night, was an instant #1 Sunday Times bestseller.
She is currently working on The Dark Mirror, the fifth book in the Bone Season series.
In 2013, at the age of 21, she published The Bone Season, the internationally bestselling first installment in a seven-book series of fantasy novels. Her first book outside the series, The Priory of the Orange Tree, was a finalist in the Lambda Literary Awards 2020. Its prequel, A Day of Fallen Night, was an instant #1 Sunday Times bestseller.
She is currently working on The Dark Mirror, the fifth book in the Bone Season series.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
Read
August 8, 2024Hello, Goodreads:
Thank you, as ever, for your immense patience in waiting for each instalment of the Bone Season series. I really can't believe I'm finally drafting Book 5 – this one has felt so far away, for such a long time.
As with The Mask Falling, I will keep you updated on my progress. I will, of course, aim to get it to you as soon as humanly possible – I know I left you on a brutal cliffhanger.
I can't wait to take you on Paige's next journey.
Love,
Samantha
PS: I made a tiny early playlist.
PPS: You may be aware that I revised the first four instalments of the Bone Season series this year, creating the Author's Preferred Texts. You don't need to read these to understand The Dark Mirror, but if you do plan to re-read the series to refresh your memory, the Author's Preferred Texts are the version I would strongly recommend you choose. You can read my essay about why I chose to revise the earlier books here.
Updates
31 July 2023: You'll be very happy to know I've now returned to full-time drafting of TBS5. My deadline is 6 September.
11 August 2023: I've just finished Chapter 23, titled Martlet, which has turned out to be one of my favourites in the entire series. This deadline is very nerve-racking, as I'm going on tour from the 21st August and I'd like most of the book to be done by then (though I will have a few days to round it off after I come back), but the words are really flowing now. This is shaping up to be the longest instalment of the series so far.
8 September 2023: I'm delighted to say that the first complete draft of TBS5 is now complete at a whopping 175,784 words. This book is perhaps the most ambitious in the series, and I'm so pleased with how it's turned out, after more than two years of work.
19 December 2023: Just got my edit letter back, and I'm so relieved – my editor loved the first draft of Book 5, and while she has lots of insightful and helpful suggestions (as always), it doesn't look as if the edit will be too brutal on a structural level. I'm excited to get back to work on it over Christmas.
15 March 2024: The structural edit on TBS5 is complete! I'm so relieved to finally be at this point. The manuscript is currently sitting at the same approximate word count as the first draft, so around 176K. (I did suspect it would shrink, but the finale was in a skeletal form when I handed it in, so I needed to bulk that up.) It’s the big roadtrip I always wanted it to be, unfolding across multiple countries and cities, and I'm so proud of how much growth Paige undergoes. I've finalised a title and blurb with Bloomsbury, and hope to be able to reveal both soon. Once again, thank you for your extraordinary patience with me since The Mask Falling came out in 2021.
26 March 2024: Delighted to finally be able to say that the title of Book 5 is The Dark Mirror (more insight into the title here), coming February 2025. I will be starting Book 6 as soon as possible in an effort to avoid another long delay in the series, but for now, I'm continuing the edit on Book 5 to make it the best it can possibly be for you.
2 April 2024: Just handed the next draft back to Bloomsbury, to be sent on to my incredible copyeditor, Sharona. The Dark Mirror is now hovering at 166K, so I've shaved off around 10K, but it's still the longest instalment of the Bone Season series so far. I'm really thrilled with how it's shaping up.
10 July 2024: The Dark Mirror is copyedited and has been through one round of proofreading, and should now be going out to its first readers on Edelweiss!
28 July 2024: I will be doing my final proofread on The Dark Mirror in early September, at which point it will officially be finished, so I am wrapping up this update diary here, as I prepare to finally pass the book to you in February 2025. I'm so sorry again for the long wait for this instalment of the Bone Season series, which was primarily due to my work on A Day of Fallen Night – a very long and complex project, as you'll know if you've read it! Please be assured that TBS6 is my priority for next year, so you should hopefully get it in 2026, a year after The Dark Mirror is published. Thank you for your patience – I hope you love Paige's next adventure as much as I do.
8 August: Just one more update – COVER REVEAL, at last! I've been working on this book in some capacity since about 2020, so I'm so delighted to finally have this stunning nocturnal cover, designed by Carmen R. Balit and illustrated by Ivan Belikov, with art direction by David Mann. As you can see, we're going to Venice and Prague . . .
