Review: Your Blood and Bones by J. Patricia Anderson
Blurb:
Kill the monsters when they’re found.
No matter who they used to be.
The girl with secret feathers in her skin and strange bones jutting out beneath her clothes is resigned to her fate. Her deformities mark her a monster and the stories say monsters must die.
When her family finds out and turns on her, a village boy saves her and leads her on a frantic escape. The girl believes her death has merely been delayed—until he mentions a cure.
With the world against them and the monstrous change progressing, they must cross water, forest, and field to chase the rumor that fuels their desperate hope. But is hope enough to keep them going?
Review:
I had been hearing high praise for Your Blood and Bones for quite a while, and no doubt it was on my radar. So, when the author announced that it was available to request over at NetGalley for a limited time, I wasn’t going to miss out on such an incredible opportunity. And hence, I would sincerely like to thank the author for providing me with a digital review copy of this dark and thought-provoking novella.
What’s it about?
“Kill the monsters when they’re found.”
And they had found her…
It’s a world where “monsters” are hunted and killed. The ones bearing strange feathers throughout their skin, alongside bones popping up randomly all over their body. And our protagonists, referred to as ‘the girl’ and ‘the boy’, and right in the thick of it all. The girl is showing signs of becoming one of them. One of the monsters; no longer human. Abandoned by her family and left to die, she is saved from the clutches of death by the boy, who is seemingly a monster himself. Together, they somehow manage to escape from the mob hell-bent on killing them. And the boy offers a glimmer of hope amidst it all… a cure.
The boy is determined to find the cure any which way possible, but the girl is still not fully convinced. Can she trust him? Is there really a cure? Can she, and others alike out there, have a second chance at life?
Narrowly escaping from their abode on the volcanic island, barely crossing the deadly and treacherous waters, and making it through the dangerous forest of the mainland, the duo must persevere and not lose hope if they are to get to the only known source of the cure – the Black Mage.
But everything comes at a price… and nothing is what it seems…
After all,
Life was nothing but death waiting to happen.
The good
The writing (third person POV) was really, really good!
The characters were really well-written, in-depth, and underwent a well-executed character arc that was very much satisfying to read.
The plot was engaging, with added elements of mystery/thriller/horror. I enjoyed it very much.
The setting/world building was very good as well.
The highlight of the whole novella, in my opinion, were the themes and emotions that were not only beautifully written, but which also made a heavy impact on me as a reader. Superbly done altogether.
And lastly… that ending. WOW!
The “not so” good
Nothing to be said here.
Final thoughts
Your Blood and Bones is a beautifully written novella. Not only that, it straight up hits you with various emotions throughout, and will undoubtedly stay on your mind long after you’ve read it. The writing was excellent altogether; the characters were really well-written; the plot was engaging from start to finish, and the themes were superbly presented. The ending was a treat in itself as well. Overall, if you haven’t come across this dark and thought-provoking novella yet, I would VERY HIGHLY RECOMMEND that you right that wrong right now!
