Finn Sullivan is labeled the loner of the strange town of Bone Gap. He lives alone with his older brother, Sean, who struggles to support the two of them. His mother left for a strange man on the internet, and Roza, the lovely girl beloved by all, seems to have left them too. However, Finn knows the truth. His mother may have left of her own will, but the beautiful and kind Roza did not. She was kidnapped by an elusive man, whose face Finn cannot remember. Finn is the sole witness of Roza's abduction and while no one, even his own brother, believes him, Finn knows better than to give up his search. After all, everyone knows Bone Gap is full of gaps, and these gaps are filled with secrets of their own.
Bone Gap, by Laura Ruby, is definitely one of the strangest books I have ever read. At first, I wasn't sure how to describe it. It was a combination of a magical love story and a sinister, chilling thriller. The story takes places in a realistic town with realistic characters, but the things that happen to them, especially Roza, are not realistic at all. Apparently, the book's blend of magic and the supernatural in a real-world setting is something known as magical realism. Basically, unexplainable, other-worldy events keep happening in an otherwise normal town.
This book is definitely not for everyone. I was pretty surprised I enjoyed it. Honestly, I only chose it because it had a picture of a bee on the front cover, and bees are pretty cool. While Bone Gap was not at all like what I normally read, it wasn't a waste of time either. It was well-written and each character was portrayed amazingly. I would recommend it if you're looking for something very original and out of the ordinary.
-Samantha L, (Dusen)Berry Blogger and member of the River Teen Advisory Board
