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A review by annettebooksofhopeanddreams
The Bone Houses by Emily Lloyd-Jones
4.0
Some time ago, around its release, I read another book by this author set in this world via Netgalley. I quite enjoyed that book and immediately added this book to my wishlist. However, my interest only grew when I heard so many people claim that this book did an amazing job portraying chronic pain. I'm a chronic pain patient myself, so I was both terrified and excited to start reading. Last week I finally picked this book up.
It took me a long time before I really started appreciating this novel. My reading experience is heavily impacted by what kind of book I expect to read and for some reason I had expected a little more action in this book and maybe a much bigger plot. I was therefore waiting and waiting and only realized when we reached the finale that I had missed the most important part of this story. It's a small story about two people going on a journey and learning quite a lot about themselves.
By the end of the book I therefore did have tears in my eyes. Both of these characters had learned so much! About themselves, who they are and who they want to be. But also about much bigger themes. What does it mean to love someone and being forced to let them go? What does it mean if the dead come to life? Are they still themselves? How important is a last name to know who you are? And how far are we willing to go for those we love?
And yes, I do agree with all the other readers stating that this book does an amazing job describing life with chronic pain. We see the up and downs. The good and the bad days. I also like that this character knows his strengths and weaknesses and makes choices based on them. It might not always be what you would have wanted to do, but it's quite often what's eventually best for you. And yet, his pain was not his plot and not his most important character trait. It was just there.
It took me a long time before I really started appreciating this novel. My reading experience is heavily impacted by what kind of book I expect to read and for some reason I had expected a little more action in this book and maybe a much bigger plot. I was therefore waiting and waiting and only realized when we reached the finale that I had missed the most important part of this story. It's a small story about two people going on a journey and learning quite a lot about themselves.
By the end of the book I therefore did have tears in my eyes. Both of these characters had learned so much! About themselves, who they are and who they want to be. But also about much bigger themes. What does it mean to love someone and being forced to let them go? What does it mean if the dead come to life? Are they still themselves? How important is a last name to know who you are? And how far are we willing to go for those we love?
And yes, I do agree with all the other readers stating that this book does an amazing job describing life with chronic pain. We see the up and downs. The good and the bad days. I also like that this character knows his strengths and weaknesses and makes choices based on them. It might not always be what you would have wanted to do, but it's quite often what's eventually best for you. And yet, his pain was not his plot and not his most important character trait. It was just there.