Have you ever started a book because you thought it was one thing and it turned out to be another? This is what happened to me with The Bone Fire and to be honest, I’m not sure what I feel about this.
I thought that The Bone Fire was a fantasy that starts in a post-revolution country (and had the impression of a portal-esque fantasy like The Book of Lost Things) but it’s actually a coming of age story with magical realism undertones.
The Bone Fire starts with Emma being taken away from the orphanage by the Grandmother she never met. I thought the Grandmother was going to be the bad guy, but that’s not the case. What we get is a dreamy, hazy narrative as Emma tries to settle down in her new town and all that she goes through. There may be magic involved, or it may be Emma trying to cope with her new surroundings and all the bullying and the fact that her grandmother is getting older and frailer.
For me, the distinguishing point of the book is the narration. It’s told in first person present tense, which has the effect of making the reader feel as though they are in Emma’s head and experiencing things from her point of view. It’s both intimate and somewhat distancing at the same time, since there’s a stream of consciousness vibe about the whole book. I don’t even think I felt empathy or identified much with Emma, because of this.
The story itself was fairly interesting but there wasn’t much point. I think because I expected a more conventional fantasy, I wanted something with a goal in mind, even if the goal shifted by the end of the book. Instead, most of the book was about Emma’s every day life and struggles, and the Big Events only happened all at once towards the end.
Overall, this was an interesting read. Writing all this out, I can see that it’s a lot more ‘literary’ than I thought going in, which was probably why I was disconnected throughout most of the book. I think that some people are going to love this, some aren’t going to connect with it at all, and some will be like me – a bit confused by the whole thing.
P.s. I think my true thoughts on this will only be known after a few months, because I need to figure out if this made a lasting impression or if I’ll forget about it after a few books.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley
Featured Image: Photo from Canva
“The Bone Fire” is such a lovely name, and the online synopsis adds to its mystery. Even so, I was quite put off from adding this book to my TBR because of the hazy narrative that you’ve mentioned! I think I’d like to find out more about this book to determine whether I have an interest in it or not. From experience, stream of consciousness books are often a hit-or-miss for me (mostly misses, but the opportunity for it to be a ‘hit’ is always there). I wonder if this is the same for other readers?
Stream of consciousness (or something like it) is hit and miss with me too! I think you could try a sample and see if you like it? The book is pretty consistent in terms of narration style imo
Thanks for the info, I’ll try finding a preview or sample online and see if it’s a good fit for me!
I have had that happen to me, going in expecting one thing and the book turns out to be something different. Usually it turns out okay, but sometimes not. Then there are books that leave me feeling like it sounds like this one did you. It would be interesting to see what your impression is of it in a few months. If you still feel the same or if your feelings change. You’ll have to mark your calendar and let us know!
Yes! Or perhaps if I don’t say anything, it means I’ve completely forgotten about it haha
This sounds like an interesting read but going into a book expecting one thing and then getting something else always tends to reduce my rating of it so I can totally understand that!
In hindsight, the blurb wasn’t that off from the actual book so I don’t know why I expected a much more conventional fantasy! I think perhaps the word “fairy tale” :p