Published by Poisoned Pen Press Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Folk Horror, Gothic, Historical Fiction, Horror, LGBT
Format: ARC, eBook
Johanna van Veen has delivered yet again! Bone of My Bone is a beautifully written book which grabbed my attention from the very first page and never let go! I found it to be gripping, thought provoking, romantic, original, atmospheric, creative, gothic, dark, and hard to put down! Bone of My Bone is the third book which I have read by this author, and I can’t wait to read what she writes next!
1635
War is raging, and unspeakable horrors are occurring when Sister Ursula flees the ruins of her convent. She soon comes upon Elsebeth, a peasant, and they flee into the Bavarian forest. There they meet a dying man who gives them the skull of a saint. He tells them what will happen if they are able to reunite the skull with the body. Thus, their journey begins. It is a journey full of horrors, devastation, and those who seek to do them harm. A necromancer and a character named Otto are in pursuit……
This book is equal parts horrific, imaginative, clever, dark, tense, romantic, heart wrenching, and eerie. Both Sister Ursula and Elsebeth are endearing characters, and I rooted for both. Over the course of Bone of My Bone they develop a close bond. This book is about many horrific things, but it is also about love, kindness, and sacrifice.
I thought the author did a great job depicting place and time. Having the characters speak in wording and terms from a past era was also highly effective and also set the mood of the book. This book is more horrific than horror; although there are some gruesome scenes in this book. This book is more German folk horror as there is talk of a necromancer, a nachzehrer, and an aufhocker. All can be found in German mythology. I found myself looking the mythological creatures up as I read.
As with the author’s previous books, I found Bone of My Bone to be beautifully written, unique, full of vivid descriptions, well researched, eerie, and full of intriguing characters. While this book may not be for everyone, if you can stomach it, this book is chilling, eerie, riveting, and a worthwhile read. The author did a great job of blending several genres in this book: horror, historical fiction, fantasy, Gothic, LGBT, and folk horror.
Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
