This book was read by Courtney Bippley, a Reference Librarian at the Main Campus Library

Everyone knows Bone Gap is full of gaps—gaps to trip you up, gaps to slide through so you can disappear forever. So when young, beautiful Roza went missing, the people of Bone Gap weren’t surprised. After all, it wasn’t the first time that someone had slipped away and left Finn and Sean O’Sullivan on their own. Just a few years before, their mother had high-tailed it to Oregon for a brand new guy, a brand new life. That’s just how things go, the people said. Who are you going to blame?

Finn knows that’s not what happened with Roza. He knows she was kidnapped, ripped from the cornfields by a dangerous man whose face he cannot remember. But the searches turned up nothing, and no one believes him anymore. Not even Sean, who has more reason to find Roza than anyone, and every reason to blame Finn for letting her go.

As we follow the stories of Finn, Roza, and the people of Bone Gap—their melancholy pasts, their terrifying presents, their uncertain futures—acclaimed author Laura Ruby weaves a heartbreaking tale of love and loss, magic and mystery, regret and forgiveness—a story about how the face the world sees is never the sum of who we are.

Why did you choose to read this book?

Someone told me they’d enjoyed it so I thought I would give it a try.

What did you like about it?

I liked that each character felt very real. They had personalities and quirks that you could easily envision real people having. I also liked that the magical realism elements felt natural in the world the author created instead of being shoehorned in to the story.

Was there anything noteworthy about the book?

Without giving anything away, I thought the reveal near the end of the condition of one of the main characters was really well done. It was foreshadowed, but not in a really obvious way so it was kind of an ‘Ah ha!’ moment.

Did it remind you of any other book, or a movie?

It reminded me a little bit of Looking for Alaska by John Green. Mostly because this was also set in Alaska with teenagers as protagonists, although this book isn’t specifically a young adult novel.

Who would you recommend the book to?

Anyone who enjoys mysteries, books about small towns, and is open to magical realism.

What would you pair this book with?

This book would go really well with fresh corn on the cob slathered with local honey.

Interested in reading Bone Gap for yourself? Check it out from the Durham Tech Library.