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futurama1979's review against another edition
5.0
Reread 11/22 for a class.
There's something so amazing about going back to a book as an adult that totally changed you as a reader when you were 16 and finding it equally enchanting. I want to talk a little bit about genre first, because it's something that is both super hazy and super atmospheric in this book. When very, very pressed to label this book with one genre, magical realism is the only apt one that really comes to mind. But even then, this book is more than a magical realism book. It has the fantasy and whimsy of a fairytale and the horror and dread of a thriller. Ruby so masterfully picks and chooses aspects from a handful of genres and uses them all to the absolute maximum of their potential. When I think of other YA magical realism novels that are done with this much attention to the particular story the author is telling within the genre expression, the only other thing that even comes to mind is [b:The Raven Boys|17675462|The Raven Boys (The Raven Cycle, #1)|Maggie Stiefvater|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1573508485l/17675462._SY75_.jpg|18970934] and its sequels. And for me, putting any book up with the Raven Cycle is really high praise.
Ruby's characters are so unique, so well-rounded and developed, and so lovable. Roza and Finn as the main points of view we see the story from both are written believably and consistently and at the same time completely defy readers' expectations. Roza is fully fleshed out beneath her beauty, and her character is a super nuanced dissection of the pressure women feel under an objectifying male gaze while also viciously, defiantly maintaining her agency and fighting for her freedom from that objectification by literally whatever means possible. Finn, too, has an incredibly empowering, subversive story in which he is able to work through the utter frustration of his disability (which Ruby still lets him feel and which doesn't magically just go away like so many disability narratives in fantasy-based YA) to find real power and real strength in it without being 'cured'.
And of course Petey, who was my favourite the first time I read this book, is a joy. She has that toughness and bite while still being vulnerable and needing reassurance. She has the power to tell people that don't matter to her to leave her the fuck alone and she has the honestly and openness to tell people that do matter to her what she's still insecure about. She rejects and defies a male gaze while never cutting ties with her identity as a girl and her femininity. She just fucking rocks.
I've never read another novel like Bone Gap and I probably never will. That's a good thing; this book deserves to stand in a class all its own.
There's something so amazing about going back to a book as an adult that totally changed you as a reader when you were 16 and finding it equally enchanting. I want to talk a little bit about genre first, because it's something that is both super hazy and super atmospheric in this book. When very, very pressed to label this book with one genre, magical realism is the only apt one that really comes to mind. But even then, this book is more than a magical realism book. It has the fantasy and whimsy of a fairytale and the horror and dread of a thriller. Ruby so masterfully picks and chooses aspects from a handful of genres and uses them all to the absolute maximum of their potential. When I think of other YA magical realism novels that are done with this much attention to the particular story the author is telling within the genre expression, the only other thing that even comes to mind is [b:The Raven Boys|17675462|The Raven Boys (The Raven Cycle, #1)|Maggie Stiefvater|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1573508485l/17675462._SY75_.jpg|18970934] and its sequels. And for me, putting any book up with the Raven Cycle is really high praise.
Ruby's characters are so unique, so well-rounded and developed, and so lovable. Roza and Finn as the main points of view we see the story from both are written believably and consistently and at the same time completely defy readers' expectations. Roza is fully fleshed out beneath her beauty, and her character is a super nuanced dissection of the pressure women feel under an objectifying male gaze while also viciously, defiantly maintaining her agency and fighting for her freedom from that objectification by literally whatever means possible. Finn, too, has an incredibly empowering, subversive story in which he is able to work through the utter frustration of his disability (which Ruby still lets him feel and which doesn't magically just go away like so many disability narratives in fantasy-based YA) to find real power and real strength in it without being 'cured'.
And of course Petey, who was my favourite the first time I read this book, is a joy. She has that toughness and bite while still being vulnerable and needing reassurance. She has the power to tell people that don't matter to her to leave her the fuck alone and she has the honestly and openness to tell people that do matter to her what she's still insecure about. She rejects and defies a male gaze while never cutting ties with her identity as a girl and her femininity. She just fucking rocks.
I've never read another novel like Bone Gap and I probably never will. That's a good thing; this book deserves to stand in a class all its own.
ryantlabee's review against another edition
4.0
I understand entirely why this book is divisive. Magical realism isn’t for everyone. But, frankly, I kind of loved it. A wonderful take and modern spin on the classic Beauty & the Beast fairytale.
baoluong's review against another edition
2.0
I think that this book was trying to say something prolific but I totally missed the mark. The book was so full of itself that I couldn't see what it was worth. So the only thing I got from this was it's hard to be beautiful especially as a woman (they didn't really address people who identifies as women but those who were born). And Finn is one of those sensitive souls.
Now don't get me wrong, I'm all for challenging heteronormative gender roles but the way it was handled in this book made it seem like everything was a fantasy. It's not, it's very real and the characters used along with the plot gave a sort of magical realism to a story that didn't need it. I was confused half the time of what was real and it somehow made the situation seem less serious for it. The writing was convoluted and tedious to read. Things just happen and there's little to no reason further making my comprehension cloudy. Perhaps this was the intention but to me I couldn't get into the story.
The way this issue was handled was not in my opinion appropriate because it's so narrow minded in its argument. Honestly, I think Roza's story should have been handled with more thought than the vapid and superficial "lesson" being presented. There's so much potential for this topic but it just doesn't work when it reads as a fairytale and undermines the larger picture of the struggle women face. It's like Diet Feminism that doesn't really say anything but just wants the benefits of being somewhat a part of the movement.
