Take a photo of a barcode or cover
robotwitch 's review for:
Doll Bones
by Holly Black
After Zach's father throws away all the toys that Zach uses in his made-up adventures with his best friends, Zach is too hurt to tell Alice and Poppy what has happened. Instead, he pretends he doesn't want to play anymore, hurting them in the process. In an attempt to get him playing again, Poppy and Alice drag him along for an adventure, to bury the doll they call "Queen" after Poppy, apparently, begins to dream of a ghost of a dead girl who says her bones were made into the doll. The only way for her to rest, is to be buried in her home - in East Liverpool, Ohio, a few hours from where the kid's are from.
Of course, there are disasters and scary odds along the way. Instead of just playing at adventures with their dolls, the three kids have embarked on a real adventure. This, it turns out, is not nearly as fun as they imagine. Black has them encounter drunkards, authorities, and a myriad of other problems they haven't encountered before, coming from a small town and reliant, as every twelve year old is, on his parents.
We also deal with deeper issues in the novel - of death, of friendships and growing older, growing apart. There are a lot of emotions, felt throughout the cast of characters, including the parents. This ghost doll is catalyst, and whether it really is a ghost doll, or if Poppy is just using it as an excuse to bring it together. Everything is handled beautifully, with lovely illustrations and nice characterisations of the children. I particularly liked Alice.
The biggest nitpick I had was how unrealistic some of the adults came across - particularly the man on the bus, who was exaggerated and a little ridiculous. Also, how easily they were able to steal and break and enter was just ludicrous. Otherwise, a sweet and simple story.
Of course, there are disasters and scary odds along the way. Instead of just playing at adventures with their dolls, the three kids have embarked on a real adventure. This, it turns out, is not nearly as fun as they imagine. Black has them encounter drunkards, authorities, and a myriad of other problems they haven't encountered before, coming from a small town and reliant, as every twelve year old is, on his parents.
We also deal with deeper issues in the novel - of death, of friendships and growing older, growing apart. There are a lot of emotions, felt throughout the cast of characters, including the parents. This ghost doll is catalyst, and whether it really is a ghost doll, or if Poppy is just using it as an excuse to bring it together. Everything is handled beautifully, with lovely illustrations and nice characterisations of the children. I particularly liked Alice.
The biggest nitpick I had was how unrealistic some of the adults came across - particularly the man on the bus, who was exaggerated and a little ridiculous. Also, how easily they were able to steal and break and enter was just ludicrous. Otherwise, a sweet and simple story.