The New York Times Book Review - Maile Meloy
…lush and original…The mythological references in the novel are subtle, not overt. There are non-earthly realms here, but it's mainly a rural coming-of-age story and a neurological mystery, set in the small town of Bone Gap, among cornfields and 4-H fairs…It's a novel about actual changes in worldview, and all its science and myth and realism and magic are marshaled, finally, to answer crucial questions about empathy and difference, and the ways we see the people we love.
Publishers Weekly
★ 03/16/2015
In a story that blends realism with dreamlike imagery and echoes of myth, Finn is the only witness to the kidnapping of 19-year-old Roza. However, his vague description of the man who took her leaves just about everyone in the small town of Bone Gap—including his older brother, Sean, who is in love with Roza—without much faith in his story. Through a complex interweaving of chapters, mostly told from Finn and Roza's points of view, Ruby (Bad Apple) slowly reveals that what actually happened to the beautiful Polish immigrant is more complicated than Finn even knew, and that his own disability, which only becomes clear to readers late in the novel, will make it difficult for him to find her. Ruby raises incisive questions about feminine beauty, identity, and power (Finn's new girlfriend, Petey, is marginalized for not being pretty, while Roza is harassed and abused by men who desire her) in a story full of subtle magic that is not compelled to provide concrete explanations. A haunting and inventive work that subverts expectations at every turn. Ages 14–up. Agent: Tina Wexler, ICM. (Mar.)
From the Publisher
It’s a novel about actual changes in worldview, and all its science and myth and realism and magic are marshaled, finally, to answer crucial questions about empathy and difference, and the way we see people we love.” — New York Times Book Review
“BONE GAP marks Laura Ruby as one of fiction’s most original voices. She is capable of moving you to tears, terrifying you on deep and dreamlike levels, and making your heart shout with happiness. This book is magic realism at its most magical.” — E. Lockhart, author of WE WERE LIARS
“Ruby’s novel deserves to be read and reread. It is powerful, beautiful, extraordinary.” — SLJ
“With rich characters, captivating world building, and a stunning secret at its heart, BONE GAP is utterly bewitching.” — ALA Booklist (starred review)
“Cleverly conceived, and lusciously written.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“The real magic in Bone Gap is the discovery of love, an idea many stories misrepresent but Bone Gap explores with the utmost honesty and truth.” — Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA) (starred review)
New York Times Book Review
It’s a novel about actual changes in worldview, and all its science and myth and realism and magic are marshaled, finally, to answer crucial questions about empathy and difference, and the way we see people we love.
SLJ
Ruby’s novel deserves to be read and reread. It is powerful, beautiful, extraordinary.
ALA Booklist (starred review)
With rich characters, captivating world building, and a stunning secret at its heart, BONE GAP is utterly bewitching.
E. Lockhart
BONE GAP marks Laura Ruby as one of fiction’s most original voices. She is capable of moving you to tears, terrifying you on deep and dreamlike levels, and making your heart shout with happiness. This book is magic realism at its most magical.
Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA) (starred review)
The real magic in Bone Gap is the discovery of love, an idea many stories misrepresent but Bone Gap explores with the utmost honesty and truth.
School Library Journal
12/01/2014
Gr 10 Up—It is a rare book that sits comfortably on the shelf with the works of Twain, McCullers, Conroy, Stephen King, and D'Aulaires' Greek Myths-rarer still that a novel combines elements of these authors together. Bone Gap does just this, to superb effect. We start with a boy named Finn and his brother, Sean. Sean is the classic hero: strong, silent, great at everything he does. Finn is a pretty boy whose otherworldly goofiness has earned him the nicknames Spaceman, Sidetrack, and Moonface. Along comes Rosza, a beautiful and damaged young woman, fleeing from some unknown evil. When she disappears, only Finn witnesses her abduction and he is unable to describe her captor. He is also unsure whether she left by force or choice. The author defies readers' expectations at every turn. In this world, the evidence of one's senses counts for little; appearances, even less. Heroism isn't born of muscle, competence, and desire, but of the ability to look beyond the surface and embrace otherworldliness and kindred spirits. Sex happens, but almost incidentally. Evil happens, embodied in a timeless, nameless horror that survives on the mere idea of beauty. A powerful novel.—Nina Sachs, Walker Memorial Library, Westbrook, ME
MAY 2015 - AudioFile
Prepare for the extraordinary. Narrator Dan Bittner does an exceptional job guiding listeners through this compelling novel of love and beauty, identity and power. His narration flows like a river, interweaving the stories of brothers Finn and Sean; their Polish immigrant boarder, Roza; and the small town of Bone Gap, where they live. When Roza suddenly disappears, Finn is the only witness to her abduction. Telling the story mostly from Finn and Roza’s points of view, Bittner skillfully voices characters of all ages and backgrounds. Of special note are Roza’s soft-spoken Polish-accented English and the kidnapper’s unctuous voice, which is 50 percent charm, 20 percent oil, and 30 percent very disturbing. This is a must-listen—a consummate blend of text and voice. M.F.T. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award, 2016 Printz Award © AudioFile 2015, Portland, Maine
Kirkus Reviews
★ 2015-01-10
A teenage boy wrestles against forces real and imagined in a small, rural town named Bone Gap. Finn was the only one to witness the kidnapping of brother Sean's beautiful girlfriend, Roza, at the spring festival. But when he looks at mug shots, all the faces look frustratingly similar. Meanwhile, a tall man with eyes like ice who demands her love traps Roza in an ever changing netherworld. But Roza is determined to find her way back to Sean and Finn's backyard, no matter what the cost. Told from the viewpoints of multiple Bone Gap citizens, this inventive modern fable whimsically combines elements of folklore, mythology, romance and feminism. Finn starts out as a daydreaming cipher, but when he discovers he has a condition called "face blindness," his vague character comes into sharp focus, and his mission to battle the tall man becomes clear. Both Roza and Finn's love interest, Priscilla, develop over the course of the magically real journey into strong women to be reckoned with, while the secondary characters, including a sassy beekeeper, wise chicken farmer and self-aware horse, are charming and memorable. And if the transitions between reality and fantasy are a little rocky and the worldbuilding occasionally a little thin, it can be forgiven due to the sheer ambition of the refreshingly original plot. Cleverly conceived and lusciously written. (Fantasy. 13 & up)
