Scan barcode
A review by pangnaolin
Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Salvage the Bones is a book that pulled me in and didn’t let go. Ward writes with such intensity, I couldn't help but feel like I was right there with Esch and her family, dealing with their struggles long before Katrina shows up. The way she captures love, loss, and survival is unreal-- every character flawed and raw, yet full of so much heart that they ended up holding a special place in my heart.
I feel like it's especially powerful in the way it explores family, survival, and motherhood. Esch’s journey is so deeply tied to her understanding of love, and that love isn’t always gentle-- fierce, raw, and sometimes painful (though I wish she didn't think that's the norm or how it should be). The bond between Esch, her brothers, and their father-- and even some of their friends like Big Henry-- really showcase community in a way that totally broke my heart and warmed it, too.
I'd have to say that one of the most striking things through this novel is the way Ward connects Esch’s experience with motherhood to her brother Skeetah’s relationship with his dog (China), China's relationship with her puppies, and then even Esch's own relationship with her mother. There’s this constant tension between caring for those you love and the violence of the world around you, and I really felt the weight of that, especially as Hurricane Katrina loomed closer.
This book genuinely made my nail-biting habit worse. I was waiting every chapter for something worse, more intense, more incredible to happen, and it kept happening.
Ward’s writing is visceral and vivid, and pulls you into the sweat, dirt, and heart of Bois Sauvage. It doesn’t flinch away from the hard realities of life, but it’s also full of moments of tenderness. I'd say that everyone should read Salvage the Bones (as long as you're ready for some heavy shit), but especially if you’re looking for a story that digs into the messy, complicated love of family and the ways we fight to survive.
I feel like it's especially powerful in the way it explores family, survival, and motherhood. Esch’s journey is so deeply tied to her understanding of love, and that love isn’t always gentle-- fierce, raw, and sometimes painful (though I wish she didn't think that's the norm or how it should be). The bond between Esch, her brothers, and their father-- and even some of their friends like Big Henry-- really showcase community in a way that totally broke my heart and warmed it, too.
I'd have to say that one of the most striking things through this novel is the way Ward connects Esch’s experience with motherhood to her brother Skeetah’s relationship with his dog (China), China's relationship with her puppies, and then even Esch's own relationship with her mother. There’s this constant tension between caring for those you love and the violence of the world around you, and I really felt the weight of that, especially as Hurricane Katrina loomed closer.
This book genuinely made my nail-biting habit worse. I was waiting every chapter for something worse, more intense, more incredible to happen, and it kept happening.
Ward’s writing is visceral and vivid, and pulls you into the sweat, dirt, and heart of Bois Sauvage. It doesn’t flinch away from the hard realities of life, but it’s also full of moments of tenderness. I'd say that everyone should read Salvage the Bones (as long as you're ready for some heavy shit), but especially if you’re looking for a story that digs into the messy, complicated love of family and the ways we fight to survive.