This book is published now, but I got my hands on the advance uncorrected proof version. Undoubtedly, things have changed between the version I read, and the published version. Please keep that in mind when reading this review.
An amazon summary, "In this supernatural historical mystery, twelve-year-old Bone possesses a Gift that allows her to see the stories in everyday objects. When she receives a note that says her mother's Gift killed her, Bone seeks to unravel the mysteries of her mother's death, the schisms in her family, and the Gifts themselves.
In a southern Virginia coal-mining town in 1942, Bone Phillips has just reached the age when most members of her family discover their Gift. Bone has a Gift that disturbs her; she can sense stories when she touches an object that was important to someone. She sees both sad and happy--the death of a deer in an arrowhead, the pain of a beating in a baseball cap, and the sense of joy in a fiddle. There are also stories woven into her dead mama's butter-yellow sweater--stories Bone yearns for and fears. When Bone receives a note that says her mama's Gift is what killed her, Bone tries to uncover the truth. Could Bone's Gift do the same? Here is a beautifully resonant coming-of-age tale about learning to trust the power of your own story." AMAZON LINK OF JUSTICE
First of all, her real name is Laurel Grace Phillips. Bone is a nickname. Just want to clear that up in case you were like, "BONE's GIFT?! Is there a gifted skeleton running around, getting visions from objects? WIKKITY-WHAT?" ....just stop that thought train on the tracks, and look for another book that might get it chugging again. I know, the sweater is glowing and wispy things! It's okay! I get it!
...not saying that I initially thought this....but someone saw the book cover while I was reading this book and that was their first reaction based on other things they know I read... so...
Anyways.......it's fine.
Anyways.
Bone is the daughter of a miner. Her best friend doesn't speak, but has his own way of communicating (no, not supernatural, just mannerisms and such). Her mother died when she was very young from the influenza. When she started having visions after touching an object, she kept it a secret...except for telling Will. Something about her mother's death doesn't quite make sense based on what she's heard about her mother. Her Aunt Mattie seems to hate her, and her cousin Ruby also seems to want nothing to do with her.
Bone is scared her gift can kill her after the note she received and so she starts to research the circumstances of her mother's death as covertly as possible.
Also, Bone is a story teller. She tells stories in just about every opportunity that she can, and I would kind of argue that the real story might really be in the stories that Bone tells. So you know, I kind of adore Bone to no end.
That's enough summary, because I pretty much fell in love with this book. I loved the slow unfurling of the story where the story is as much about Bone as it is about her family, the town, and the events of the world. It is a coming of age story as much as it's a story about grief, mending hearts, and the rippling effects of war.
I adored this treasure of a story.
Happy reading!
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