Review: Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil

Title: Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil

Author: VE Schwab

Publisher: Tor Books

Publication date: June 10, 2025

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Summary

This follows the story of three different women across time. All women are looking for something outside of society’s expectations; all looking for freedom. We start with María in 1532, who is destined to be wed to a man in order to produce an heir. In 1827, Charlotte gets shipped off after a forbidden moment of intimacy where she meets a mysterious widow. And in 2019, Alice is just looking for a fresh start in college when a strange encounter at a party leaves her changed forever.

Three women, three different times, but all interconnected through a desire to control their own destiny.

Review: Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil

Thanks to Tor Books, NetGalley, and LibroFM for an advanced copy of Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by VE Schwab to review! I actually listened to an advanced copy of this through the LibroFM librarian program, and the three different narrators did an excellent job! It helped that Schwab crafted three distinct voices that instantly draw you into the story.

Vampires seem to be making a comeback in the year 2025, and I’m not mad about it. María, Charlotte, and Alice are all deeply flawed characters. They each make decisions based on their own desires rather than anyone else. The story isn’t told linearly. Schwab switches between each point of view throughout the story. Thus, we gradually see how each of the three women are connected. Honestly, this made the story more suspenseful because I was curious how everything was going to come together at the end.

If you’re someone who reads for action, this is definitely more of a character-driven story. You’re more focused on these three women and their lives rather than a driving plot. However, this allows Schwab’s lyrical prose to shine through, strongly depicting the emotions each narrator is going through.

Not sure if this tops The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue as my favorite VE Schwab book, but it is definitely up there! If you’re looking for a fantasy featuring chaotic lesbian vampires this summer, definitely check this one out.

4.5/5 stars