“Remember, my dear, you do not really and truly exist.”
Made of dust and bone and imagination, Irréelle fears she’s not quite real. Only the finest magical thread tethers her to life—and to Miss Vesper. But for all her efforts to please her cruel creator, the thread is unraveling. Irréelle is forgetful as she gathers bone dust. She is slow returning from the dark passages beneath the cemetery. Worst of all, she is unmindful of her crooked bones. When Irréelle makes one final, unforgivable mistake by destroying a frightful creature just brought to life, Miss Vesper threatens to imagine her away once and for all. Defying her creator for the very first time, Irréelle flees to the underside of the graveyard and embarks on an adventure to unearth the mysterious magic that breathes bones to life, even if it means she will return to dust and be no more. With echoes of Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book, debut author Heather Kassner crafts a gorgeously written story humming with magic, mystery, and dark imaginings. (From Goodreads) My thoughts: A truly original story. Spooky, scary, perfect for a camp cabin or a sleepover story sharing. I loved the protagonist of the Bone Garden, aptly named Irréelle (' Unreal'). Made of bone dust and her creator's magic imagination, Irreelle is courageous, loving, and loyal. The beginning might scare you because it takes place in underground tunnels under a graveyard, and Irreelle is on her mission to collect (extract) bone dust that will permit Miss Vesper, her cruel creator, continue looking for a clearly marked unmarked grave that holds a secret to her life and magic. All Irréelle wants is to be a real girl, like her neighbours she quietly observes, making sure nobody notices how deformed she is. Nothing ever pleases Miss Vesper who is always quick to remind Irréelle that she doesn't really exist and can be easily replaced. When Irréelle tries to protect herself from a strange creature, brought into life by Miss Vesper's magic, and accidentally breaks it, Miss Vesper wants to destroy her in a really painful and cruel way, but luckily Irréelle manages to run away and hide in the tunnels she knows so well by now. Here she helps to free Guy who becomes her first friend and together they make their way outside. But if you think the scary part is over, you're mistaken. The adventure only begins. Together, Irréelle and Guy must solve the mystery of Miss Arden Mae Vesper and help her reunite with the love of her life. Irréelle undergoes a huge transformation from a quiet, obedient, awkward girl, who wants to do everything in her power to please her tormentor, even if deep down she knows it is wrong. Gradually, she begins to question her own motivation, and proves to be a smart, tenacious, perceptive girl 'with a big heart and a will of her own'. The setting is really dark (most of it happens either undergound or in the graveyar), so it might not be suitable for young children, but midlle graders will appreciate the dark Gothic charm of the magic world created by Heather Kessner. Thank you to Edelweiss and Henry Holt and Co. for the ARC provided in exchange for an honest opinion. Comments are closed.
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