Reviews

The Bone People by Keri Hulme

kdawn999's review against another edition

3.0

This book has successes and failures. Successes: I loved the unconventional language, the Māori snippets, and the inexplicable love the 3 main characters develop for one another in their strange triad. I liked the weirdness of the character the author clearly modeled after herself and the otherworldly tower she lives in.

Failures: This is a book centering on child abuse, and it doesn’t deliver a sufficient redemption arc at the end. Though there is some depth in the psychological torture for the adult characters at the novel’s climax, that darkness is lifted too quickly in the resolution. I wish the author had pushed the harder questions here and shown there are some consequences you can’t come back from.

usnebojemesa's review against another edition

2.0

Well.... I truly do not know how this book has such a high rating - it is beautifully written and has really beautiful parts at moments but the domestic violence is really a huge minus for me. I do not even know how to put it into words. I really put me off reading it and finishing it. Like using that as a plot device... The words of my professor comes into my mind "it is just a book and they are just book characters" but I truly visualize so much and everything resonates with me too much.

I would have given it two stars just because of the 'unnecessary' violence but the book is really amazing and intricate and it just whisks you away into this different realm.

lena842's review against another edition

challenging emotional inspiring reflective sad slow-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

emmalemonnz's review against another edition

5.0

Literary, profound, painful, and poetically creeping into every part of my soul.

cami19's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

book_concierge's review against another edition

3.0

A Maori novel; somewhat odd but compelling. There are some horrific scenes of child abuse, and I think the ending is just a little too pat. But it gave me a lot to think about.

crazysecondname's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious slow-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

ich hab nach 35 Seiten gedacht okay das wird in 5-sterne buch. und auch: ich kann verstehen dass es einen Buchpreis gewonnen hat.
zwischendurch war ich dann nicht mehr ganz so sicher mit den 5 sternen aber einfach der Schreibstil war so gut und hat mich so abgeholt jede andere Bewertung fühlt sich falsch an. ich kann absolut nicht beschreiben was ich in dieser letzten Woche gelesen habe, worum genau es ging, aber es war so so gut like wow. was bin ich froh das gelesen zu haben

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse

Moderate: Cancer

badclassical's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious sad tense slow-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

avidreadr's review against another edition

5.0

this book really impacted me as a younger reader; it was my introduction to maori culture and i was so absorbed

jjankunas's review against another edition

5.0

I chose to read this book a couple of years ago because of a PopSugar reading challenge. The category was something like "A book that takes place somewhere you want to travel" and when I Googled "book set in New Zealand", this popped up. I'm really glad it did. I had no idea about Maori culture, and this book helped me look further into that. I was also shocked at how emotional the whole book had me. There were points where I felt sad enough to cry, and almost sick to my stomach, and oh, the sympathy pains from all the injuries!!! Yikes. Loved it though. Very emotional.