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Bone by Bone
How far would you go to protect your child? When her daughter is bullied, Laura makes a terrible mistake...
Laura loves her daughter more than anything in the world.
But her nine-year-old daughter Autumn is being bullied. Laura feels helpless.
When Autumn fails to return home from school one day, Laura goes looking for her. She finds a crowd of older children taunting her little girl.
In the heat of the moment, Laura makes a terrible choice. A choice that will have devastating consequences for her and her daughter...
Laura loves her daughter more than anything in the world.
But her nine-year-old daughter Autumn is being bullied. Laura feels helpless.
When Autumn fails to return home from school one day, Laura goes looking for her. She finds a crowd of older children taunting her little girl.
In the heat of the moment, Laura makes a terrible choice. A choice that will have devastating consequences for her and her daughter...
336 pages, Paperback
First published March 3, 2016
73 people are currently reading
2462 people want to read
About the author
Sanjida Kay
8 books115 followersSanjida Kay is the author of psychological thrillers, 'One Year Later', 'My Mother's Secret', 'The Stolen Child' and 'Bone by Bone', which was longlisted for a CWA Steel Dagger. She's an Amazon rising star, and is published by Corvus Books. She has two short thrillers published in anthologies - 'The Beautiful Game', in 'The Perfect Crime' (which won a CWA Short Story Dagger), edited by Vaseem Khan and Maxim Jakubowski, published by Harper Collins, and 'The Divide' in 'The Book of Bristol' edited by Heather Marks and Joe Melia, published by Comma Press. Sanjida lives in Somerset with her husband and her daughter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 168 reviews
March 13, 2016
“One's dignity may be assaulted, vandalized and cruelly mocked, but it can never be taken away unless it is surrendered.”
----Michael J. Fox
Sanjida Kay, a British author, pens her debut psychological thriller, Bone by Bone that unfolds the story of a recently divorced mother and her nine year old daughter, who recently moved to Bristol and started their life there. What they never expected that a childish innocent bullying would become something so life-threatening and the neighbors and rest of the townsfolk would turn against this mother-daughter duo.
Synopsis:
How far would you go to protect your child? When her daughter is bullied, Laura makes a terrible mistake...
Laura loves her daughter more than anything in the world.
But nine-year-old daughter Autumn is being bullied. Laura feels helpless.
When Autumn fails to return home from school one day, Laura goes looking for her. She finds a crowd of older children taunting her little girl.
In the heat of the moment, Laura makes a terrible choice. A choice that will have devastating consequences for her and her daughter.
Laura and Autumn has just moved to Bristol after the divorce. Autumn is admitted to the local public school, where she became the subject to bullying by older year boys about her looks, hair, her paintings and everything. Hearing her daughter's trauma, Laura took a step to bring up this matter to Autumn's class-teacher's notice. Unfortunately luck never played out on Autumn and Laura's favor as the teacher paid no heed to the complaints. And when one fine day, Autumn fails to return home from school, Laura gets paranoid and went outside to look for her, that is when she spotted a group of boys who have cornered her daughter and was taunting her. At the heat of the moment and as anger engulfed her, Laura took a terrible step to protect her daughter which finally left them even more terrorized and haunted till it came to the point which became life-threatening.
I've always been a big fan of those kind of stories that will connect me with the story line as well as with the characters so deeply that ultimately, I'm washed over by an overwhelming feeling of pain and sympathy towards the characters. And this book falls into this category. The story is so addictive that I finished reading the book within few hours. The book is captivating and arresting from the first page to the last page that reveals an unusual kind of climax, which is justifiable. And not to mention that beautiful yet mystifying book cover.
The author's writing style is eloquent yet the tone is dark. The author has filled the atmosphere and the mood of the story line with suspense. While reading, I had this constant feeling at the back of my mind that something terrible is bound to happen as day by day the bullying got worse with Autumn. And the air became more tensed when Laura tried to protect her daughter by taking step against bullying rather unexpectedly. The pacing of the book is super-fast as the book is thoroughly absorbing. The narrative is extremely engaging that kept me glued to the book till the very last page.
The characters are very real and are well developed, highlighted with their flaws. Laura and Autumn both are the epitome of those unspoken victims of bullying. Laura is a caring mother but her on mistake made it living hell for her daughter. Autumn is meek and keeps things to herself. All through out the book, I felt simply sorry for this little girl who was bullied so much by her peers, and I almost stopped reading the book when the whole world turned against Autumn. Mainly, the characters held that psychological grip on my mind that I could not let go off even after the end of this book. The negative characters are so good and convincing with their evil and sneering demeanor, that I actually wanted to find them in real and kill them by myself.
The author has handled and depicted the situation of bullying with sensitivity and realism. The stark reality of bullying in our society has been captured vividly by the author and bullying not only terrorizes a victim's life but it also ruins the victim's family and that the author has underlined with bold letters in her story line.
Overall, I was left paralyzed and equally enthralled with this riveting and dark psychological thriller.
Verdict: A must read for all genre readers! The author screams "Stop Bullying" silently with her debut page-turner.
Courtesy: Thanks to the author, Sanjida Kay, for giving me an opportunity to read and review this book.
----Michael J. Fox
Sanjida Kay, a British author, pens her debut psychological thriller, Bone by Bone that unfolds the story of a recently divorced mother and her nine year old daughter, who recently moved to Bristol and started their life there. What they never expected that a childish innocent bullying would become something so life-threatening and the neighbors and rest of the townsfolk would turn against this mother-daughter duo.
Synopsis:
How far would you go to protect your child? When her daughter is bullied, Laura makes a terrible mistake...
Laura loves her daughter more than anything in the world.
But nine-year-old daughter Autumn is being bullied. Laura feels helpless.
When Autumn fails to return home from school one day, Laura goes looking for her. She finds a crowd of older children taunting her little girl.
In the heat of the moment, Laura makes a terrible choice. A choice that will have devastating consequences for her and her daughter.
Laura and Autumn has just moved to Bristol after the divorce. Autumn is admitted to the local public school, where she became the subject to bullying by older year boys about her looks, hair, her paintings and everything. Hearing her daughter's trauma, Laura took a step to bring up this matter to Autumn's class-teacher's notice. Unfortunately luck never played out on Autumn and Laura's favor as the teacher paid no heed to the complaints. And when one fine day, Autumn fails to return home from school, Laura gets paranoid and went outside to look for her, that is when she spotted a group of boys who have cornered her daughter and was taunting her. At the heat of the moment and as anger engulfed her, Laura took a terrible step to protect her daughter which finally left them even more terrorized and haunted till it came to the point which became life-threatening.
I've always been a big fan of those kind of stories that will connect me with the story line as well as with the characters so deeply that ultimately, I'm washed over by an overwhelming feeling of pain and sympathy towards the characters. And this book falls into this category. The story is so addictive that I finished reading the book within few hours. The book is captivating and arresting from the first page to the last page that reveals an unusual kind of climax, which is justifiable. And not to mention that beautiful yet mystifying book cover.
The author's writing style is eloquent yet the tone is dark. The author has filled the atmosphere and the mood of the story line with suspense. While reading, I had this constant feeling at the back of my mind that something terrible is bound to happen as day by day the bullying got worse with Autumn. And the air became more tensed when Laura tried to protect her daughter by taking step against bullying rather unexpectedly. The pacing of the book is super-fast as the book is thoroughly absorbing. The narrative is extremely engaging that kept me glued to the book till the very last page.
The characters are very real and are well developed, highlighted with their flaws. Laura and Autumn both are the epitome of those unspoken victims of bullying. Laura is a caring mother but her on mistake made it living hell for her daughter. Autumn is meek and keeps things to herself. All through out the book, I felt simply sorry for this little girl who was bullied so much by her peers, and I almost stopped reading the book when the whole world turned against Autumn. Mainly, the characters held that psychological grip on my mind that I could not let go off even after the end of this book. The negative characters are so good and convincing with their evil and sneering demeanor, that I actually wanted to find them in real and kill them by myself.