Thank you, as ever, for your immense patience in waiting for each instalment of the Bone Season series. I really can't believe I'm finally drafting Book 5 – this one has felt so far away, for such a long time.
As with The Mask Falling, I will keep you updated on my progress. I will, of course, aim to get it to you as soon as humanly possible – I know I left you on a brutal cliffhanger.
I can't wait to take you on Paige's next journey.
Love,
Samantha
PS: I made a tiny early playlist.
PPS: You may be aware that I revised the first four instalments of the Bone Season series this year, creating the Author's Preferred Texts. You don't need to read these to understand The Dark Mirror, but if you do plan to re-read the series to refresh your memory, the Author's Preferred Texts are the version I would strongly recommend you choose. You can read my essay about why I chose to revise the earlier books here.
Updates
31 July 2023: You'll be very happy to know I've now returned to full-time drafting of TBS5. My deadline is 6 September.
11 August 2023: I've just finished Chapter 23, titled Martlet, which has turned out to be one of my favourites in the entire series. This deadline is very nerve-racking, as I'm going on tour from the 21st August and I'd like most of the book to be done by then (though I will have a few days to round it off after I come back), but the words are really flowing now. This is shaping up to be the longest instalment of the series so far.
8 September 2023: I'm delighted to say that the first complete draft of TBS5 is now complete at a whopping 175,784 words. This book is perhaps the most ambitious in the series, and I'm so pleased with how it's turned out, after more than two years of work.
19 December 2023: Just got my edit letter back, and I'm so relieved – my editor loved the first draft of Book 5, and while she has lots of insightful and helpful suggestions (as always), it doesn't look as if the edit will be too brutal on a structural level. I'm excited to get back to work on it over Christmas.
15 March 2024: The structural edit on TBS5 is complete! I'm so relieved to finally be at this point. The manuscript is currently sitting at the same approximate word count as the first draft, so around 176K. (I did suspect it would shrink, but the finale was in a skeletal form when I handed it in, so I needed to bulk that up.) It’s the big roadtrip I always wanted it to be, unfolding across multiple countries and cities, and I'm so proud of how much growth Paige undergoes. I've finalised a title and blurb with Bloomsbury, and hope to be able to reveal both soon. Once again, thank you for your extraordinary patience with me since The Mask Falling came out in 2021.
26 March 2024: Delighted to finally be able to say that the title of Book 5 is The Dark Mirror (more insight into the title here), coming February 2025. I will be starting Book 6 as soon as possible in an effort to avoid another long delay in the series, but for now, I'm continuing the edit on Book 5 to make it the best it can possibly be for you.
2 April 2024: Just handed the next draft back to Bloomsbury, to be sent on to my incredible copyeditor, Sharona. The Dark Mirror is now hovering at 166K, so I've shaved off around 10K, but it's still the longest instalment of the Bone Season series so far. I'm really thrilled with how it's shaping up.
10 July 2024: The Dark Mirror is copyedited and has been through one round of proofreading, and should now be going out to its first readers on Edelweiss!
28 July 2024: I will be doing my final proofread on The Dark Mirror in early September, at which point it will officially be finished, so I am wrapping up this update diary here, as I prepare to finally pass the book to you in February 2025. I'm so sorry again for the long wait for this instalment of the Bone Season series, which was primarily due to my work on A Day of Fallen Night – a very long and complex project, as you'll know if you've read it! Please be assured that TBS6 is my priority for next year, so you should hopefully get it in 2026, a year after The Dark Mirror is published. Thank you for your patience – I hope you love Paige's next adventure as much as I do.
8 August: Just one more update – COVER REVEAL, at last! I've been working on this book in some capacity since about 2020, so I'm so delighted to finally have this stunning nocturnal cover, designed by Carmen R. Balit and illustrated by Ivan Belikov, with art direction by David Mann. As you can see, we're going to Venice and Prague . . .
