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Mr. Robert's Bones
In a mid-city neighborhood full of quirky characters, three kids’ quest for hidden silver in an abandoned house pits them against long-forgotten ghosts with their own agenda and the house’s dark memories of racism, loss, and betrayal. The quest for the silver is especially nerve-racking for Annie, the kid who actually sees the ghosts, both of her deceased mother and of the bygone denizens of the house. Her friends want to believe her but can’t, and she herself is torn between running away from it all and following the ghosts into the house’s dark history. Written by a Ph.D. holder in English Literature, Mr. Robert’s Bones is richly layered beginning to end in meanings and literary qualities that fuse into the compelling flow of the plot.
153 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 3, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
May 11, 2015
Mr Robert’s Bones is set in New Orleans in the days and weeks before the arrival of Hurricane Katrina. It succeeds very well in conjuring up the setting and atmosphere of this fascinating city at that moment in time (I visited New Orleans myself just weeks before Katrina hit, and I loved the evocative descriptions of the city.)
It’s a tale of buried treasure, ghosts, villains and skulduggery. It’s also a story of racism and injustice, and how the past casts its shadow over the present.
The three central characters are children – two white sisters and one black boy – and for that reason, as well as the setting and the theme of racism, it very much reminded me of To Kill a Mocking Bird. Both books employ a similar whimsical approach to their storytelling.
The prose skims lightly across the story, brushing against it, and sometimes pulling away to view the characters from afar.
At first I wasn't sure what to make of this book, but after a few chapters I realised that it was a humorous and often charming story. For example, the main villain is a Mr Tyler Rex, or T. Rex to those who know him well. There are many poignant moments too, especially involving the interactions of the three children with each other and with their parents.
The book is a novella of around 150 pages, and it would perhaps have been nice if it could have been developed into a full length novel, or at least a longer work, perhaps by elaborating on the past events that are described in the book, and giving some of the characters a little more rounding out.
In the end I decided to rate the book at 4 stars, because although it’s a very enjoyable read, I found the prose sometimes a little too florid for my taste, and also there are occasional sudden changes of tense that I found disconcerting. Perhaps most readers wouldn't be bothered by this, and I would thoroughly recommend giving it a try.
I would definitely read more by this author.
It’s a tale of buried treasure, ghosts, villains and skulduggery. It’s also a story of racism and injustice, and how the past casts its shadow over the present.
The three central characters are children – two white sisters and one black boy – and for that reason, as well as the setting and the theme of racism, it very much reminded me of To Kill a Mocking Bird. Both books employ a similar whimsical approach to their storytelling.
The prose skims lightly across the story, brushing against it, and sometimes pulling away to view the characters from afar.
At first I wasn't sure what to make of this book, but after a few chapters I realised that it was a humorous and often charming story. For example, the main villain is a Mr Tyler Rex, or T. Rex to those who know him well. There are many poignant moments too, especially involving the interactions of the three children with each other and with their parents.
The book is a novella of around 150 pages, and it would perhaps have been nice if it could have been developed into a full length novel, or at least a longer work, perhaps by elaborating on the past events that are described in the book, and giving some of the characters a little more rounding out.
In the end I decided to rate the book at 4 stars, because although it’s a very enjoyable read, I found the prose sometimes a little too florid for my taste, and also there are occasional sudden changes of tense that I found disconcerting. Perhaps most readers wouldn't be bothered by this, and I would thoroughly recommend giving it a try.
I would definitely read more by this author.
October 30, 2024
I have now had the pleasure of reading seven books by Gary Gautier - four novels, one novella, and two of poetry - and Mr. Robert's Bones might just be my favorite.
From the get-go, I was a sucker for this enjoyable coming-of-age story featuring 12-year-old Melissa, her 10-year-old sister Annie, and their new friend and neighbor, 11-year-old Cedric. There is a treasure hunt afoot for the young trio in the always-mysterious Deep South of New Orleans, replete with a haunted house, restless spirits, conniving foes, and the righting of an old wrong; and the children's personalities, along with those of all of the good and evil supporting characters contained herein, are richly drawn and given voices resonating with earthiness and truth. Gary Gautier is particularly strong in this regard, in his creation of purposeful dialogue filled with every vagary of thought and emotion.
Also on display in Mr. Robert's Bones is the author's great love for his hometown which, at least for me, serves as an invitation and makes me want to visit posthaste. As witness, here's the opening of Chapter 15: "If you walk up the levee to the Café du Monde in the French Quarter of New Orleans and turn your back to the river, you will see the most European of American scenes. Cascading down in front of you are wide steps leading to street performers. Across Decatur Street is the lush grassy expanse of Jackson Square, with squat banana trees bursting green, and pink, powder-puff azaleas, with the statue of the mounted general himself rearing up in the center, and with painters and horse-drawn carriages setup around the perimeter."
I very much enjoyed Mr. Robert's Bones, and I look forward to reading the author's latest creation, a new book of poetry, The Day We Met in Earthly Time.
From the get-go, I was a sucker for this enjoyable coming-of-age story featuring 12-year-old Melissa, her 10-year-old sister Annie, and their new friend and neighbor, 11-year-old Cedric. There is a treasure hunt afoot for the young trio in the always-mysterious Deep South of New Orleans, replete with a haunted house, restless spirits, conniving foes, and the righting of an old wrong; and the children's personalities, along with those of all of the good and evil supporting characters contained herein, are richly drawn and given voices resonating with earthiness and truth. Gary Gautier is particularly strong in this regard, in his creation of purposeful dialogue filled with every vagary of thought and emotion.
Also on display in Mr. Robert's Bones is the author's great love for his hometown which, at least for me, serves as an invitation and makes me want to visit posthaste. As witness, here's the opening of Chapter 15: "If you walk up the levee to the Café du Monde in the French Quarter of New Orleans and turn your back to the river, you will see the most European of American scenes. Cascading down in front of you are wide steps leading to street performers. Across Decatur Street is the lush grassy expanse of Jackson Square, with squat banana trees bursting green, and pink, powder-puff azaleas, with the statue of the mounted general himself rearing up in the center, and with painters and horse-drawn carriages setup around the perimeter."
I very much enjoyed Mr. Robert's Bones, and I look forward to reading the author's latest creation, a new book of poetry, The Day We Met in Earthly Time.
January 25, 2023
A Book to Savor
Ever been in New Orleans in the summer? If so, you'll feel it drip off every page of this story. If not, you'll feel like you have because of the exquisite prose that saturates your senses. Don't pass this one by because the synopsis makes it sound like young adult fiction. You will miss out on a real gem, filled with literary and historical references that only adult readers can appreciate. This is a multi-layered tale, quickly read but long remembered.
Ever been in New Orleans in the summer? If so, you'll feel it drip off every page of this story. If not, you'll feel like you have because of the exquisite prose that saturates your senses. Don't pass this one by because the synopsis makes it sound like young adult fiction. You will miss out on a real gem, filled with literary and historical references that only adult readers can appreciate. This is a multi-layered tale, quickly read but long remembered.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews