Wake the Bones

Wake the Bones is a 2022 fantasy horror novel by Elizabeth Kilcoyne. It was published by Wednesday Books and was released in July 2022.

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.

Laurel was an interesting character to follow, but not one I connected with very easily. There was a lot about her that was compelling, such as her strange abilities, but her moodiness and uncertainty as the story progressed kept her from being a character I was fully invested in. I feel this way about the three other main characters Garrett, Isaac and Ricky. There were things about them that were interesting, but I never felt truly connected with any of them. The dynamic between characters is another story. As the story progresses, Laurel becomes worried not only how the family farm will be impacted, but how her friends will be impacted by what’s happening. The relationships these characters have with each other is part of what shapes and drives the story forward. I loved that these relationships were so complex and had depth to them, because it made the story, and the stakes, feel richer.

I liked the plot of this book overall. Laurel begins the novel learning that something isn’t quite right on the farm and slowly uncovers not only what is going on, but tries to work out how to fix it. Almost more importantly, I enjoyed how this book explored themes of grief and trauma as the story unfolded. The story is about Laurel fighting a supernatural, and malicious, entity, but it’s also about her confronting her grief over her mother’s death. The themes and the events of the story weave together very well to create an impactful narrative. The story slowly builds up the stakes as more strange occurrences happen, as the narrative also reveals more about Laurel’s strange abilities and how they play a role in what’s to come. This novel has a soft magic system, which allows for a degree of fluidity to the rules of the world, which fits the southern gothic horror feel. I enjoyed the plot overall, but had some issues with the climax and resolution. I felt that the climax ended a bit too quickly. The novel built up to a confrontation that didn’t last very long. The resolution also took a pretty big leap in what was or was not possible for Laurel to do. It all just felt a little bit too easy, too convenient, in how things concluded, as compared to early points in the book.

The writing in this novel excelled in some areas but not others. The author did a fantastic job creating the creepy, dark atmosphere that this story needed. This is a fantasy horror novel and the horror elements are handled very well, from unnatural deaths to rotting bones. The unsettling atmosphere and setting are evident from the very beginning of the book and it doesn’t take long for the prose to truly take advantage of that setting. I had an issue with some of the writing when the horror elements took a back seat. There were points in the book where the writing left me feeling completely disengaged from the story, because the prose didn’t grab me in those moments. It felt a bit clunky, some prose felt out of place and it was hard to remain immersed in the story. There is also a pacing issue in this book, where scenes that are meant to set-up later moments, or just give the story time to breathe, go on for a bit too long. Those moments killed the momentum of the story for me.

Wake the Bones is a book that’s not going to be for everyone. It’s a dark, strange, creepy story that appeals to some readers but turns away others. I enjoyed it quite a bit. I loved the atmosphere and the plot kept me engaged for the most part. Some parts of the writing really worked, while others made it hard to stay immersed in the story. I found the characters’ dynamics interesting but struggled to connect with the characters themselves. I think anyone intrigued by the premise should give it a shot.

Rating: 3.75 Stars

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