September 25, 2024
you don’t understand how over it had to be before we could be this back
With so many emotional reconciliations, confessed feelings, near misses, and epic confrontations it’s no wonder i spent most of this book being stressed as hell and waiting for the other shoe to drop (basically the bone season experience amiright?)
the dark mirror is certainly a long awaited sequel but it’s heartrending and masterfully plotted and deserves to be read over and over again
i already cried my eyes out to chapter 13 (samantha shannon when i catch you…when i catch you samantha shannon) ch 23 - 25 you are beloved by me
also maria channeling frodo baggins was so hehe
thank you to edelweiss and macmillan for the arc:)
With so many emotional reconciliations, confessed feelings, near misses, and epic confrontations it’s no wonder i spent most of this book being stressed as hell and waiting for the other shoe to drop (basically the bone season experience amiright?)
the dark mirror is certainly a long awaited sequel but it’s heartrending and masterfully plotted and deserves to be read over and over again
i already cried my eyes out to chapter 13 (samantha shannon when i catch you…when i catch you samantha shannon) ch 23 - 25 you are beloved by me
also maria channeling frodo baggins was so hehe
thank you to edelweiss and macmillan for the arc:)
Want to read
April 2, 2024y'all dont understand how many times a week i open this page and cry over the "2024*" expected publication date
*2025 😭😭😭😭😭
UPDATE (2/04/24) WE HAVE A TITLE??? AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
*2025 😭😭😭😭😭
UPDATE (2/04/24) WE HAVE A TITLE??? AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
Want to read
January 31, 2021Huh 2024??!! Please no....
Currently reading
July 9, 20241/31/2021
Alas, we're here again! A book hangover with many questions and the wait for the next one. Time to rewrite my old theories and come up with new ones while I wait.
3/26/2024
THE. DARK. MIRROR. Don’t mind me I’ll just be freaking out and obsessively checking Edelweiss for an advanced reader from here on out! 😱😍
7/8/2024
The ARC dropped on Edelweiss! You can best bet I am diving into this book ASAP. I CAN'T WAIT!
Alas, we're here again! A book hangover with many questions and the wait for the next one. Time to rewrite my old theories and come up with new ones while I wait.
3/26/2024
THE. DARK. MIRROR. Don’t mind me I’ll just be freaking out and obsessively checking Edelweiss for an advanced reader from here on out! 😱😍
7/8/2024
The ARC dropped on Edelweiss! You can best bet I am diving into this book ASAP. I CAN'T WAIT!
Read
September 12, 2022if i die before this gets released im gonna be pissed
Want to read
March 24, 2021I CAN´T STOP THINKING BOUT YOUUUU.
I can´t, I really can´t, cheers for the wait until 2024?!?!?!?
I WOULD SELL MY SOUL FOR THIS.
I SEE IT, I LIKE IT, I WANT IT, DONT HAVE IT.
I can´t, I really can´t, cheers for the wait until 2024?!?!?!?
I WOULD SELL MY SOUL FOR THIS.
I SEE IT, I LIKE IT, I WANT IT, DONT HAVE IT.
August 6, 2024
I'm realllly fortunate to get to read this book this early. All the waiting I did for it was worth it. Definitely the strongest entry in the series!
My thoughts are all still jumbled right now because of the roller coaster ride that is The Dark Mirror. Everything about it is well thought out. The world building and the characters are especially well fleshed out. Paige Mahoney you're the best!
My thoughts are all still jumbled right now because of the roller coaster ride that is The Dark Mirror. Everything about it is well thought out. The world building and the characters are especially well fleshed out. Paige Mahoney you're the best!
August 24, 2024
I am so beyond fortunate to have been able to read a copy of this. There are many reasons why I feel so connected to these characters and this story, and Paige is such a central pillar. She is everything you could dream of in a protagonist, she’s not perfect, she’s reckless, she’s pushing so hard against her fears and yet she remains kind and bold and oh my god i can’t say anything else.
Paige I love you so soooo much.
It’s incredibly satisfying and interesting to continue seeing the world building and what the discrepancies and the relationship between the scion voyants and the free world voyants are like in action.
GODDDD I cannot wait for the next installment….
Paige I love you so soooo much.
It’s incredibly satisfying and interesting to continue seeing the world building and what the discrepancies and the relationship between the scion voyants and the free world voyants are like in action.
GODDDD I cannot wait for the next installment….
Want to read
June 10, 2021I’m suffering over here
Want to read
December 27, 2022The 2024 expected publication when we've barely entered 2023 😭🥺💔.
