Reviews

The Thread That Binds the Bones by Nina Kiriki Hoffman

teccc42's review against another edition

3.0

3,5 stars

ferrisscottr's review against another edition

4.0

In my memory (it's been 25 years since I initially read this book) this is one of the finest examples of how best to merge fantasy and horror and come up with a literary masterpiece.

I had a couple days free with nothing on my TBR pile and awaiting Christmas presents (hopefully books) so decided to re-read this book.

Our hero is Tom, he's a drifter who has secrets and also has powers.
He meets Laura who is the rebellious daughter of an ancient family with great powers and dark intentions.
They marry after only knowing each other a few hours and Tom gets pulled into a web of power, deceit, ancient rituals and more.

It's an urban fantasy classic.
This was always a five star read in my memory but after re-reading it I would modify that and say it's a strong high four star book (it does have some flaws) but I would recommend it to most anyone.

metaphorosis's review against another edition

3.0

3 stars - Metaphorosis Reviews

A man who can talk to ghosts winds up in a small town where one isolated clan has strange powers of its own.

I've read only a few of Nina Kiriki Hoffman's books (including the sequel to this one) and stories, but I've liked their clear, evocative language, and their simple, unaffected characters. I opened The Thread That Binds the Bones with enthusiasm. I left the book with less.

The book starts well, with the same strong prose, the same engaging characters. Unfortunately, what Hoffman gains in simplicity, she loses in credibility. All her main characters are amiable and affable, and they solve all their disagreements with a friendly word or two. It's not credible, and it quickly becomes so flat as to be both facile and painful. There's a fair amount of repetition - of circumstance, philosophy, simplistic life lessons. Characters either gush or sulk (but only briefly). The big, bad, evildoer is readily (and quickly) redeemed, and accepted by all (including his victim), replaced by a diabolus ex machina who's only barely sketched in.

I found the book severely disappointing. It's not bad per se, but it's far from the elegant work that I expected from seeing Hoffman's other work. The approach is in some ways suitable to a YA audience, but frankly I think some of the life lessons provided aren't so wise. For staunch Hoffman fans only.


Received free copy of book in exchange for honest review.

veryreaderie's review against another edition

I fell in love with Hoffman's writing as a teen, and this book has been on my goodreads to-read list since I made an account in 2009. Unfortunately I'll be leaving it as DNF at 75% due to growing discomfort with the content. The prose is lovely, and Hoffman writes longing and found family so beautifully, but I'll stick to her other books.

shinychick's review against another edition

3.0

Amazon says this is a "Chapel Hollow" novel, which it is, but that makes it sound like it's a series, and I don't think it is. It's a little dated (written 1993, it describes outfits that no one would be wearing now, not even in the welcome-back-to-the-eighties fashion turn we seem to be experiencing) but altogether decent enough. Seems like the threads of the storylines are a little loose, could use a little more linear direction, but I liked it well enough to see it out and probably buy it.

crowyhead's review against another edition

4.0

As is typical of Hoffman's work, the characters in this novel really sparkle, and are ultimately what "made" the book for me. The plot is exciting and intriguing, as well, but I felt that the end was wrapped up just a little too quickly; I wanted one more chapter of denouement or something.

changeablelandscape's review

emotional hopeful slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

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Content Warnings

a main plot point is the redemption of a former rapist -- if this is not your cup of tea, steer clear!

heres_the_thing's review

1.0

I'm sure a lot of people would enjoy this. It's a light read and it's on the lighter end of the urban fantasy genre (flying, ghosts, rituals, and magical clothes, but no pointy hats or cryptids, and most "magic language" is translated in text). It's relatively self-contained.

That being said: this novel is very much a product of its time. Clothing, commerce, and the fashion industry are extremely dated, which isn't the end of the world--historical fiction is a legitimate genre.

I don't know if this is typical of urban fantasy of the late '80s and early '90s, but the characters don't seem particularly well fleshed out and the narrative was incredibly over-simplified. Strangers get married, but manage to communicate pretty well despite enormous cultural differences, mostly because one of them is a mind-reader who can converse with convenient ghosts. Most if not all major conflicts are resolved because the antagonists were misunderstood, or because they were taught by someone worse than themselves. (I have a really hard time feeling sympathetic to people who use backstory as an excuse to torture/kidnap/rape innocent bystanders.)

What might have been an intriguing story becomes surreal and horrific when a child rapist is forgiven. He isn't forgiven because he displayed remorse or because he was redeemed in some way; he just doesn't like being punished, and when all is said and done, he would prefer to go on raping the child. His forgiveness is directly tied to his magical skills being useful in the next chapter. It is, to me, both appalling and ridiculous.

cindywho's review

4.0

I'd enjoyed some later novels by Hoffman and decided to check out this earlier one. It's a tiny bit Larry Sueish with the main character becoming the most magical person in the room all of a sudden, but the story has enough originality to overcome it and even as a subway read, I couldn't wait to get back to it.

floorlibrarian's review

5.0

I love this book. It just warms me up from the tips of my toes to the top of my head.
This is the proverbial warm blanket.

It the best example of Urban Fantasy in all of its most lyrical splendor.
If I could, I would give copies of this books to everyone that comes into my library.

Nina Kiriki Hoffman, turns a typical Romeo and Juliet type story and infuses it with warmth, heart and a magic so bright and beautiful, it will leave you breathless in the end, with a smile on your face.

In the light of Urban fantasy explosion of late, this is an original classic, that is worthy of a lot more attention than it is currently getting.