amber_hastings's review
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
2.0
I picked this up for the gorgeous cover, and the cover remains the best aspect of this book. Unfortunately I struggled with this one. Sometimes the writing was beautiful, but I found it so slow and so heavy-handed in dealing with its themes of teen independence, troubled/lost sense of self, and eco anxiety. I found that none of the characters felt real or convincing, least of all Sylvia. She and Gabriel did not feel like modern teens. I was particularly annoyed that Sylvia seemed to be a bit of a saviour to all the lost men in her life. The absence of her dad lends a Freudian angle to the fact that she and her mum seem to spend their lives attracting and placating troubled boys. The message of environmental destruction and anxiety tended to get a bit lost. And the addition of Andreas' Nazi past felt so out of place. I'm perplexed at why there are so many wonderful five star reviews of this book as I found it difficult to along with for many reasons.
the_red_one's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.75
nicktomjoe's review
5.0
David Almond takes his readers into the themes closely associated with Lucy Boston and Alan Garner: the deeply felt connection of place and history with the present. In doing so he does not disappoint: when the protagonist, shy, uprooted Sylvia (the woodland roots of her name indicate her mother’s past connections with the place) “dreamed that the living and the dead and the still-to-be-born danced together in the forest clearings,” we are with her as her discovery of the connectedness of pasts and the present deepen. Pasts? Yes: Sylvia discovers her new friend Gabriel’s painful history, confronts the shadows surrounding ancient Andreas, links to the changing landscapes of Northumbria - and the present, the pull of the city and friends, the frustration at not getting ‘phone signal, the urgency of youthful eco-protesters. And through it all, the mysterious music of the bone flute, Sylvia’s detailed making of her own, and the transcendent insights she gains.
There are connections to other Almond works all over - notably in the turn-but-a-stone-and-start-a-wing mysticism reminiscent of Skellig, and the water of the Kielder reservoir he explores so well in The Dam. This is David Almond absolutely on form.
Bone Music is a thoughtful book, politically mature, intriguing in what it says and what it hints at, a painful story in its discussion of grief and isolation and self-harm, a triumph of friendship, and love and music and a hope built on a community that stretches back into the past and comes out bang up to date.
There are connections to other Almond works all over - notably in the turn-but-a-stone-and-start-a-wing mysticism reminiscent of Skellig, and the water of the Kielder reservoir he explores so well in The Dam. This is David Almond absolutely on form.
Bone Music is a thoughtful book, politically mature, intriguing in what it says and what it hints at, a painful story in its discussion of grief and isolation and self-harm, a triumph of friendship, and love and music and a hope built on a community that stretches back into the past and comes out bang up to date.
annabroomfield's review
reflective
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
ace_disaster's review
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
sunflowers_sunsets's review
4.0
3.5 stars
Okay, it’s fair to say that this is a pretty weird book...but it’s also actually really good. It made me think a lot, and for me that makes any book good.
Okay, it’s fair to say that this is a pretty weird book...but it’s also actually really good. It made me think a lot, and for me that makes any book good.
tobischeurer's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
innie11's review
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.25
This was such a cosy read
gen_wolfhailstorm's review
3.0
Actual rating: 3.5 / 5
This was a random pick up from a recent library trip. Sometimes I see something I've never heard of before and decide to just try it out. I feel like the library is the safest place to take a chance on a book!
I didn't recognise the authors name before, but he wrote Skellig- a book I've been meaning to revisit for some years. I believe we did a class read and watched a movie adaptation when I was in year 8 or 9 and its been haunting the back of my mind since.
Bone Music is a whimsical read, but under the surface there is hint of some darker and engaging topics. Sylvie's mum works with "troubled boys", the boy next door has wanted and acted on ending his life, Sylvie's mum is unhappy in her marriage, there's a neighbour with a Nazi past... its got some heavier tones indeed, for what otherwise feels like a mystical middle grade story.
For a good few pages, I wasn't really feeling much, other than mild irritation at Sylvia's aloofness, but when Gabriel was introduced, things got more interesting. He reminded me of Lanny from the self titled book by Max Porter and I really enjoyed reading the scenes with him.
This was charming and haunting and gave me this weird whimsical feel. Despite feeling jarring at how the kids spoke (very poetic) it was a very beautiful story, discussing re-wilding the planet and ourselves, and the magic of nature and city life combing at the heart of it.
Pick it up, give it a go and enjoy! >(^_^)<
Gén
This was a random pick up from a recent library trip. Sometimes I see something I've never heard of before and decide to just try it out. I feel like the library is the safest place to take a chance on a book!
I didn't recognise the authors name before, but he wrote Skellig- a book I've been meaning to revisit for some years. I believe we did a class read and watched a movie adaptation when I was in year 8 or 9 and its been haunting the back of my mind since.
Bone Music is a whimsical read, but under the surface there is hint of some darker and engaging topics. Sylvie's mum works with "troubled boys", the boy next door has wanted and acted on ending his life, Sylvie's mum is unhappy in her marriage, there's a neighbour with a Nazi past... its got some heavier tones indeed, for what otherwise feels like a mystical middle grade story.
For a good few pages, I wasn't really feeling much, other than mild irritation at Sylvia's aloofness, but when Gabriel was introduced, things got more interesting. He reminded me of Lanny from the self titled book by Max Porter and I really enjoyed reading the scenes with him.
This was charming and haunting and gave me this weird whimsical feel. Despite feeling jarring at how the kids spoke (very poetic) it was a very beautiful story, discussing re-wilding the planet and ourselves, and the magic of nature and city life combing at the heart of it.
Pick it up, give it a go and enjoy! >(^_^)<
Gén