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Bonechiller
WELCOME TO NOWHERE."Danny's dad takes a job as caretaker at a marina on the shore of a vast, frozen lake in Harvest Cove, a tiny town tucked away in Canada's Big Empty. If you're looking for somewhere to hide, this is it.It's the worst winter in years. One night, running in the dark, Danny is attacked by a creature so strange and terrifying he tries to convince himself he was hallucinating. Then he learns about Native American legends of a monster that's haunted the lake for a thousand years. And that every generation, in the coldest winters, kids have disappeared into the night. People think they ran away.Danny knows better. Because now the beast is after him. "From the Hardcover edition.
346 pages, Paperback
First published September 9, 2008
112 people are currently reading
1999 people want to read
About the author
Graham McNamee
14 books114 followersGraham McNamee. Male. Caucasian. 5'10". Brown hair. Brown eyes. Do not approach. Extremely shy.
Author of: HATE YOU, NOTHING WRONG WITH A THREE-LEGGED DOG, SPARKS, and ACCELERATION. HATE YOU was an ALA Best Book for young Adults and an ALA Quick Pick, won the Austrian Children's Book Award, and was nominated for the Governor General's Award. SPARKS won the PEN/Phyllis Naylor Working Writer Fellowship.
Born and raised in Toronto, McNamee has been sighted in Vancouver. Present whereabouts unknown.
Author of: HATE YOU, NOTHING WRONG WITH A THREE-LEGGED DOG, SPARKS, and ACCELERATION. HATE YOU was an ALA Best Book for young Adults and an ALA Quick Pick, won the Austrian Children's Book Award, and was nominated for the Governor General's Award. SPARKS won the PEN/Phyllis Naylor Working Writer Fellowship.
Born and raised in Toronto, McNamee has been sighted in Vancouver. Present whereabouts unknown.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 377 reviews
October 28, 2010
Bonechiller was a quick, but satisfying read. Our protagonist is a young man who is still dealing with the death of his mother from brain cancer. He was very close to her, and her death has sent him and his father on the run, from place to place, to escape the grief of her passing. Lately they have landed in an small town in Canada, in the deep of arctic winter. He befriends fellow travelers, military brats, Pike, Howie, and Ash. Pike and Howie are two brothers named after weapons (Howie being short for Howlitzer), and Ash is a half-Ojibwa girl who is a boxer, and Danny's crush. Danny's just taking it day to day, enduring the extreme cold, and the weight of grief that is almost too much to carry. Soon, he will face a creature from his worst nightmares, a monster who marks him for a future meal.
That's when things start to get weird. What kind of monster is stalking Danny? We don't really find out. All that we know is that he's ancient, preying on many, many teens over the years. He stings them, injecting them with a venom that changes them, making them cold from the inside out, and allowing it to penetrate their dreams, until they give up and come to him, to be devoured. Danny thinks he's all alone in what he has seen and survived, until the monster attacks his friend Howie. Howie is the brains in his family. He investigates to find out what they are facing, and how to destroy it. I liked the surreality of the dreams that Danny and Howie must wade through, and escape, to prevent the monster from taking them, as it had countless others. But time is running out.
I thought this was a very good book. I liked how short and brisk the writing style was. It conveyed much, with an economy of words. McNamee managed to make this story both supernatural/monster horror, and a coming of age story about a boy who watched his mother succumb to a brain tumor. When I read these young adult books, I always appreciate the strength of young people to deal with what seems like far too much on their young plates. In this case, Danny suffered through the death of his mother, and her drawn out illness from the cancer treatments; and now he has to deal with the fact that a monster is changing him into a popsicle so that it can eat him. That seems like a double whammy to me.
I liked the portrayal of friendship between the quartet, and the growing romantic relationship between Danny and Ash. Ash is a tomboy, through and through. She boxes, goes hunting and fishing, and knows guns better than Danny. He freely admits she can kick his butt, and he thinks it's sexy. I loved that Danny appreciated Ash for what she was, and vice versa. Pike was an interesting character--very gun and ordnance crazy. He liked to set things on fire, shoot them, or blow them up. His talents come in handy when they face off with the monster. I liked how Howie was the resident geek/genius. His research skills prove invaluable. The friendship that these four teens shared spoke to me. They accepted each other for who they were, and united to face the threat that two of them faced.
