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Bonebelly
Demon smiled that old wicked smile. He lifted his hand, and I thought I was about to be struck down for my insolence. Instead, he brought a finger to my chest. His tapering claw probed the bullet hole until he touched my shriveled heart. I immediately understood, and I began to weep black, putrid tears. The task of ending this evil had been allotted to me.
For my sin was the greatest of all possible sins. Long ago in another lifetime, I could have intervened before this horror began. Instead, I chose to do nothing.
A sinner transformed into a hideous creature, with an unfortunate craving for human flesh, condemned to a private hell in a wooded corner of Rhode Island;
An overtaxed demon caseworker, trying to keep track of his dangerous charge;
An outdoor haunted attraction at a nearby farm—the creature’s only respite from his suffering;
And two young aspiring graphic novelists trying to record it all.
Will the sinner find redemption by stopping the evil he chose to ignore so long ago…
For my sin was the greatest of all possible sins. Long ago in another lifetime, I could have intervened before this horror began. Instead, I chose to do nothing.
A sinner transformed into a hideous creature, with an unfortunate craving for human flesh, condemned to a private hell in a wooded corner of Rhode Island;
An overtaxed demon caseworker, trying to keep track of his dangerous charge;
An outdoor haunted attraction at a nearby farm—the creature’s only respite from his suffering;
And two young aspiring graphic novelists trying to record it all.
Will the sinner find redemption by stopping the evil he chose to ignore so long ago…
230 pages, Paperback
Published October 7, 2018
6 people want to read
About the author
Christine Lajewski
9 books3 followersI am a writer, retired alternative high school teacher, a teacher/naturalist at MA Audubon and a haunt actor. All my life experiences have influenced my writing. I currently live in Cumberland, RI near my adult children.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
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November 21, 2018DNF at page 50. I had the pleasure of seeing Ms lajewski speak at a horror authors panel. She was funny, smart, and wise and also signed my copy of this book. However something about the writing style didn't gel with me. At times it felt too long winded, with too many details and other times it seemed there wasn't enough in the way of scene setting. I plan on returning to this because I like the concept but for right now I'm setring it down.
January 11, 2022
The theme of good vs. evil is a tried-and-true theme for novels of virtually any genre. With an opening line of “Here follows a true account of my first thirty days in hell,” the reader has an idea that this book will not be a light and airy read.
In the tradition of authors such as H.P. Lovecraft and Edgar Allan Poe, author Christine Lajewski (pronounce it “Lah-JESS-ski,” please) takes the reader on an unusual ride (a hayride, even) through the dark world of the damned.
Bonebelly is the name given to the creature who pens that ominous opening line, and the name is bestowed on him by a young couple who discover him at a farm turned haunted playground for paying visitors somewhere in South County, Rhode Island.
“I know what mercy is, but I am certain I have no right to any,” Bonebelly asserts. We know he has been condemned to hell, but we don’t know why (until much later in the book). What we do know is that he is a gruesome, ghastly, gross being with a ravenous appetite that cannot be satiated. But he has human emotions, and understands that “it is left to [him] to chart [his] path, if there is one, toward redemption.”
Other characters appear, some on the side of good, like Sean and Amy, the young couple who are aspiring graphic novelists and take a keen and compassionate interest in Bonebelly. “Exploring the great darkness of the world of horror allowed them to set aside the lesser shadows in their lives.”
There is Demon, kind of a caseworker who oversees Bonebelly’s journey. And there is evil in the form of a shapeless mass that preys on innocent victims, eventually transforming himself into a handsome and charming human being. These main characters, along with a host of others at the farm, play parts as the battle between good and evil escalates, culminating in a faceoff between Bonebelly and his nemesis, Martin.
As a rule, I don’t read horror. But I must say that Lajewski writes beautifully and nails the language of someone who lived three hundred-plus years ago. While the pacing is at times slower than I would like, the story does progress and builds as it should. She includes dates ahead of most chapters so the reader will have a sense of date and place. At times it seems as though a chapter is being repeated, when Lajewski tells the same tale but from a different point of view.
If you’re a fan of the horror genre, or thinking of trying it out, Bonebelly is a good place to start. I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
In the tradition of authors such as H.P. Lovecraft and Edgar Allan Poe, author Christine Lajewski (pronounce it “Lah-JESS-ski,” please) takes the reader on an unusual ride (a hayride, even) through the dark world of the damned.
Bonebelly is the name given to the creature who pens that ominous opening line, and the name is bestowed on him by a young couple who discover him at a farm turned haunted playground for paying visitors somewhere in South County, Rhode Island.
“I know what mercy is, but I am certain I have no right to any,” Bonebelly asserts. We know he has been condemned to hell, but we don’t know why (until much later in the book). What we do know is that he is a gruesome, ghastly, gross being with a ravenous appetite that cannot be satiated. But he has human emotions, and understands that “it is left to [him] to chart [his] path, if there is one, toward redemption.”
Other characters appear, some on the side of good, like Sean and Amy, the young couple who are aspiring graphic novelists and take a keen and compassionate interest in Bonebelly. “Exploring the great darkness of the world of horror allowed them to set aside the lesser shadows in their lives.”
There is Demon, kind of a caseworker who oversees Bonebelly’s journey. And there is evil in the form of a shapeless mass that preys on innocent victims, eventually transforming himself into a handsome and charming human being. These main characters, along with a host of others at the farm, play parts as the battle between good and evil escalates, culminating in a faceoff between Bonebelly and his nemesis, Martin.
As a rule, I don’t read horror. But I must say that Lajewski writes beautifully and nails the language of someone who lived three hundred-plus years ago. While the pacing is at times slower than I would like, the story does progress and builds as it should. She includes dates ahead of most chapters so the reader will have a sense of date and place. At times it seems as though a chapter is being repeated, when Lajewski tells the same tale but from a different point of view.
If you’re a fan of the horror genre, or thinking of trying it out, Bonebelly is a good place to start. I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
January 9, 2022
This was a very unique book, in that I've never read anything like it before. It was like a documentary-style form of storytelling, sort of a "found footage" tale. I don't want to reveal too many spoilers, but the ending had a nice twist I didn't see coming.
It was so fun to read about the behind-the-scenes life of haunt actors and their community. It’s as if they’re their own little family running the haunt attractions in Rhode Island (which, by the way, I cracked up at the line: “You’re already in Rhode Island…it’s a quick trip to hell from here”). There were two teenage characters in the story, Sean and Amy, who I just fell in love with. In fact, my complaint about the book is that there weren't enough of them in it! I almost would've preferred to have the entire story told through their eyes, but it was also an interesting experiment to have a journalistic lens of a tortured soul trapped in hell on earth, telling his story.
I’ve read Ms. Lejewski’s writing before and she definitely has a flair for bringing readers to places they’ve never been to before. If you haven't read her story in Wicked Women, you should:
https://www.amazon.com/Wicked-Women-A...
It was so fun to read about the behind-the-scenes life of haunt actors and their community. It’s as if they’re their own little family running the haunt attractions in Rhode Island (which, by the way, I cracked up at the line: “You’re already in Rhode Island…it’s a quick trip to hell from here”). There were two teenage characters in the story, Sean and Amy, who I just fell in love with. In fact, my complaint about the book is that there weren't enough of them in it! I almost would've preferred to have the entire story told through their eyes, but it was also an interesting experiment to have a journalistic lens of a tortured soul trapped in hell on earth, telling his story.
I’ve read Ms. Lejewski’s writing before and she definitely has a flair for bringing readers to places they’ve never been to before. If you haven't read her story in Wicked Women, you should:
https://www.amazon.com/Wicked-Women-A...
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews