lexx_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
iliyenzio's review
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This was pretty great. The whole thing was rather exciting and the ending particularly so.
mjbooknerd's review against another edition
4.0
This was really good. Check out the review on my blog.
tuff517's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
babimbadnews's review against another edition
3.0
It started off slow but good. Maybe it's just me, but the ending was very... flat. I was waiting for something big to happen, but it just. Stopped?
fvaladez's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The story plays on religious tropes in an isolated area and it does it well. The book is well written and does a good job of creeping you out. There are a couple of twists that were unexpected and not cheesy. Everything written feels intentional and rarely consists of throw away lines, if they exist at all.
There are a couple of spots where typos exist, but it was either a misplaced letter or one wotf missing. Thankfully there was enough context to know what the word is supposed to be. This happens a total of 2 times, maybe 3.
That said, I really enjoyed the book. It is well worth a read.
There are a couple of spots where typos exist, but it was either a misplaced letter or one wotf missing. Thankfully there was enough context to know what the word is supposed to be. This happens a total of 2 times, maybe 3.
That said, I really enjoyed the book. It is well worth a read.
aparker89's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
A deep dive into the depths of the twin connection and how that transcends space and time- this book gives you a clear feeling that whatever is watching you from those forbidden woods cannot be good for your soul.
A well written tale from two perspectives, horrific murders and a monster you can't define! Alaska never saw this story coming, but those who live in the woods might tell you otherwise. Overall, a quick read, very visual imagery and a spooky story of what ifs!
A well written tale from two perspectives, horrific murders and a monster you can't define! Alaska never saw this story coming, but those who live in the woods might tell you otherwise. Overall, a quick read, very visual imagery and a spooky story of what ifs!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Blood, Gore, Grief, Murder, and Violence
Minor: Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, Animal death, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Rape, Suicide attempt, Confinement, Medical trauma, Addiction, Death, Alcoholism, Physical abuse, and Drug use
thisotherbookaccount's review against another edition
2.0
2.5 stars.
Bone White is a serviceable horror book if you haven't read a dozen other horror stories exactly like it.
The story is a simple one: Paul, our protagonist, travels to Alaska to find his missing twin brother, only to find himself in a wilderness town filled with secrets, superstitions and old murders. All the usual tropes are there, including a cast of rural residents who hate outsiders, local sheriffs who don't seem to give two-shits about what's happening, no one giving any straightforward answers when asked simple, direct questions (like "Can you just explain to me what's happening here?"), things like that.
The worst part about this book, however, is the pacing. Now, not every book must follow a three-act structure. However, when literally 80% of this book — I know because I read this on my Kindle — is pure set up, you start to wonder if author Ronald Malfi really should have stuck with that tried-and-tested formula. The first 80% of the book basically Paul, the protagonist, going from townsfolk to townsfolk, asking pointed questions and receiving vague answers. It almost seems like this is Malfi's idea of 'building tension'. The problem here is that the tension becomes very taut. It's like when you are trying to screw two pieces of wood together, but the screwdriver keeps turning on the spot because the screw itself has been stripped. That's exactly what the first 80% of the book feels like — the protagonist and plot going around in circles, and the tension never really builds up to anything.
I think the final 20% of the book is more interesting than what comes before, but the 'evil' is your run-of-the-mill devil incarnate, which is, frankly speaking, uninspiring. And if you don't see the 'twist' in the first pages of this book, you just haven't been paying much attention. I can't help but wonder if it'd have served the book better if the end of the book is somehow the end of the second act instead. At least it'd have made a more interesting book with more momentum. Otherwise, Bone White is a lot of atmosphere with few scares.
Bone White is a serviceable horror book if you haven't read a dozen other horror stories exactly like it.
The story is a simple one: Paul, our protagonist, travels to Alaska to find his missing twin brother, only to find himself in a wilderness town filled with secrets, superstitions and old murders. All the usual tropes are there, including a cast of rural residents who hate outsiders, local sheriffs who don't seem to give two-shits about what's happening, no one giving any straightforward answers when asked simple, direct questions (like "Can you just explain to me what's happening here?"), things like that.
The worst part about this book, however, is the pacing. Now, not every book must follow a three-act structure. However, when literally 80% of this book — I know because I read this on my Kindle — is pure set up, you start to wonder if author Ronald Malfi really should have stuck with that tried-and-tested formula. The first 80% of the book basically Paul, the protagonist, going from townsfolk to townsfolk, asking pointed questions and receiving vague answers. It almost seems like this is Malfi's idea of 'building tension'. The problem here is that the tension becomes very taut. It's like when you are trying to screw two pieces of wood together, but the screwdriver keeps turning on the spot because the screw itself has been stripped. That's exactly what the first 80% of the book feels like — the protagonist and plot going around in circles, and the tension never really builds up to anything.
I think the final 20% of the book is more interesting than what comes before, but the 'evil' is your run-of-the-mill devil incarnate, which is, frankly speaking, uninspiring. And if you don't see the 'twist' in the first pages of this book, you just haven't been paying much attention. I can't help but wonder if it'd have served the book better if the end of the book is somehow the end of the second act instead. At least it'd have made a more interesting book with more momentum. Otherwise, Bone White is a lot of atmosphere with few scares.