remmerich1 's review for:

The Bone People by Keri Hulme

5.0

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Powerful, beautiful. Hulme's writing is lyrical and poetic. In the foreword, she explains how she uses language, and why she writes in a very specific way ("blue-green" is different to blue green or bluegreen) and that shone through in almost every sentence. Her way of writing emotions is nothing short of spectacular, and I don't think it would be possible to read this without falling in love with Kerewin's dark view of the world, Sim's furious curiosity, Joe's deep, deep love.

That said, these are some of the most human characters I've ever read. They are profoundly and sometimes repulsively flawed. I won't spoil, but I don't know how I feel about its portrayal of relationships, of actions and consequences. I don't know that she's wrong to have her characters end up where they do, but nor am I sure it's right. This is a story which rejects those notions, I think. These are broken people, trying. Love is the most important thing. Reading such brokenness and such love was powerful, if hard. This is not an easy read, but it is certainly worth your effort if you have it. 

Potential spoilers, but triggers warning I wish I'd had going in-

graphic physical abuse & description of cancer