This is the sequel to Bone's Gift, which I reviewed HERE. If you don't want anything ruined for Bone's Gift, I'd recommend not reading this review.
An amazon summary while decisions may be happening, "Twelve-year-old Bone uses her Gift, which allows her to see the stories in everyday objects, to try to figure out why her best friend, Will Kincaid, suddenly lost his voice at age five. This supernatural historical mystery is the second title in the acclaimed and emotionally resonant Ghosts of Ordinary Objects series.
In a southern Virginia coal-mining town in October 1942, Bone Phillips is learning to control her Gift: Bone can see the history of a significant object when she touches it. When her best friend, Will Kincaid, asks Bone to "read" the history of his daddy's jelly jar--the jelly jar that was buried alongside his father during the mine cave-in that killed him--Bone is afraid. Even before Bone touches it, she can feel that the jar has its own strange power. With her mother dead, her father gone to war, and Aunt Mattie's assault looming over Bone, she can't bear the idea of losing Will too. As Will's obsession with the jelly jar becomes dangerous, Bone struggles to understand the truth behind the jar and save him Featuring a beautiful, compelling voice, this novel weaves a story of mystery, family, and ultimately, love." AMAZON LINK OF JUSTICE
Bone has a gift to see memories associated with an object. She's also an avid storyteller, and went through a bit of....struggling with her aunt in the last book and discovering her aunt's relationship with her mother.
Bone has moved back into the boarding house, and her uncle watches over her too. Her uncle is helping her to better understand and use her powers, but Bone is still grappling with what her mother did to save her rather misguided aunt.
But, something is going on with Will. He's kind of obsessed with his father's jelly jar since it can play sounds it's captured back to him... including his father's voice. Bone is afraid to touch it, but Will really wants her to read it. She senses there's something off or wrong about the jar, and doesn't want to touch it. Which, understandably makes Will upset. He thinks that if Bone touches it, she'll be able to see his Father. There's something foreboding about the jar though.
Then there's her classmates who really want to egg her aunt's house for Halloween, and Bone is having a hard time saying no.
That's enough summary.
I think this book wandered a lot without really knowing what they wanted to accomplish. In the end, it kind of got there, but I think it grappled with trying to be a slice of life, trying to train Bone with her powers, trying to have Bone struggle with her friendships, and also Bone's concern about her father. While, this may be an accurate depiction of how life kind of haphazardly throws everything at you at once sometimes, but... for that to come across well in a book, that has to be a delicate balancing act. I don't think the book really gives a proper articulation to the multiple problems presented. It kind of feels like there's a few moments where the book kind of just crosses it's fingers and hope the readers aren't going to notice.
...but that being said, there is going to be a third book, and I'm still going to read the third book. I think some of the issues presented in this book might have a better resolution in the third book. I'm just really, really hoping that Bone's father survives the war.
Happy reading!
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