The fifth important character (besides the monster), is the arctic Canadian wilderness. Below zero temperatures and extended dark hours every day is no joke, and it made for fascinating reading to see how people faced this kind of environment and went about their daily lives. No snow days for them.
All the pieces of this story come together to form a successful whole with Bonechiller. It was a unique idea and it was well-executed. I still have some questions about the nature of the monster, but we don't always get all the answers in life. It was good enough to watch these brave teens face and conquer this threat, and to see Danny (and also his dad) start on the road to emotional healing from his mother's passing.
That's when things start to get weird. What kind of monster is stalking Danny? We don't really find out. All that we know is that he's ancient, preying on many, many teens over the years. He stings them, injecting them with a venom that changes them, making them cold from the inside out, and allowing it to penetrate their dreams, until they give up and come to him, to be devoured. Danny thinks he's all alone in what he has seen and survived, until the monster attacks his friend Howie. Howie is the brains in his family. He investigates to find out what they are facing, and how to destroy it. I liked the surreality of the dreams that Danny and Howie must wade through, and escape, to prevent the monster from taking them, as it had countless others. But time is running out.
I thought this was a very good book. I liked how short and brisk the writing style was. It conveyed much, with an economy of words. McNamee managed to make this story both supernatural/monster horror, and a coming of age story about a boy who watched his mother succumb to a brain tumor. When I read these young adult books, I always appreciate the strength of young people to deal with what seems like far too much on their young plates. In this case, Danny suffered through the death of his mother, and her drawn out illness from the cancer treatments; and now he has to deal with the fact that a monster is changing him into a popsicle so that it can eat him. That seems like a double whammy to me.
I liked the portrayal of friendship between the quartet, and the growing romantic relationship between Danny and Ash. Ash is a tomboy, through and through. She boxes, goes hunting and fishing, and knows guns better than Danny. He freely admits she can kick his butt, and he thinks it's sexy. I loved that Danny appreciated Ash for what she was, and vice versa. Pike was an interesting character--very gun and ordnance crazy. He liked to set things on fire, shoot them, or blow them up. His talents come in handy when they face off with the monster. I liked how Howie was the resident geek/genius. His research skills prove invaluable. The friendship that these four teens shared spoke to me. They accepted each other for who they were, and united to face the threat that two of them faced.
The fifth important character (besides the monster), is the arctic Canadian wilderness. Below zero temperatures and extended dark hours every day is no joke, and it made for fascinating reading to see how people faced this kind of environment and went about their daily lives. No snow days for them.
All the pieces of this story come together to form a successful whole with Bonechiller. It was a unique idea and it was well-executed. I still have some questions about the nature of the monster, but we don't always get all the answers in life. It was good enough to watch these brave teens face and conquer this threat, and to see Danny (and also his dad) start on the road to emotional healing from his mother's passing.
July 24, 2015
somewhere under the rage, there's something human. barely.
sometimes you read a book that's engaging and creepy and well-written but it's just... missing something, you know? this book was definitely one of those books for me. the creature was creepy and the setting was chilling - no pun intended, but i felt like there was all of this wonderful build up and then it would just drop off into stupid shit for a few chapters, honestly just.... jesus fucking christ. i don't know.
the more i talk about this book the more i want to knock its rating down but the honest fact of the matter is that outside of those tiny, enraging things, i actually found this to be incredibly enjoyable. even though it did tend to slack off/not actually go anywhere, the suspense it built up was pretty awesome, and i loved howie and pike, and their brotherhood. ash was okay: their relationship was written better than most pre-existing relationships, but overall, i felt like she kind of just existed for the sake of saying something cool in her native language that she could yell to the main character as he drove off into his imminent doom. you know, the cool guy's girlfriend type of character, only she was diverse and gave him the right to say things like "whitey" and talk about native american (canadian? i dunno) mythology without anyone questioning him.
the fact of the matter is that the best part of this book was its setting. the best character in this book was its beast. other than that, i kind of felt like it was... pointless. it was an enjoyable right but it was kinda like riding a kiddy train in a circle; it didn't actually go anywhere.