September 4, 2024
5 stars
Want to read
September 23, 20212024?? Please let that be a joke. I can't wait that long to see if my babies are okay 😭
Shelved as 'anticipated-releases'
September 5, 2024"What does water look like when it’s still?
Something like a dark mirror, showing the world upside-down."
we're fucked.
Something like a dark mirror, showing the world upside-down."
we're fucked.
July 29, 2024
WOW. So lucky to have read an early copy. This is my absolute favorite series and Paige’s voice is so familiar to me (and LOVED). I have heard her so clearly since I was a teenager and now I’m older than her but she literally makes me feel like I’m still 16 😭
It was amazing reading the world building and seeing the dynamics between free world voyants and Scion voyants. And of course the Ranthen - y’all have come so far like FR thank you for acknowledging that Paige is sorta kinda capable. Lips are sealed on Paige and Arcturus but…ouch. 🤕
All of my measly theories going into this book were WRONG which was hilarious 💀 but it kept me on the edge of my seat and made this read all the more addictive. Niente oh my god. Devastating chapter and everything wrapped into one. I can’t remember the last time a book made me writhe on the ground…Actually never mind I can it was THE MASK FALLING.
This is definitely the strongest book in the series and makes me so damn excited for the last two books and to see how everything unfolds. But I’m also incredibly sad that this series is inching toward its end 😭 Idk who I will be when there are no more Bone Season books to wait for
It was amazing reading the world building and seeing the dynamics between free world voyants and Scion voyants. And of course the Ranthen - y’all have come so far like FR thank you for acknowledging that Paige is sorta kinda capable. Lips are sealed on Paige and Arcturus but…ouch. 🤕
All of my measly theories going into this book were WRONG which was hilarious 💀 but it kept me on the edge of my seat and made this read all the more addictive. Niente oh my god. Devastating chapter and everything wrapped into one. I can’t remember the last time a book made me writhe on the ground…Actually never mind I can it was THE MASK FALLING.
This is definitely the strongest book in the series and makes me so damn excited for the last two books and to see how everything unfolds. But I’m also incredibly sad that this series is inching toward its end 😭 Idk who I will be when there are no more Bone Season books to wait for
September 27, 2024
Heart-wrenching and fiercely intimate. Revisiting these characters' stories is like peeling back layers of an old wound—satisfactory yet emotionally devastating. While somewhat slower in its pacing, this long awaited novel does not disappoint. Where to even start? Paige's voice is so familiar, immediately drawing me in, and I absolutely loved seeing her navigate old and fresh wounds alike. There are several added layers to this novel, chief among them the character work, something that has improved book to book. Its slower pacing might push some away, but I think it gives the novel space to breathe, space for an in-depth exploration of their inner lives. The tension is palpable between characters, creating a deeply moving and personal narrative. It's a wonderful continuation of such a beloved series. It will tug at all of your heart strings, and then some. Thank you NetGalley and Bloomsbury for this advanced digital copy! 4.25 / 5.0 ⭐️
Want to read
August 15, 20240.5 The Pale Dreamer ★★★
1. The Bone Season ★★★
2. The Mime Order ★★★★
3. The Song Rising ★★★★
3.5 The Dawn Chorus ★★★★
4. The Mask Falling ★★★★
Probably my most anticipated release of 2025. You can pre-order a signed exclusive edition with a bonus chapter in Waterstones!
Instagram | Twitter
1. The Bone Season ★★★
2. The Mime Order ★★★★
3. The Song Rising ★★★★
3.5 The Dawn Chorus ★★★★
4. The Mask Falling ★★★★
Probably my most anticipated release of 2025. You can pre-order a signed exclusive edition with a bonus chapter in Waterstones!
Instagram | Twitter
July 11, 2024
SAMANTHA!!!!!!!!!! how dare you!!!!!!!!!!!!!! now every other series on earth is ruined for me
Want to read
April 4, 2021omw to become a famous book reviewer before this comes out so I can get an arc and not have to wait for this after that lord of shadows level ending
__
The Pale Dreamer:★★★★
The Bone Season:★★★★.25
The Mime Order:★★★★
The Song Rising:★★★★
The Dawn Chorus:★★★★
The Mask Falling:★★★★★
On the Merits of Unnaturalness:★★★★
__
The Priory of the Orange Tree:★★★★★
__
The Pale Dreamer:★★★★
The Bone Season:★★★★.25
The Mime Order:★★★★
The Song Rising:★★★★
The Dawn Chorus:★★★★
The Mask Falling:★★★★★
On the Merits of Unnaturalness:★★★★
__
The Priory of the Orange Tree:★★★★★
Want to read
January 12, 2023The things i would do to have this book in my hands
April 2, 2024
becoming a hermit the moment this book is in my hands and staying in my room until i’m done reading will be such a pleasurable experience
September 19, 2024
thank you so much edelweiss / bloomsbury for hooking me up with this arc!!
it’s no secret that i loveee the bone season series and this installment did not disappoint one bit. sure i’m a bit biased as a certified Bone Season Stan…but stans deserve rights too!
in the dark mirror, paige continues to be an incredible main character, the characters you know and love (or know and love to hate) stay strong, and the politics and plot are *chef’s kiss*.
i’m continually impressed by shannon’s ability to keep me hooked and interested no matter what’s going on. whether the focus is a political convo or an action-packed scene, i feel like i’m on the edge of my seat throughout this entire series. also, while each book is pretty different from the others, they’re all great stories in their own right. i’m thinking i’ll do a re-read of the whole series when this book officially releases because it’s just that good…
it’s no secret that i loveee the bone season series and this installment did not disappoint one bit. sure i’m a bit biased as a certified Bone Season Stan…but stans deserve rights too!
in the dark mirror, paige continues to be an incredible main character, the characters you know and love (or know and love to hate) stay strong, and the politics and plot are *chef’s kiss*.
i’m continually impressed by shannon’s ability to keep me hooked and interested no matter what’s going on. whether the focus is a political convo or an action-packed scene, i feel like i’m on the edge of my seat throughout this entire series. also, while each book is pretty different from the others, they’re all great stories in their own right. i’m thinking i’ll do a re-read of the whole series when this book officially releases because it’s just that good…
Want to read
September 8, 2024yo i'm so serious if anyone on goodreads feels incredibly charitable PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE LET ME READ THIS I'M NOT KIDDING I NEED TO READ IT SO BAD BUT I GOT REJECTED FROM THE ARC...PLEASE I'LL DO ANYTHING i don't care about looking stupid or desperate i just need to read this book so bad i'm actually shaking and gnawing at the bars of my enclosure...if anyone gives me the arc to read i'll actually start crying i'm not kidding i will devote my life to you for as long as i live i need to read this so bad i need it...PLEEK i need this so bad you guys don't understand I NEED IT I NEED IT I NEED IT.
September 27, 2024
What a blast to have read. It felt so good to spend time with Paige in her world. I felt that this was such a wonderful continuation of a series I dearly love.
Thanks to NetGalley and Bloomsbury for the opportunity to read an ARC.
Thanks to NetGalley and Bloomsbury for the opportunity to read an ARC.
July 15, 2024
this was a perfect emotional rollercoaster and i loved exploring italy with these characters. i can't wait to see where the story goes from here and i'm really excited to see everyone's reactions!! this series is my everything
August 9, 2024
The fifth installment of The Bone Season is a rollercoaster of emotions from start to finish, with Shannon deftly navigating every twist and turn.
Please just let Paige REST 😭😂
Please just let Paige REST 😭😂
Want to read
March 1, 2024I just saw the covers for the re-releases of the second, third, and fourth books in this series (I know that I'm late as fuck for a series that's one of my favorites, I KNOW) and I hyped myself up ALL OVER AGAIN for this book 😭. Thank the gods I'll have Wind and Truth and the last two secret Sanderson projects to tide me over until this book's eventual 2025 release date.
January 8, 2023
If you're anything like me and agonizing over the endless wait (which can only be rendered slightly less painful by constantly rereading its predecessors), here's a TBS playlist for you:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3qb...
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3qb...
September 2, 2024
ARC provided by Edelweiss. All opinions are my own
Ah yes. Here we are. The familiar wrenching agony of having finished the latest book in the Bone Season series and knowing there'll be a wait for the next.
Beautiful, brilliant, devastating
Full RTC
Ah yes. Here we are. The familiar wrenching agony of having finished the latest book in the Bone Season series and knowing there'll be a wait for the next.
Beautiful, brilliant, devastating
Full RTC
Want to read
December 21, 20212024???? I didn't even read The Mask Falling yet and I see this???? do I even read book 4 or just wait... WTH!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews