Scan barcode
A review by directorpurry
Beneath Ash & Bone by D. Alexander Ward
2.0
CW:
Actual rating: 2.5 stars
I wanted to love this book. The premise is fantastic - snowed in murder mystery pre-Civil War - and the language used in the writing is excellent. Ward, regardless of my upcoming criticisms, is a really beautiful writer. He has a great way with words and I found it entirely captivating.
But I found myself becoming less and less enamored with the story as it went on.
I didn't feel like there was enough foreshadowing/planting of the story to come. The REALLY didn't work for me because it just wasn't planted early enough. It either should have been a more standard story and stayed the length it was OR been extended somewhat to build up the scary supernatural factors.
I felt like Sam jumped to conclusions when he picked out his suspects, he never brought us along for the investigative ride, which was really disappointing.
Also, a personal pet peeve, but please for the love of God stop trying to say you found demon names in the "Old Testament." There are no demons in Judaism. There are no demons in the Tanakh. I don't care what language you've translated it through, keep the demons in your own religious books please and thanks. Ugh.
But, all of this aside! I'm totally down to read another D. Alexander Ward book! The premise is just **chef's kiss** and the writing is lovely. A lot of people loved this book, as you can tell from the average rating, so please don't let my review scare you off. It's short enough that it's really worth the experience if you find yourself in possession of a copy.
Spoiler
child death, genital mutilation, rape, statutory rape, mental illness as villain, suicide, racism, insects, fire, (mentioned) parental death, (mentioned) infanticide, (mentioned) animal cruelty/harmActual rating: 2.5 stars
I wanted to love this book. The premise is fantastic - snowed in murder mystery pre-Civil War - and the language used in the writing is excellent. Ward, regardless of my upcoming criticisms, is a really beautiful writer. He has a great way with words and I found it entirely captivating.
But I found myself becoming less and less enamored with the story as it went on.
I didn't feel like there was enough foreshadowing/planting of the story to come. The
Spoiler
demon twistSpoiler
psychopathI felt like Sam jumped to conclusions when he picked out his suspects, he never brought us along for the investigative ride, which was really disappointing.
Also, a personal pet peeve, but please for the love of God stop trying to say you found demon names in the "Old Testament." There are no demons in Judaism. There are no demons in the Tanakh. I don't care what language you've translated it through, keep the demons in your own religious books please and thanks. Ugh.
But, all of this aside! I'm totally down to read another D. Alexander Ward book! The premise is just **chef's kiss** and the writing is lovely. A lot of people loved this book, as you can tell from the average rating, so please don't let my review scare you off. It's short enough that it's really worth the experience if you find yourself in possession of a copy.