Does more harm than good because of that unfortunately.
Now don't get me wrong, I'm all for challenging heteronormative gender roles but the way it was handled in this book made it seem like everything was a fantasy. It's not, it's very real and the characters used along with the plot gave a sort of magical realism to a story that didn't need it. I was confused half the time of what was real and it somehow made the situation seem less serious for it. The writing was convoluted and tedious to read. Things just happen and there's little to no reason further making my comprehension cloudy. Perhaps this was the intention but to me I couldn't get into the story.
The way this issue was handled was not in my opinion appropriate because it's so narrow minded in its argument. Honestly, I think Roza's story should have been handled with more thought than the vapid and superficial "lesson" being presented. There's so much potential for this topic but it just doesn't work when it reads as a fairytale and undermines the larger picture of the struggle women face. It's like Diet Feminism that doesn't really say anything but just wants the benefits of being somewhat a part of the movement.
Does more harm than good because of that unfortunately.
tracylr4's review
3.0
The first half was very slow. Didn't suck me in. Only in the last quarter in the book did I get sucked in. Also the end seemed to drag out a bit and the Rude boy that turned out to be gay seemed like an after thought.
rereader33's review against another edition
2.0
You know what? I have absolutely zero interest in writing a coherent, in-depth review about this novel. Which is a shame, because I was pretty invested until about the halfway mark and then I mentally checked out. In lieu of a proper review, here are some bullet points that sum up my feelings as best as my lazy ass can. Enjoy.
-The writing was probably the best aspect of this story. It was engaging if not melodramatic and ridiculous at times, but I liked it.
-While I initially sympathized with Finn and Sean, eventually I got tired of these two not using their big boy words and stopped giving a fuck. There's only so much miscommunication I can tolerate before I want to smack fictional characters for being stupid.
-Petey started off strong and then decided to Google diagnose the guy she likes and somehow make his diagnosis about her. Wow. I hesitate to say this is realistic for a teenager because I think most teenagers would be more sympathetic and less self-centered than her.
-A kid comes out as gay in the very last chapter and I'm supposed to be okay with that and consider LGTQAI rep? Yeah, no.
-A kid's medical condition is not only used as a plot device but is also a plot reveal. *sighs* we're never going to get away from this, are we?
-The Scare Crow or whatever the fuck the villain's called was so stereotypically shallow and creepy that I couldn't take him seriously. He's literally just a creepy, perverted man who only cares about a woman's beauty. Riveting.
-A woman has to physically harm/disfigure herself in order to escape the villain and is totally okay with her newly disfigured body. I sure as hell hope I'm not supposed to consider this feminist because I personally find it fucking obnoxious and only existing to serve the message.
-Speaking of messages, the beauty is dangerous for a woman message would not let it up and got really fucking obnoxious after awhile. We GET it, beautiful women get hit on and accosted by disgusting, perverted men, CAN WE PLEASE MOVE ON?!
-Also, most of the men presented in this story are either a). perverted, misogynistic creeps, b) fucking useless, or c) Sean and Finn. Cuz we can't have a pseudo-feminist novel revolving around beauty without most men being the scum of the earth, am I right?!
That's about all I have to say. If you want to read this, fine, but I would be hesitant to recommend this to someone over other magical realism stories.
-The writing was probably the best aspect of this story. It was engaging if not melodramatic and ridiculous at times, but I liked it.
-While I initially sympathized with Finn and Sean, eventually I got tired of these two not using their big boy words and stopped giving a fuck. There's only so much miscommunication I can tolerate before I want to smack fictional characters for being stupid.
-Petey started off strong and then decided to Google diagnose the guy she likes and somehow make his diagnosis about her. Wow. I hesitate to say this is realistic for a teenager because I think most teenagers would be more sympathetic and less self-centered than her.
-A kid comes out as gay in the very last chapter and I'm supposed to be okay with that and consider LGTQAI rep? Yeah, no.
-A kid's medical condition is not only used as a plot device but is also a plot reveal. *sighs* we're never going to get away from this, are we?
-The Scare Crow or whatever the fuck the villain's called was so stereotypically shallow and creepy that I couldn't take him seriously. He's literally just a creepy, perverted man who only cares about a woman's beauty. Riveting.
-A woman has to physically harm/disfigure herself in order to escape the villain and is totally okay with her newly disfigured body. I sure as hell hope I'm not supposed to consider this feminist because I personally find it fucking obnoxious and only existing to serve the message.
-Speaking of messages, the beauty is dangerous for a woman message would not let it up and got really fucking obnoxious after awhile. We GET it, beautiful women get hit on and accosted by disgusting, perverted men, CAN WE PLEASE MOVE ON?!
-Also, most of the men presented in this story are either a). perverted, misogynistic creeps, b) fucking useless, or c) Sean and Finn. Cuz we can't have a pseudo-feminist novel revolving around beauty without most men being the scum of the earth, am I right?!
That's about all I have to say. If you want to read this, fine, but I would be hesitant to recommend this to someone over other magical realism stories.
heather1999's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
bekah_divall's review
4.0
I really enjoyed this book. The entire time I read it I was on the edge of my seat, always asking questions in my head about what was going to happen next. This book does have romance so be aware!