The author has handled and depicted the situation of bullying with sensitivity and realism. The stark reality of bullying in our society has been captured vividly by the author and bullying not only terrorizes a victim's life but it also ruins the victim's family and that the author has underlined with bold letters in her story line.
Overall, I was left paralyzed and equally enthralled with this riveting and dark psychological thriller.
Verdict: A must read for all genre readers! The author screams "Stop Bullying" silently with her debut page-turner.
Courtesy: Thanks to the author, Sanjida Kay, for giving me an opportunity to read and review this book.
April 23, 2016
A hard book to read for me as it deals with a sensitive topic of bullying i connected with this book from the very first page as i had been bullied in highschool it was a long 4 years for me but it made me a stronger person.
Sanjiba Kay wrote a very convincing plot & the characters were believable due to the subject matter i would put it up there as one of the best written novels of 2016.
The story starts as Laura is looking for her 9 year old daughter Autumn & is horrified to find her in some grass hurt & crying when she asks her daughter what happened she tells her that Levi was teasing her putting slugs in her desk at school also ripping up her pictures that she drew Autumn loved to draw.
So Laura goes to Ashley Grove Junior high to talk to her teacher she tells her what Autumn said & the teacher dismisses it straight away saying she is lying, when she returns home Laura hires an IT consultant to look over her computer as she is having problems with it so Aaron Jablonski turns up to fix it everything turns out fine until Laura finds out the Aaron Jablonski is Levi's father .
What Laura has done to Levi is unforgivable she was so angry she pushed Levi over he hit his head & fell on a rock & cut open his cheek she thought she had killed him but turns out later he was fine, but Aaron decides to press charges.
All of Laura's photos of autumn 's photos goes missing off Laura's computer Autumn's bike gets vandalised & her house gets painted with the saying BONE BY BONE, what she finds after all this is that Levi has been mistreated but by whom?? she feels sorry for him.
The ending finished how i thought it would it just goes to show how far parents would go to protect their children a high powered thriller with emotional story telling told through Laura & Autumn.
Everyone should read this it makes you think about what children go through each day bullying is out there but people have to stand up & stop it.
Sanjiba Kay wrote a very convincing plot & the characters were believable due to the subject matter i would put it up there as one of the best written novels of 2016.
The story starts as Laura is looking for her 9 year old daughter Autumn & is horrified to find her in some grass hurt & crying when she asks her daughter what happened she tells her that Levi was teasing her putting slugs in her desk at school also ripping up her pictures that she drew Autumn loved to draw.
So Laura goes to Ashley Grove Junior high to talk to her teacher she tells her what Autumn said & the teacher dismisses it straight away saying she is lying, when she returns home Laura hires an IT consultant to look over her computer as she is having problems with it so Aaron Jablonski turns up to fix it everything turns out fine until Laura finds out the Aaron Jablonski is Levi's father .
What Laura has done to Levi is unforgivable she was so angry she pushed Levi over he hit his head & fell on a rock & cut open his cheek she thought she had killed him but turns out later he was fine, but Aaron decides to press charges.
All of Laura's photos of autumn 's photos goes missing off Laura's computer Autumn's bike gets vandalised & her house gets painted with the saying BONE BY BONE, what she finds after all this is that Levi has been mistreated but by whom?? she feels sorry for him.
The ending finished how i thought it would it just goes to show how far parents would go to protect their children a high powered thriller with emotional story telling told through Laura & Autumn.
Everyone should read this it makes you think about what children go through each day bullying is out there but people have to stand up & stop it.
January 25, 2016
Bone By Bone is both a top psychological thriller and an emotional and hard hitting look at the insidious nature of bullying - it is a bit of a page turner I read 3/4 of this in one sitting and it is scary and realistic - the realism making it more scary than if it were complete fantasy or even read as being slightly unlikely.
Autumn is being bullied at school, her mother tries to put a stop to it and ends up making it worse after one definitive and far reaching decision made in the spur of the moment.
The nature of this novel, in that it shows the slow downward spiral of a mother and daughter whom the system lets down, is extremely topical and very haunting. As they struggle to deal with knock after knock, you will be absolutely glued to the pages, in disbelief and horror at how quickly one seemingly small incident can escalate into a targeted campaign of fear. The actions of the school, of the bully, of his Dad, of the other parents, all cleverly interwoven into the underlying sense of unease will really hit home and Sanjida Kay has a keen eye for the small details that really matter when it comes to telling a story.
One of the things I thought was particularly intriguing about Bone By Bone was the way it looked at many facets, the ending may be unexpected but feels absolutely right and whilst bullying is, by its very nature, a most horrific thing, there are often multiple layers at play and this novel speaks to that very well.
Excellent. Highly Recommended.
Happy Reading Folks!
Autumn is being bullied at school, her mother tries to put a stop to it and ends up making it worse after one definitive and far reaching decision made in the spur of the moment.
The nature of this novel, in that it shows the slow downward spiral of a mother and daughter whom the system lets down, is extremely topical and very haunting. As they struggle to deal with knock after knock, you will be absolutely glued to the pages, in disbelief and horror at how quickly one seemingly small incident can escalate into a targeted campaign of fear. The actions of the school, of the bully, of his Dad, of the other parents, all cleverly interwoven into the underlying sense of unease will really hit home and Sanjida Kay has a keen eye for the small details that really matter when it comes to telling a story.
One of the things I thought was particularly intriguing about Bone By Bone was the way it looked at many facets, the ending may be unexpected but feels absolutely right and whilst bullying is, by its very nature, a most horrific thing, there are often multiple layers at play and this novel speaks to that very well.
Excellent. Highly Recommended.
Happy Reading Folks!
March 29, 2016
Some moments of such intense tension I didnt want to turn the page. Great debut.
My View:
There are moments in this book that evoke so much tension, so much apprehension for the possibility of evilness to follow that I could hardly breathe! I had to take a break from this book.
First there is a well baited hook – the opening sentence begins: It wasn’t until the train went past that she saw the small body lying in the long grass by the side of the wood. From the very first sentence we are expecting the worst possible scenario. Then the element of bullying is added which plays a substantial role in the overall plot and forces the blood pressure up again and adds to the expectation of bad things to come. Further the reader is privileged to knowledge/behaviours/acts/suspicions (no spoilers here) that the protagonist doesn’t see at the time and the result – the tension is ratcheted up another notch.
Some fantastic writing to be found here.
A brilliant comment of bullying in society and a lesson here about bullying on social media and how violence often begets violence.
What would you do to protect your child?
My View:
There are moments in this book that evoke so much tension, so much apprehension for the possibility of evilness to follow that I could hardly breathe! I had to take a break from this book.
First there is a well baited hook – the opening sentence begins: It wasn’t until the train went past that she saw the small body lying in the long grass by the side of the wood. From the very first sentence we are expecting the worst possible scenario. Then the element of bullying is added which plays a substantial role in the overall plot and forces the blood pressure up again and adds to the expectation of bad things to come. Further the reader is privileged to knowledge/behaviours/acts/suspicions (no spoilers here) that the protagonist doesn’t see at the time and the result – the tension is ratcheted up another notch.
Some fantastic writing to be found here.
A brilliant comment of bullying in society and a lesson here about bullying on social media and how violence often begets violence.
What would you do to protect your child?
August 31, 2016
Bone by Bone is an exceptional debut psychological thriller which is extremely dark and disturbing. This book affected me very deeply and I have been trying to work out why. I think it's simply because the storyline was so plausible and as a mother I was able to relate to it. Dealing with being a single mum in a new city with no support network and finding out her 9 year old daughter is being bullied Laura tries to protect her child at any cost. A highly gripping and tense thriller which is going into my Top Ten Reads of 2016
Read
January 10, 2016A powerful and compelling story about the lengths a mother will go to to protect her child. What begins as a worrying situation quickly escalates into a nightmare as the result of a single bad decision. I found myself wondering what I would have done in that situation and the ending had me holding my breath.
March 4, 2016
Reviewed at www.snazzybooks.com
Bone by Bone| is Sanjida Kay’s debut novel, and combines a gripping psychological-thriller storyline packed full of emotion and those moments where you think to yourself, ‘What would I do in this situation’. If I’m honest, I have no idea- and it made for really interesting, riveting reading.
The story opens with a hugely impactful scene where Laura is desperately searching for her 9 year old daughter Autumn- and is horrified to find her body lying in some grass. After this powerful start, we then move back in time, to before the series of events that have lead to this situation, occurred and follow the build up of tension as it happens. We read chapters from both Laura and Autumn's point of view, which helps you understand exactly how the situation is affecting both mother and daughter. It's a dark and disturbing tale, and really brings home how bullying can escalate into something far more sinister.
I don’t want to give too much away about the story, but Sanjida Kay effectively manages to make you feel a bit shocked and disapproving at what Laura has done, whilst simultaneously (and for me, for the most part) feeling so sorry and worried for her and Autumn.
The writing is the perfect mix of being well written whilst also easy to read. Kay uses descriptive language to evoke the feelings and emotions that Laura must be feeling without overdoing it; the story moves quite quickly which kept me really intrigued. I read the whole book in 2 sittings and only, once finished, felt like I’d actually taken a proper breath! The tension really builds as you read on and I feel like Sanjida Kay has shown what a skilled and effective writer she really is, in creating such a fantastic debut novel.
I will definitely be reading any of her future releases I can get my hands on!
** Many thanks to the publisher for sending me a copy of this novel in return for an honest review **
Bone by Bone| is Sanjida Kay’s debut novel, and combines a gripping psychological-thriller storyline packed full of emotion and those moments where you think to yourself, ‘What would I do in this situation’. If I’m honest, I have no idea- and it made for really interesting, riveting reading.
The story opens with a hugely impactful scene where Laura is desperately searching for her 9 year old daughter Autumn- and is horrified to find her body lying in some grass. After this powerful start, we then move back in time, to before the series of events that have lead to this situation, occurred and follow the build up of tension as it happens. We read chapters from both Laura and Autumn's point of view, which helps you understand exactly how the situation is affecting both mother and daughter. It's a dark and disturbing tale, and really brings home how bullying can escalate into something far more sinister.
I don’t want to give too much away about the story, but Sanjida Kay effectively manages to make you feel a bit shocked and disapproving at what Laura has done, whilst simultaneously (and for me, for the most part) feeling so sorry and worried for her and Autumn.
The writing is the perfect mix of being well written whilst also easy to read. Kay uses descriptive language to evoke the feelings and emotions that Laura must be feeling without overdoing it; the story moves quite quickly which kept me really intrigued. I read the whole book in 2 sittings and only, once finished, felt like I’d actually taken a proper breath! The tension really builds as you read on and I feel like Sanjida Kay has shown what a skilled and effective writer she really is, in creating such a fantastic debut novel.
I will definitely be reading any of her future releases I can get my hands on!
** Many thanks to the publisher for sending me a copy of this novel in return for an honest review **
February 18, 2016
Brilliant psych thriller! Full review NOW LIVE on www.bibliophilebookclub.com
March 11, 2016
I read this in one sitting as couldn't wait to see what happened.
Laura has moved from London to Bristol, after her divorce from Matt, and lives with her beautiful nine year old daughter, Autumn. Her mum, Vanessa, is staying with them for a while until they settle in to their new home.
Laura discovers, quite by accident, that Autumn is being bullied physically and mentally by a ten year old boy, Levi, and his gang of friends. She makes a split second decision which has a detrimental impact on her life and which she regrets bitterly from the outset.
The bullying increases and, although Laura has spoken to the school etc, no one believes her and she has no support as she has no friends in the area and her mother leaves for a trip without her fully knowing what is going on.
Laura herself is also a target and, although she knows who is responsible, the Police take no action so she has to try and take matters into her own hands with the help of her friend, Jacob, who teaches her self defence.
The conclusion is very shocking and I was holding my breath and nearly screaming at the pages!
The book is told from the perspective of Laura and Amber, but I was really disturbed at the terrible bullying this poor child was having to endure and it disturbed me greatly.
I didn't particularly like Laura for some reason; I found her irritating. Jacob's actions annoyed me (no spoilers) and I found this perturbing.
All in all a good read. However, I do think this is worthy of 3.5 stars but I have marked up instead of down.
Laura has moved from London to Bristol, after her divorce from Matt, and lives with her beautiful nine year old daughter, Autumn. Her mum, Vanessa, is staying with them for a while until they settle in to their new home.
Laura discovers, quite by accident, that Autumn is being bullied physically and mentally by a ten year old boy, Levi, and his gang of friends. She makes a split second decision which has a detrimental impact on her life and which she regrets bitterly from the outset.
The bullying increases and, although Laura has spoken to the school etc, no one believes her and she has no support as she has no friends in the area and her mother leaves for a trip without her fully knowing what is going on.
Laura herself is also a target and, although she knows who is responsible, the Police take no action so she has to try and take matters into her own hands with the help of her friend, Jacob, who teaches her self defence.
The conclusion is very shocking and I was holding my breath and nearly screaming at the pages!
The book is told from the perspective of Laura and Amber, but I was really disturbed at the terrible bullying this poor child was having to endure and it disturbed me greatly.
I didn't particularly like Laura for some reason; I found her irritating. Jacob's actions annoyed me (no spoilers) and I found this perturbing.
All in all a good read. However, I do think this is worthy of 3.5 stars but I have marked up instead of down.
June 21, 2017
DNF at 30%
I was going to finish this book, but decided that I'd read enough, going by other reviews revealing major plot points/twists throughout the story, which I guessed. My time is too precious to waste on a poorly-paced book which gives me limited pleasure, so I'll bow out.
Summary: Laura Baron-Cohen (that surname is unfortunate!) is a single mother in her early-thirties with a nine-year-old daughter called Autumn. They've moved to Bristol due to Laura's divorce with her ex. Unfortunately, Autumn is finding it hard to settle into her new school because she's being bullied by an older boy Levi. One rain-soaked afternoon, Laura witnesses Levi and his cronies tormenting Autumn, so she decides to take action. Will she suffer the consequences of this incident? Will the bullying cease? Or has Laura bitten off more than she can chew?
First thing's first, before I bash it, this started off decent. There was a nice sense of mystery in the prologue and the writing promised a story with an effort at description, which a lot of thriller writers miss out on, instead relying on a lot of dialogue and choppy, short sentences. There a few good descriptions of the setting and Autumn's artwork, although many passages seemed overwritten and excessively detailed as to detract from the storyline as well as failing to provide adequate characterisation.
As I said, the writing style is fair, nothing outstanding, but it had a few good moments like the scene where Laura confronts Levi. That was a tense, exciting, high-stakes scene in which anything could have happened. What Laura did to him may have been irresponsible since she's the adult, but under the circumstances you understood why she did it. However, her actions afterwards were completely foolish - she sees that the boy is severely injured (his head hit a stone), but fails to call the police/emergency services. In that respect, she seemed very stupid. Admittedly, she didn't have a phone on her at that moment, but she could have asked on of his mates to call.
From that point, I thought it would continue to be exciting and tense, but I was disappointed. The author was too focussed on silly little things like describing the layout of her home, her gardening work etc. It didn't make for gripping reading.
Also, it was predictable in that I guessed who Levi's dad was the moment he was introduced which was at the beginning. He turns out to be the I.T. guy who Laura is introduced to by the school mums. She stupidly gives him access to her security details/passwords when he comes round to fix her WI-FI. Why on earth would someone be stupid enough to allow a complete stranger access to her details because she fancies him? Argh.
Some reviewers have pointed out that Autumn's narrative voice wasn't convincing. I'd have to disagree. They criticise Kay using vocabulary and phrases in the narrative which a 9 year old wouldn't have used, but it's fiction and wouldn't it be boring if she resorted to using dumbed down language? Kay conveys Autumn's sadness and isolation about her parent's divorce, moving to a new area, trying to make new friends and having to suffer from bullying in a realistic way.
I stopped because I was put off by the boring storyline. Perhaps it would have been better if it had been put under women's fiction instead: if this has been a story about a family trying to adjust to a new location and a mother and daughter going on a personal journey it might have worked. However, to classify this as a thriller/suspense book, was poor marketing and misleading to potential readers.
As such, I can't recommend this book for those looking for a thriller.
I'm tempted to finish it, because I have the "started-so-I'll-finish" mentality, but... nah. Maybe I'll add an edited passage later if I come back to it.
I was going to finish this book, but decided that I'd read enough, going by other reviews revealing major plot points/twists throughout the story, which I guessed. My time is too precious to waste on a poorly-paced book which gives me limited pleasure, so I'll bow out.
Summary: Laura Baron-Cohen (that surname is unfortunate!) is a single mother in her early-thirties with a nine-year-old daughter called Autumn. They've moved to Bristol due to Laura's divorce with her ex. Unfortunately, Autumn is finding it hard to settle into her new school because she's being bullied by an older boy Levi. One rain-soaked afternoon, Laura witnesses Levi and his cronies tormenting Autumn, so she decides to take action. Will she suffer the consequences of this incident? Will the bullying cease? Or has Laura bitten off more than she can chew?
First thing's first, before I bash it, this started off decent. There was a nice sense of mystery in the prologue and the writing promised a story with an effort at description, which a lot of thriller writers miss out on, instead relying on a lot of dialogue and choppy, short sentences. There a few good descriptions of the setting and Autumn's artwork, although many passages seemed overwritten and excessively detailed as to detract from the storyline as well as failing to provide adequate characterisation.
As I said, the writing style is fair, nothing outstanding, but it had a few good moments like the scene where Laura confronts Levi. That was a tense, exciting, high-stakes scene in which anything could have happened. What Laura did to him may have been irresponsible since she's the adult, but under the circumstances you understood why she did it. However, her actions afterwards were completely foolish - she sees that the boy is severely injured (his head hit a stone), but fails to call the police/emergency services. In that respect, she seemed very stupid. Admittedly, she didn't have a phone on her at that moment, but she could have asked on of his mates to call.
From that point, I thought it would continue to be exciting and tense, but I was disappointed. The author was too focussed on silly little things like describing the layout of her home, her gardening work etc. It didn't make for gripping reading.
Also, it was predictable in that I guessed who Levi's dad was the moment he was introduced which was at the beginning. He turns out to be the I.T. guy who Laura is introduced to by the school mums. She stupidly gives him access to her security details/passwords when he comes round to fix her WI-FI. Why on earth would someone be stupid enough to allow a complete stranger access to her details because she fancies him? Argh.
Some reviewers have pointed out that Autumn's narrative voice wasn't convincing. I'd have to disagree. They criticise Kay using vocabulary and phrases in the narrative which a 9 year old wouldn't have used, but it's fiction and wouldn't it be boring if she resorted to using dumbed down language? Kay conveys Autumn's sadness and isolation about her parent's divorce, moving to a new area, trying to make new friends and having to suffer from bullying in a realistic way.
I stopped because I was put off by the boring storyline. Perhaps it would have been better if it had been put under women's fiction instead: if this has been a story about a family trying to adjust to a new location and a mother and daughter going on a personal journey it might have worked. However, to classify this as a thriller/suspense book, was poor marketing and misleading to potential readers.
As such, I can't recommend this book for those looking for a thriller.
I'm tempted to finish it, because I have the "started-so-I'll-finish" mentality, but... nah. Maybe I'll add an edited passage later if I come back to it.
March 15, 2016
Sanjida Kay's Bone By Bone is one of the most powerfully written and compelling books that I've read in a long time. Billed as a psychological thriller, it certainly does thrill, it has a deep psychological pull, but it also delves deeply into the insidious and damaging world of the bully and the bullied.
Laura, newly divorced and struggling, has moved with her young daughter Autumn to a new area. Money is tight, their house is old and draughty, and quite often it's difficult to put a decent meal on the table. Laura dreams of starting her own business in garden design, but in the meantime she is struggling to hold down a very manual job, where her colleagues sneer at her because she's a woman, and are becoming increasingly frustrated when she starts work late and leave early to ensure that Autumn is collected from school.
At least Autumn is OK. She's quieter, she misses her Dad and her old friends, but she's bright and beginning to make new friends. But is she? When Laura learns that her little girl is being bullied, by an older boy, she is furious. When she comes across him, and a group of others, taunting Autumn, she does something that she lives to regret.
Sanjida Kay writes with authority, the depth of emotion, the impact of behaviours are so very real, there were times when even though I was absolutely transfixed by this story, and desperate to know what would happen next, I had to put it down and do something else for a while. The sense of increasing horror, and the anticipation of what may happen next is overwhelming at times.
Bone By Bone is a complex and chilling story that delivers in every sense. The short chapters, narrated in turns by Laura and Autumn are an excellent way to show different sides to one plot. Adults see things in different ways, and hearing Autumn's voice gives the story a depth that unsettles the reader even more.
The author creates an almost unbearable tension towards the end of the story, my heart was pounding right up until the very last sentence. This really is a page-turner, it will take your breath away.
http://randomthingsthroughmyletterbox...
Laura, newly divorced and struggling, has moved with her young daughter Autumn to a new area. Money is tight, their house is old and draughty, and quite often it's difficult to put a decent meal on the table. Laura dreams of starting her own business in garden design, but in the meantime she is struggling to hold down a very manual job, where her colleagues sneer at her because she's a woman, and are becoming increasingly frustrated when she starts work late and leave early to ensure that Autumn is collected from school.
At least Autumn is OK. She's quieter, she misses her Dad and her old friends, but she's bright and beginning to make new friends. But is she? When Laura learns that her little girl is being bullied, by an older boy, she is furious. When she comes across him, and a group of others, taunting Autumn, she does something that she lives to regret.
Sanjida Kay writes with authority, the depth of emotion, the impact of behaviours are so very real, there were times when even though I was absolutely transfixed by this story, and desperate to know what would happen next, I had to put it down and do something else for a while. The sense of increasing horror, and the anticipation of what may happen next is overwhelming at times.
Bone By Bone is a complex and chilling story that delivers in every sense. The short chapters, narrated in turns by Laura and Autumn are an excellent way to show different sides to one plot. Adults see things in different ways, and hearing Autumn's voice gives the story a depth that unsettles the reader even more.
The author creates an almost unbearable tension towards the end of the story, my heart was pounding right up until the very last sentence. This really is a page-turner, it will take your breath away.
http://randomthingsthroughmyletterbox...
February 25, 2016
Laura is a loving and involved mother, her daughter Autumn is being bullied by an child in the year above her at school.
Sanjida Kay's novel is intense and the reader gets the impression that all is not as it seems.
Autumn, at times, seems ungrateful and looks at her friends, their things, their mothers and their way of life with a kind of envy. The situation goes from bad to worse for them both and it soon becomes clear that Levi has problems of his own and although this is no excuse for the relentless 'cruelty' he inflicts on Autumn, we have to remember he too is young.
The realism of the topic in this read is evident, and will be quite emotive to those who have been victims of bullying. Autumn's teachers do not seem to help and the system really lets her and her mother down in a big way. With the inclusion of social media Autumn is subjected to the most harrowing of spite. It really brings home just how rotten children can be.
I felt that the ending should have been a lot different, it didn't go as I expected.
I found this a disturbing read, and could quite easily put myself in Laura's shoes. Just how she reacts is a testament for her love for her daughter.
Sanjida Kay's novel is intense and the reader gets the impression that all is not as it seems.
Autumn, at times, seems ungrateful and looks at her friends, their things, their mothers and their way of life with a kind of envy. The situation goes from bad to worse for them both and it soon becomes clear that Levi has problems of his own and although this is no excuse for the relentless 'cruelty' he inflicts on Autumn, we have to remember he too is young.
The realism of the topic in this read is evident, and will be quite emotive to those who have been victims of bullying. Autumn's teachers do not seem to help and the system really lets her and her mother down in a big way. With the inclusion of social media Autumn is subjected to the most harrowing of spite. It really brings home just how rotten children can be.
I felt that the ending should have been a lot different, it didn't go as I expected.
I found this a disturbing read, and could quite easily put myself in Laura's shoes. Just how she reacts is a testament for her love for her daughter.
February 3, 2019
Bullying is one of these issues most people have to deal with at some point in life. But how would you react if it was your daughter being bullied?
This is exactly what happens with Laura and her daughter Autumn. Everything that can go wrong seems to do just that as she tries to soft the situation. I could feel real empathy for Laura. It’s so hard at times trying to protect your children and you can feel helpless.
Great read. Easy to read and really enjoyed the book
This is exactly what happens with Laura and her daughter Autumn. Everything that can go wrong seems to do just that as she tries to soft the situation. I could feel real empathy for Laura. It’s so hard at times trying to protect your children and you can feel helpless.
Great read. Easy to read and really enjoyed the book
August 7, 2016
Bone by Bone is Sanjida Kay’s debut novel, I found it to be one of the most compelling books I have read in a long time, but also the most disturbing. Laura recently separated from her husband, moves to Bristol to start a new life with her nine year old daughter Autumn. It’s not long before Autumn becomes the target of bullies, as the bullying escalates Laura makes a terrible choice. A choice that will have devastating consequences for her and her daughter. As a parent whose son was relentlessly bullied for two years, I have been wanting to read this book for a while now, but at the same time I was concerned that it would bring back very painful memories, so I started reading Bone by Bone with a great deal of trepidation.
Unless you have been in a similar situation it’s difficult to imagine the nightmare parents go through and the emotions they feel, when trying to protect their child. The author manages to portray Laura’s feelings of helplessness with such accuracy it reminded me of the feelings both my husband and myself felt when our child was being bullied. To see your son go from an outgoing, happy and fun loving person into a shell of themselves is heartbreaking to say the least, the author manages to portray every feeling and emotion with such clarity I felt I was reading about myself! The frustration, heartbreak and anger that Laura felt were tangible throughout.
My heart broke for Autumn as the relentless bullying escalated and she struggled to cope emotionally, the author explores the subject of bullying with chilling realism which made for an uncomfortable read at times. It was interesting to see how far Laura would go to protect Autumn, as being in a similar situation we found ourself getting to the stage that we would have done anything to protect our son. Bone by Bone highlights how victims of bullying and their families are often failed by schools, the police and other services, making for a very credible and upsetting read.
Sanjida Kay brings Bone by Bone to a satisfying conclusion, which she does with sensitivity and a great deal of compassion. This is such an emotive book as it explores with chilling realism bullying and how helpless parents feel, it is written with such conviction and understanding it made me wonder if the author herself had faced similar problems. I found it difficult to believe that this was the authors debut novel, and I will certainly be pre-ordering her next book.
Unless you have been in a similar situation it’s difficult to imagine the nightmare parents go through and the emotions they feel, when trying to protect their child. The author manages to portray Laura’s feelings of helplessness with such accuracy it reminded me of the feelings both my husband and myself felt when our child was being bullied. To see your son go from an outgoing, happy and fun loving person into a shell of themselves is heartbreaking to say the least, the author manages to portray every feeling and emotion with such clarity I felt I was reading about myself! The frustration, heartbreak and anger that Laura felt were tangible throughout.
My heart broke for Autumn as the relentless bullying escalated and she struggled to cope emotionally, the author explores the subject of bullying with chilling realism which made for an uncomfortable read at times. It was interesting to see how far Laura would go to protect Autumn, as being in a similar situation we found ourself getting to the stage that we would have done anything to protect our son. Bone by Bone highlights how victims of bullying and their families are often failed by schools, the police and other services, making for a very credible and upsetting read.
Sanjida Kay brings Bone by Bone to a satisfying conclusion, which she does with sensitivity and a great deal of compassion. This is such an emotive book as it explores with chilling realism bullying and how helpless parents feel, it is written with such conviction and understanding it made me wonder if the author herself had faced similar problems. I found it difficult to believe that this was the authors debut novel, and I will certainly be pre-ordering her next book.
March 27, 2016
I so looked forward to this that as soon as I'd bought it it was easily next in my to-read pile but sadly I've jacked it in at 42%. Laura, Autumn's mother just got on my nerves. I thought she was totally thoughtless and never paid heed to her daughter's misery. Misery caused by HER and her husband getting divorced and then dragging her off to a whole new place then not really doing THAT much about her being bullied. I couldn't take it too seriously when we learnt her surname is Baron-Cohen too......not a great choice, I thought.
I despaired at her too giving a perfect stranger (whether he's an IT specialist or not) all her codes and passwords on the first night she ever encounters him !!
She's another author who chose to go with American spellings-finalized/realized/recognize/marine but then inexplicably used unsurprisingly properly !!
She mentioned balloons a lot which I found strange-I've never lived anywhere in the UK where you see balloons randomly flying past and she wrote like we did. Maybe it's common Bristol-way ?
She wrote half as first person by Laura then Autumn's chapters aren't and I found that hard to get along with as well.
I gave in when Laura was bemoaning Autumn's "passive-aggressiveness"......really ? Just an unhappy 9 year old, I thought.
I despaired at her too giving a perfect stranger (whether he's an IT specialist or not) all her codes and passwords on the first night she ever encounters him !!
She's another author who chose to go with American spellings-finalized/realized/recognize/marine but then inexplicably used unsurprisingly properly !!
She mentioned balloons a lot which I found strange-I've never lived anywhere in the UK where you see balloons randomly flying past and she wrote like we did. Maybe it's common Bristol-way ?
She wrote half as first person by Laura then Autumn's chapters aren't and I found that hard to get along with as well.
I gave in when Laura was bemoaning Autumn's "passive-aggressiveness"......really ? Just an unhappy 9 year old, I thought.
February 29, 2016
It is a long time since I read a full book in one day but this novel was impossible to put down for long. I think the reason was due to the subject matter, bullying.
It is told by both mother and daughters point of view. Autumn was trying her hardest to keep things from Laura but was understandably struggling. She didn't agree with the way that Laura was dealing with it, feeling that it made it worse for her. Laura knew that she had made a big mistake but guilt and fear made it difficult for her to ask anybody close to her for help.,Levi did have his problems, these became more evident towards the end but it wasn't just him doing the bullying. Other children and their parents were just as cruel. Laura was also being bullied although in a different way to Autumn. Her bully was ensuring that she would be isolated and helpless in every way.
I found it at times to be really intimidating. Laura and Autumn shouldn't have had to go through what they did, but sadly it happens and the author has done a fantastic job of highlighting the situation that some families must be going through.
With thanks to the Corvus for the copy received.
October 23, 2018
Two stars because Laura might be the stupidest character I've ever read.
Laura is having problems with her laptop. She asks a freelance IT bloke to sort it. She gives him all her passwords, and he tells her he's put a remote access function on it so he can monitor and work on her laptop from his house. Then she gives him the access code to the locked back gate.
Then, when events happen and her actions anger him, things go wrong. The garden is vandalised. Her utilities are cut off, bank account passwords are changed, files are deleted from her hard drive, her laptop sends out malware to her email contacts
Does Laura disconnect the laptop from the internet? Does she change the access code to the back gate? Does she take her laptop to an IT shop and get them to undo all the stuff he did to it? No, she does not. She carries on allowing him to rifle through her laptop, house and life, and she doesn't think to do anything except go to the police
She's an idiot.
Laura is having problems with her laptop. She asks a freelance IT bloke to sort it. She gives him all her passwords, and he tells her he's put a remote access function on it so he can monitor and work on her laptop from his house. Then she gives him the access code to the locked back gate.
Then, when events happen and her actions anger him, things go wrong. The garden is vandalised. Her utilities are cut off, bank account passwords are changed, files are deleted from her hard drive, her laptop sends out malware to her email contacts
Does Laura disconnect the laptop from the internet? Does she change the access code to the back gate? Does she take her laptop to an IT shop and get them to undo all the stuff he did to it? No, she does not. She carries on allowing him to rifle through her laptop, house and life, and she doesn't think to do anything except go to the police
She's an idiot.
November 20, 2017
Taut and thrilling, emotional and tense. A brilliant story.
May 29, 2018
Bone by Bone is Sanjida Kay's first psychological thriller. I can see that I am going be a great fan following all future novels by Sanjida kay. I can honestly say to fans that like reading thrillers, this is a thriller that you won't want to miss in 2016. How far would you go to protect your child? Laura's marriage to Matt had broken down she moved away from London to Bristol. Ashley Grove Junior school had excellent Ofsted grades, the teachers seemed nice and she could walk her nine-year-old daughter Autumn. But things for Autumn don't turn out well, she is being bullied by an older boy in the final year of primary school. Autumn's teacher doesn't seem to be interested or believe that an older boy is bullying Autumn. Laura finds the older boy and his friends taunting Autumn. Full of anger and the heat of the moment she takes the matter into her own hands and pushes the boy. This is a terrible mistake that will have devastating consequences for Laura and Autumn. The ending is a great chilling twist that had me holding my breath. Bone by Bone is a brilliant page turner, most certainly a must buy must read.
March 3, 2016
I was absolutely addicted to this book and subsequently read in in less than two days. It tells the story of a single mum Laura and her young daughter Autumn, who have just moved from London to Bristol.
Autumn is settling academically into her new primary school really well but socially is a different matter altogether. Having discovered that her daughter is being bullied by an older boy named Levi, Laura attempts to put a stop to it but only makes things worse for Autumn. Laura is then faced with this traumatic situation and her natural maternal instinct to protect her child kicks in. Not only has Laura to shield her much loved daughter on her own, she also has the school, police, social services and most disturbing of all, Aaron Levi’s father to contend with.
Being a Mum myself I found some of the book quite harrowing but fully understand where Laura is coming from as all you want is for your children to be happy when at school.
I devoured ‘Bone By Bone’ and will certainly look out for future books by this author.
5 STAR rating from me.
Autumn is settling academically into her new primary school really well but socially is a different matter altogether. Having discovered that her daughter is being bullied by an older boy named Levi, Laura attempts to put a stop to it but only makes things worse for Autumn. Laura is then faced with this traumatic situation and her natural maternal instinct to protect her child kicks in. Not only has Laura to shield her much loved daughter on her own, she also has the school, police, social services and most disturbing of all, Aaron Levi’s father to contend with.
Being a Mum myself I found some of the book quite harrowing but fully understand where Laura is coming from as all you want is for your children to be happy when at school.
I devoured ‘Bone By Bone’ and will certainly look out for future books by this author.
5 STAR rating from me.
May 5, 2016
Autumn is the new girl in school and for some reason someone has taken a dislike to her. No act of bullying is good but the acts are ramped up as the story progresses and I was left wondering who was actually responsible. A reflection of how far things can be taken in this age of social media also.
I had the creeping dread reading this book and it made me feel anxious; I have a 10yr old daughter and reading Bone By Bone made me wonder what I would do in that situation. Saying all this I did really enjoy it. A book that evokes those kind of feelings shows how good it is written. I will definitely read more from this author
I had the creeping dread reading this book and it made me feel anxious; I have a 10yr old daughter and reading Bone By Bone made me wonder what I would do in that situation. Saying all this I did really enjoy it. A book that evokes those kind of feelings shows how good it is written. I will definitely read more from this author
January 1, 2017
This is a book about a stupid woman. An incredibly stupid woman. A woman who thinks someone working on her computer is working with "binary." Because yes, people access binary to configure someone's wireless access. What? This is a woman who does something dumb and then ignores everything around her (except the hot guy who knows 'binary'). A story of her daughter, who, in her chapters processes thoughts as though she is 35 years old.
I could not finish this. No, I chose not to finish this. No. 2016 had done enough, I could not let it make me read this.
I could not finish this. No, I chose not to finish this. No. 2016 had done enough, I could not let it make me read this.
Read
March 6, 2016Gave up at 40%. So bored.
February 6, 2017
Time taken to read - 3 days
Pages - 336
Publisher - Corvus
Blurb from Goodreads
How far would you go to protect your child? When her daughter is bullied, Laura makes a terrible mistake...
Laura loves her daughter more than anything in the world.
But her nine-year-old daughter Autumn is being bullied. Laura feels helpless.
When Autumn fails to return home from school one day, Laura goes looking for her. She finds a crowd of older children taunting her little girl.
In the heat of the moment, Laura makes a terrible choice. A choice that will have devastating consequences for her and her daughter...
My Review
Laura moved to a new area with her daughter Autumn, after the breakdown of her marriage she is trying to carve a life for herself with a new business. When nine year old Autumn finds herself at the hands of a bully and his friends Laura tries to help. Pushed to the limit and with Autumn suffering, Laura lashes out and soon learns that with all actions comes consequences and everyone is judging!
The story splits between Autumn and her mum Laura, we get the duo perspective from both characters experiencing the bullying, Laura as the observer and Autumn as the victim. As a parent you would do anything to protect your child but when your emotions are running high and your daughter is threatened, rationality goes out the window. The bullying was really hard to read because it was so real, the reader experiences it along with Autumn first hand and Laura feeling so helpless.
I really couldn't get on much with Laura, almost every decision or action she made infuriated me and had me questioning her. However I think this only enforces the realism of the situation to the reader as human behaviour can be so unpredicable. I really wanted to get to the end of this tale to see just how it would pan out, it certainly has unexpected turns and in parts will evoke many reactions from the reader however I didn't love it as many have. 3/5 for me this time, the author creates a dark world that pulls you in and shows just how vulnerable you can be as an individual and how you are judged on your actions.
Pages - 336
Publisher - Corvus
Blurb from Goodreads
How far would you go to protect your child? When her daughter is bullied, Laura makes a terrible mistake...
Laura loves her daughter more than anything in the world.
But her nine-year-old daughter Autumn is being bullied. Laura feels helpless.
When Autumn fails to return home from school one day, Laura goes looking for her. She finds a crowd of older children taunting her little girl.
In the heat of the moment, Laura makes a terrible choice. A choice that will have devastating consequences for her and her daughter...
My Review
Laura moved to a new area with her daughter Autumn, after the breakdown of her marriage she is trying to carve a life for herself with a new business. When nine year old Autumn finds herself at the hands of a bully and his friends Laura tries to help. Pushed to the limit and with Autumn suffering, Laura lashes out and soon learns that with all actions comes consequences and everyone is judging!
The story splits between Autumn and her mum Laura, we get the duo perspective from both characters experiencing the bullying, Laura as the observer and Autumn as the victim. As a parent you would do anything to protect your child but when your emotions are running high and your daughter is threatened, rationality goes out the window. The bullying was really hard to read because it was so real, the reader experiences it along with Autumn first hand and Laura feeling so helpless.
I really couldn't get on much with Laura, almost every decision or action she made infuriated me and had me questioning her. However I think this only enforces the realism of the situation to the reader as human behaviour can be so unpredicable. I really wanted to get to the end of this tale to see just how it would pan out, it certainly has unexpected turns and in parts will evoke many reactions from the reader however I didn't love it as many have. 3/5 for me this time, the author creates a dark world that pulls you in and shows just how vulnerable you can be as an individual and how you are judged on your actions.
