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jazzy_daveDebbie Howells "The Bones Of You" (Pan Macmillan)
Debbie Howells writes with poetic beauty. Her sentences have a rhythmic pulse, like a violin within a melancholy symphony. I loved reading this book for the sheer pleasure of the words.
This is a poignant story. On the surface, we have a young girl's murder and the quest to find her killer. Beneath that, we have the complicated mess of emotions and personalities that makes us individuals. Some people surprise us with their strength, while others disintegrate under scrutiny.
The first half of this book held me riveted, as I got to know the characters and the secrets they kept. About midway, I figured out where the story was going, but I still found the path compelling. For me, this book was more about the journey than the 'whodunit'.
The problems I had with the second half were more about characterization and movement. I found Kate's naivete hard to believe. She was often incredulous to find that people did bad things. Her disbelief sometimes bordered on juvenile. This was particularly true of her relationship with Jo. Kate seemed all too willing to ignore flashing warning signs, and simply chose not to question all the odd behavior. I also felt that Laura's character was only used when needed to move the plot forward. She and Kate were best friends who hadn't seen each other in years, yet I felt no connection between them, no warmth, and no attempt at reconnecting.
While this isn't a police procedural, I did sometimes wonder where the police were in all of this. Certain things happened that were glossed over, and this made me question their lack of response.
Despite my quibbles, I was thoroughly immersed in this story. The author exposes the cracks beneath the glossy facade, leaving us, along with the characters, aching and raw, yet also enriched by the experience. Definitely a page turner!
Debbie Howells writes with poetic beauty. Her sentences have a rhythmic pulse, like a violin within a melancholy symphony. I loved reading this book for the sheer pleasure of the words.
This is a poignant story. On the surface, we have a young girl's murder and the quest to find her killer. Beneath that, we have the complicated mess of emotions and personalities that makes us individuals. Some people surprise us with their strength, while others disintegrate under scrutiny.
The first half of this book held me riveted, as I got to know the characters and the secrets they kept. About midway, I figured out where the story was going, but I still found the path compelling. For me, this book was more about the journey than the 'whodunit'.
The problems I had with the second half were more about characterization and movement. I found Kate's naivete hard to believe. She was often incredulous to find that people did bad things. Her disbelief sometimes bordered on juvenile. This was particularly true of her relationship with Jo. Kate seemed all too willing to ignore flashing warning signs, and simply chose not to question all the odd behavior. I also felt that Laura's character was only used when needed to move the plot forward. She and Kate were best friends who hadn't seen each other in years, yet I felt no connection between them, no warmth, and no attempt at reconnecting.
While this isn't a police procedural, I did sometimes wonder where the police were in all of this. Certain things happened that were glossed over, and this made me question their lack of response.
Despite my quibbles, I was thoroughly immersed in this story. The author exposes the cracks beneath the glossy facade, leaving us, along with the characters, aching and raw, yet also enriched by the experience. Definitely a page turner!
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