Early Review – Wake the Bones by Elizabeth Kilcoyne (4/5 stars)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy/Horror
Length: 320 pages
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Release Date: July 12, 2022
ISBN-13 : 978-1250790828
Stand Alone or Series: Stand Alone
Source: eGalley from NetGalley
Rating: 4/5 stars
“The sleepy little farm that Laurel Early grew up on has awakened. The woods are shifting, the soil is dead under her hands, and her bone pile just stood up and walked away.
After dropping out of college, all she wanted was to resume her life as a tobacco hand and taxidermist and try not to think about the boy she can’t help but love. Instead, a devil from her past has returned to court her, as he did her late mother years earlier. Now, Laurel must unravel her mother’s terrifying legacy and tap into her own innate magic before her future and the fate of everyone she loves is doomed.”
Series Info/Source: This is a stand alone book. I got this as an eGalley from Netgalley to review.
Thoughts: This was a well done story about four young adults (in their 20’s) trying to figure out what to do with their lives after college. They live in a small farming town that makes its living off of growing tobacco. Laurel tried college but ended up back at home helping her uncle at the farm and making/selling jewelry from the bones of dead animals she finds in the woods. Then things get weird. Bone monsters are haunting the woods and something evil wants Laurel for some unknown purpose.
The writing style of this book is somewhat dreamy, incredibly descriptive, and a bit ambiguous. It reminds me a lot of Maggie Stievater’s writing style, in fact this book reminded me a lot of her Raven Cycle series but not as elaborate. I loved the description, you really felt like you are in the story with the characters and you can hear, taste, and feel their surroundings. I enjoyed the characters as well, they are complex and have issues of their own. Every single character in this book is well done, intriguing and fun to read about. There is some subtle magic or maybe more of a magical realism feel throughout.
This story is as much about the struggles of these young adults as it is about the monster that haunts the woods. They are all a bit aimless but dream of different things and don’t know how to get there. There are heavy coming-of-age themes here woven in with the strange magic. I really enjoyed the small town setting too.
All in all this was a perfect read for me at the moment. It’s very atmospheric, a bit creepy, but reminded me of lazy summers in my early adulthood…when I didn’t have many responsibilities and I still wasn’t sure exactly where I was going. The story wraps up well and although what happens is a bit ambiguous, the story didn’t feel unfinished or confusing.
My Summary (4/5): Overall this was a well done book that I enjoyed. The writing style is unique and well done; very dreamy, descriptive, and a bit ambiguous. If you enjoy Steifvater’s writing style I think you will enjoy Kilcoyne as well. This was an excellent debut novel. I really enjoyed the small town setting, the complex characters, the subtle magic, and the dreamy darkly atmospheric feel to the novel. I will definitely be checking out Kilcoyne’s future books. I went into this not knowing what to expect and enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would.