June 23, 2022
My first book by this author and i must say i enjoyed it. What do i even say about this book?? One for most of the book i was angry, I HATE bullies, what this poor little girl endured was unbelievable. Her mother loved her yes no doubt, but there were times when i thought why didn't she report this incident or say something about that to the police. And why wasn't the father notified about his daughter and be there for them. Well anyways it was a good read the end was a little disappointing i wanted a little more revenge. lol.
March 3, 2016
A sign of a good thriller is normally the opening paragraph that will grab the reader attentions and with Sanjida Kay’s debut thriller Bone by Bone this achieves that. ‘It wasn't until the train went past that she saw the small body lying in the long grass by the side of the wood’. Frome this moment you are caught up in a gripping story that will not let you go until the very last moment of the book.
What we are presented with is a story of Laura and her daughter Autumn. As you start reading you get to understand that Autumn is having problems at School and a classic case of bullying. Like any mother Laura has been worried about her daughter fitting in at her new School, how is she coping and is she mixing with the other kids. Pretty quickly it becomes clear that Autumn has been targeted by a boy who just will not give up.
The story as it unfolds is totally gripping and the sheer terror is palpable at every turn of the page. At one point Laura comes face to face with the boy and something goes very wrong. As much you feel for Laura and I showed great empathy with her at the moment and many will. Laura herself knows she has done wrong and now she is scared and worried and for good reason.
Like any mother she would do anything and everything to protect her daughter but how far would you go? Something that I think Bone by Bone will ask the reader. It is psychological in its approach because the reader is being pulled into the story and the sheer tension and anguish is there page by page.
Bullying as we know is not just in its physical sense but also the cyber bullying can also play a devastating role here and that is explored as well as friendships that get tested. At one point I was asking the book ‘just what are friends for’.
The one aspect of the book I really enjoyed was the alternating narrative between mother and daughter and you have then a real sense of first hand at the thoughts and just what poor Autumn was going through. I felt for her as no child should ever have to suffer bullying of any kind so it is so pleasing to be able to tell you that Sanjida Kay has decided to donate a percentage of the profits of Bone by Bone to the anti-bullying charity Kidscape
I must admit that Bone by Bone caught my attention during the autumn of last year and had to wait very patiently for a review copy to arrive and it sat on my desk just daring me to pick it up and start reading. I was hooked from the very start. This really is a tense twisting psychological thriller that creeps under your skin and stays there. Bone by Bone must be read with the lights switched on and ignore that knock on the door.
My thanks to both Sanjida Kay and the publishers Corvus for an Advanced Review Copy.
What we are presented with is a story of Laura and her daughter Autumn. As you start reading you get to understand that Autumn is having problems at School and a classic case of bullying. Like any mother Laura has been worried about her daughter fitting in at her new School, how is she coping and is she mixing with the other kids. Pretty quickly it becomes clear that Autumn has been targeted by a boy who just will not give up.
The story as it unfolds is totally gripping and the sheer terror is palpable at every turn of the page. At one point Laura comes face to face with the boy and something goes very wrong. As much you feel for Laura and I showed great empathy with her at the moment and many will. Laura herself knows she has done wrong and now she is scared and worried and for good reason.
Like any mother she would do anything and everything to protect her daughter but how far would you go? Something that I think Bone by Bone will ask the reader. It is psychological in its approach because the reader is being pulled into the story and the sheer tension and anguish is there page by page.
Bullying as we know is not just in its physical sense but also the cyber bullying can also play a devastating role here and that is explored as well as friendships that get tested. At one point I was asking the book ‘just what are friends for’.
The one aspect of the book I really enjoyed was the alternating narrative between mother and daughter and you have then a real sense of first hand at the thoughts and just what poor Autumn was going through. I felt for her as no child should ever have to suffer bullying of any kind so it is so pleasing to be able to tell you that Sanjida Kay has decided to donate a percentage of the profits of Bone by Bone to the anti-bullying charity Kidscape
I must admit that Bone by Bone caught my attention during the autumn of last year and had to wait very patiently for a review copy to arrive and it sat on my desk just daring me to pick it up and start reading. I was hooked from the very start. This really is a tense twisting psychological thriller that creeps under your skin and stays there. Bone by Bone must be read with the lights switched on and ignore that knock on the door.
My thanks to both Sanjida Kay and the publishers Corvus for an Advanced Review Copy.
April 28, 2016
It's great when you get a chance to meet an author, in part because it makes you more likely to buy a book you wouldn't otherwise. After a talk by Sanjida Kay (aka Sanjida O'Connell when writing non-fiction and historical fiction), I picked up a copy of her psychological thriller Bone by Bone - and I'm glad I did.
I think there's two reasons I wouldn't normally have bought this - partly because I prefer traditional crime fiction to thrillers, and partly because the publisher has come up with a cover that seemed to hint as it being women's fiction, a category that there is absolutely no reason to straight-jacket this book with.
The difficulty with this kind of story is that it's difficult to say too much without engaging in spoilers, but it features a single mother and her nine-year-old daughter. They have recently moved from London to Bristol, and the daughter begins to be bullied at school. As Laura, the mother, attempts to sort out the bullying she first makes things worse and then plunges herself and her daughter into a spiral of increasingly out-of-control situations.
It's very well written - an excellent balance of good description and taut writing, which pulls the reader on relentlessly. By doing away with numbered chapters and using relatively short sections, Kay strongly pushes the 'I'll just read a bit more' button, and I found that I got through it extremely quickly, particularly as the tension builds towards the end. The sections are either from the point of view of mother Laura or daughter Autumn. I'm usually find child POV writing a touch excruciating, but Kay does not overdo the childlike thinking, giving an inner narration that could be an adult's, but from a child's viewpoint, which mostly works well.
The only slight complaint I'd have is about the topping and tailing prologue and epilogue. I absolutely see the point of the flash forward in the prologue as a way to ratchet up the tension straight away, but the specific occurrence left me feeling a little cheated when we got to it in the 'real time' part of the book. And the epilogue feels a tad over-neat in the way it wraps things. But neither of these spoiled the book for me.
If you fancy a book that combines a page-turner of a story with a situation that anyone with children could identify with (even though reality would thankfully be unlikely to be so extreme), it's one to go for. The Bristol setting makes a pleasant change from other city locations and there's enough depth here to absorb more than caricature sketches of characters, without ever getting the feeling the author has forgotten the importance of plot.
I think there's two reasons I wouldn't normally have bought this - partly because I prefer traditional crime fiction to thrillers, and partly because the publisher has come up with a cover that seemed to hint as it being women's fiction, a category that there is absolutely no reason to straight-jacket this book with.
The difficulty with this kind of story is that it's difficult to say too much without engaging in spoilers, but it features a single mother and her nine-year-old daughter. They have recently moved from London to Bristol, and the daughter begins to be bullied at school. As Laura, the mother, attempts to sort out the bullying she first makes things worse and then plunges herself and her daughter into a spiral of increasingly out-of-control situations.
It's very well written - an excellent balance of good description and taut writing, which pulls the reader on relentlessly. By doing away with numbered chapters and using relatively short sections, Kay strongly pushes the 'I'll just read a bit more' button, and I found that I got through it extremely quickly, particularly as the tension builds towards the end. The sections are either from the point of view of mother Laura or daughter Autumn. I'm usually find child POV writing a touch excruciating, but Kay does not overdo the childlike thinking, giving an inner narration that could be an adult's, but from a child's viewpoint, which mostly works well.
The only slight complaint I'd have is about the topping and tailing prologue and epilogue. I absolutely see the point of the flash forward in the prologue as a way to ratchet up the tension straight away, but the specific occurrence left me feeling a little cheated when we got to it in the 'real time' part of the book. And the epilogue feels a tad over-neat in the way it wraps things. But neither of these spoiled the book for me.
