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dinosaureatskid 's review for:
The Bone Orchard
by Sara A. Mueller
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Loveable characters:
Yes
I greatly enjoyed this read. While there are themes that are difficult (pedophilia, rape, sexual and physical abuse) these things are mostly talked about and not written in a way that sear unwanted images in your mind. Suicide is talked about and shown. So, things to be mindful of if you are contemplating trying this book out.
All the women in this book were interesting to me. From the empress to the laundress, each played their part. Charm and her boneghosts had a fascinating relationship. Going in, I had assumed they would all be in a more shared mindset and getting along like peas in a pod. Realizing quickly that this was not the case made the boneghosts much more real. Charm was an enthralling main character. I didn't care for the grief that her boneghosts gave her (it was fair, but I loved Charm's more mischievous nature and her willingness to do what needed to be done to survive and felt like they could have been a little more understanding, lol). The Lady was annoying, but she is a foil to Charm and seeing as I was much more fond of Charm, I would find her foil to be annoying.
The world itself is not laid out super clearly, but I assume that is because the book is so character focused that I didn't feel like it was that important to know every detail about how the world works. It did give enough background to what was important as needed.
Overall, an interesting concept with characters that I found enjoyable for a different kind of whodunit than I normally would read.
All the women in this book were interesting to me. From the empress to the laundress, each played their part. Charm and her boneghosts had a fascinating relationship. Going in, I had assumed they would all be in a more shared mindset and getting along like peas in a pod. Realizing quickly that this was not the case made the boneghosts much more real. Charm was an enthralling main character. I didn't care for the grief that her boneghosts gave her (it was fair, but I loved Charm's more mischievous nature and her willingness to do what needed to be done to survive and felt like they could have been a little more understanding, lol). The Lady was annoying, but she is a foil to Charm and seeing as I was much more fond of Charm, I would find her foil to be annoying.
The world itself is not laid out super clearly, but I assume that is because the book is so character focused that I didn't feel like it was that important to know every detail about how the world works. It did give enough background to what was important as needed.
Overall, an interesting concept with characters that I found enjoyable for a different kind of whodunit than I normally would read.
Content Warnings
Minor: Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Suicide