A review by wordswritinstarlight
The Bone Orchard by Sara A. Mueller

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

If I could give this book six stars I would. This book spends 400 pages articulating the victim vs. survivor dichotomy that every person who's ever suffered at the hands of another has heard, and it does it with a level of compassion and frankness that I've never seen before in my life. Charm and her numerous other selves are every facet of trauma healing, from denial to cynicism, and Mueller manages her metaphor with a deft hand that manages to be perfectly clear without once compromising the story.

I finished this book and then lay down on my back and stared at the ceiling for ten minutes. I would read Sara Mueller's next book right this second. This isn't just one of my favorite books of the year, it's probably one of my favorite books ever. On the other hand, the mere idea of trying to list all the content warnings for the book is daunting. Literally anyone who has the nerve for it should read this book.
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