If you fancy a book that combines a page-turner of a story with a situation that anyone with children could identify with (even though reality would thankfully be unlikely to be so extreme), it's one to go for. The Bristol setting makes a pleasant change from other city locations and there's enough depth here to absorb more than caricature sketches of characters, without ever getting the feeling the author has forgotten the importance of plot.
March 4, 2016
Bone by Bone by Sanjida Kay is a very intense and gripping read looks at the effects of bullying which will leave you questioning your every action and just how far you will go to protect your children.
Laura and her daughter Autumn have recently moved to Bristol after Laura’s divorce. Laura is getting on with trying to build a new life for herself and her daughter. Autumn however is struggling with her new school and has become the target of bullying from an older boy. When Laura finds herself face to face with her daughter’s bully she tries to help but in that split second decision something goes very wrong, something which Laura knows is wrong and something which will come back to haunt her and her daughter.
This book is written from both Laura and Autumn’s perspectives and what really struck was how different actions were perceived between mother and daughter. I was struck by how much Laura loves Autumn and how far she will go to make her happy. However, Laura’s somewhat irrational decisions don’t always work out in Autumn’s best interest as we can see from Autumn’s narrative. I found this dual narrative added to the intensity of the book as you can see Laura becomes lost with how to help her daughter and poor little Autumn begins to dread life outside the family home.
One thing this book highlights is just how disturbing and intrusive cyber bullying can be and how defenceless it can make us feel. I really felt for Laura as the bullying every aspect of her life and how helpless she is left, as she has no clue how to regain control, it really was quite scary to read.
I found Bone to Bone to be a disturbing but addictive read and perhaps one I wouldn’t read if I knew I was alone in the house. All the way through I found the intensity deepened and I couldn’t see how it was going to end and when I did I was shocked. I didn’t expect it to end how it did and am a little disappointed that everything was explained so simply. This doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy the book, I did very much, it’s probably one of the most intense books I’ve read and scary because it could all so easily happen to anyone.
For a debut novel I think Sanjida Kay has written a novel which explores the effects of bullying in an intense and disturbing way. It’s a novel which will make you question just how much you can trust someone and just far you’ll go to protect those you love.
Thank you so much to the publishers Corvus for the review copy in exchange for my honest opinions. I’d like to rate Bone by Bone by Sanjida Kay 4 out 5.
Laura and her daughter Autumn have recently moved to Bristol after Laura’s divorce. Laura is getting on with trying to build a new life for herself and her daughter. Autumn however is struggling with her new school and has become the target of bullying from an older boy. When Laura finds herself face to face with her daughter’s bully she tries to help but in that split second decision something goes very wrong, something which Laura knows is wrong and something which will come back to haunt her and her daughter.
This book is written from both Laura and Autumn’s perspectives and what really struck was how different actions were perceived between mother and daughter. I was struck by how much Laura loves Autumn and how far she will go to make her happy. However, Laura’s somewhat irrational decisions don’t always work out in Autumn’s best interest as we can see from Autumn’s narrative. I found this dual narrative added to the intensity of the book as you can see Laura becomes lost with how to help her daughter and poor little Autumn begins to dread life outside the family home.
One thing this book highlights is just how disturbing and intrusive cyber bullying can be and how defenceless it can make us feel. I really felt for Laura as the bullying every aspect of her life and how helpless she is left, as she has no clue how to regain control, it really was quite scary to read.
I found Bone to Bone to be a disturbing but addictive read and perhaps one I wouldn’t read if I knew I was alone in the house. All the way through I found the intensity deepened and I couldn’t see how it was going to end and when I did I was shocked. I didn’t expect it to end how it did and am a little disappointed that everything was explained so simply. This doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy the book, I did very much, it’s probably one of the most intense books I’ve read and scary because it could all so easily happen to anyone.
For a debut novel I think Sanjida Kay has written a novel which explores the effects of bullying in an intense and disturbing way. It’s a novel which will make you question just how much you can trust someone and just far you’ll go to protect those you love.
Thank you so much to the publishers Corvus for the review copy in exchange for my honest opinions. I’d like to rate Bone by Bone by Sanjida Kay 4 out 5.
February 29, 2016
Bone by Bone, by Sanjida Kay, is a skillfully written exploration of the insidious damage caused by bullying. It is a tense and somewhat bleak tale with its portrayal of the helplessness and isolation of the protagonist, and the difficulty of protecting a child within the constraints of the law.
Laura, a recently divorced single mother, has moved to Bristol with her nine year old daughter, Autumn. Both are missing their friends from London. Laura chose their house based on its proximity to a well regarded school and its size as she wishes to establish her own business. Unbeknown to her, Autumn finds the creaks of the old place frightening and dislikes having a bedroom so far away from her mother’s.
At school Autumn is just starting to make a few friends when an older boy takes notice of her, mocking her name and insulting her looks. When her drawer is filled with slugs she tells her teacher that he is to blame, an accusation that is dismissed as implausible. When Laura finds out she promises her daughter that it will be sorted, a promise that cannot be kept.
As any parent will know, schools have many discontented parents to deal with and cannot police the behaviour of every child all of the time. Laura sees how unhappy her daughter has become and is determined to help. Her attempts to do so escalate the problem. The boy is spoken to and he takes out his anger at this on Autumn. When Laura comes across a group of his friends surrounding her daughter she loses her temper.
The law rightly protects children but knowledge of this gives the savvy power. With the explosion of mass internet usage, a medium which many do not yet comprehend, there is also scope for cyber bullying. Laura’s priority is to protect her child but Autumn understands that each time her mother acts the situation worsens. She believes the cruel taunts and blames herself.
The story is told from both Laura’s and Autumn’s points of view. It is frustrating to read as it is so plausible. The author has done a stirling job in dragging the reader inside the minds of all involved. The alpha mummies close ranks, the gossips are fed, the children follow the herd. Malevolence oozes from each page.
The denouement is tense and terrifying. Laura feels driven to consider ever more extreme measures. Her desperation is palpable.
A tightly written thriller that gets to the heart of issues too many must face. An accomplished debut and a haunting read.
My copy of this book was provided gratis by the publisher, Corvus.
Laura, a recently divorced single mother, has moved to Bristol with her nine year old daughter, Autumn. Both are missing their friends from London. Laura chose their house based on its proximity to a well regarded school and its size as she wishes to establish her own business. Unbeknown to her, Autumn finds the creaks of the old place frightening and dislikes having a bedroom so far away from her mother’s.
At school Autumn is just starting to make a few friends when an older boy takes notice of her, mocking her name and insulting her looks. When her drawer is filled with slugs she tells her teacher that he is to blame, an accusation that is dismissed as implausible. When Laura finds out she promises her daughter that it will be sorted, a promise that cannot be kept.
As any parent will know, schools have many discontented parents to deal with and cannot police the behaviour of every child all of the time. Laura sees how unhappy her daughter has become and is determined to help. Her attempts to do so escalate the problem. The boy is spoken to and he takes out his anger at this on Autumn. When Laura comes across a group of his friends surrounding her daughter she loses her temper.
The law rightly protects children but knowledge of this gives the savvy power. With the explosion of mass internet usage, a medium which many do not yet comprehend, there is also scope for cyber bullying. Laura’s priority is to protect her child but Autumn understands that each time her mother acts the situation worsens. She believes the cruel taunts and blames herself.
The story is told from both Laura’s and Autumn’s points of view. It is frustrating to read as it is so plausible. The author has done a stirling job in dragging the reader inside the minds of all involved. The alpha mummies close ranks, the gossips are fed, the children follow the herd. Malevolence oozes from each page.
The denouement is tense and terrifying. Laura feels driven to consider ever more extreme measures. Her desperation is palpable.
A tightly written thriller that gets to the heart of issues too many must face. An accomplished debut and a haunting read.
My copy of this book was provided gratis by the publisher, Corvus.
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