March 6, 2013
It kept my interest.
I really liked Acceleration by this author so I wanted to try another of his books and bought this. It was not as good. But I think teenagers will like it better than I. It’s about a group of teenagers in Canada. Two boys get bit by a demon and their bodies start changing. Their friends help.
The best part was the personality Ash. She competed in female boxing matches. She and Danny are on the way to becoming a couple - not there yet. She says things like lets race, if you win you can cop a feel. The ending was good. They did some fun teenager-type things to fight the demon.
The worst part was the author’s grammar. Way too many sentences start with “Me and mom are ...” “Me and Howie had ...” Her and Pike check their guns.” It was too often and annoying.
DATA:
Narrative mode: 1st person Danny. Story length; 294 pages. Swearing language: mild. Sexual content: none. Setting: current day small town in Ontario, Canada. Copyright: 2008. Genre: young adult paranormal suspense.
I really liked Acceleration by this author so I wanted to try another of his books and bought this. It was not as good. But I think teenagers will like it better than I. It’s about a group of teenagers in Canada. Two boys get bit by a demon and their bodies start changing. Their friends help.
The best part was the personality Ash. She competed in female boxing matches. She and Danny are on the way to becoming a couple - not there yet. She says things like lets race, if you win you can cop a feel. The ending was good. They did some fun teenager-type things to fight the demon.
The worst part was the author’s grammar. Way too many sentences start with “Me and mom are ...” “Me and Howie had ...” Her and Pike check their guns.” It was too often and annoying.
DATA:
Narrative mode: 1st person Danny. Story length; 294 pages. Swearing language: mild. Sexual content: none. Setting: current day small town in Ontario, Canada. Copyright: 2008. Genre: young adult paranormal suspense.
November 26, 2017
A scary, thriller type book that had me curious the entire time as to whether the characters would all survive or not. After all, they didn't shy away from death in this book, and the creature kills both before and during the events of that Winter.
Things I really liked;
Ash.
No seriously, I wish Ash was the main character. She is a kick ass Boxer, who scoffs burgers, sports black eyes and generally doesn't take shit from anybody (especially Danny) There's a couple of moments where some characters not exactly question, but bring up her lack of 'femininity' but Danny blows off these questions, loves her more for who she is etc, and well, Ash doesn't give a damn what anyone thinks and just stays being herself. There's no mad dash for make up or 'pretty' hairstyles when the romance develops, she just accepts Danny and herself and I loved that.
The Monster
It is...creepy. There was a Supernatural episode about this creature that freaked me out, and I was reminded both of that and the uniqueness of the monster. Really scary!
Things I disliked;
The complete lack of guidance/realization from adults. How the hell does a town NEVER realize teens are going missing EVERY cold Winter, and have so much in common about the situation? Like NOTHING ever happens apart from that, but they ignore it?
Also, the random glossing over of some things never added up for me, but not enough to make me knock this down too many stars.
Basically I got what I wanted from this book; it's scary without being overly so, it's different and it's fast paced. A good book, four stars!
Things I really liked;
Ash.
No seriously, I wish Ash was the main character. She is a kick ass Boxer, who scoffs burgers, sports black eyes and generally doesn't take shit from anybody (especially Danny) There's a couple of moments where some characters not exactly question, but bring up her lack of 'femininity' but Danny blows off these questions, loves her more for who she is etc, and well, Ash doesn't give a damn what anyone thinks and just stays being herself. There's no mad dash for make up or 'pretty' hairstyles when the romance develops, she just accepts Danny and herself and I loved that.
The Monster
It is...creepy. There was a Supernatural episode about this creature that freaked me out, and I was reminded both of that and the uniqueness of the monster. Really scary!
Things I disliked;
The complete lack of guidance/realization from adults. How the hell does a town NEVER realize teens are going missing EVERY cold Winter, and have so much in common about the situation? Like NOTHING ever happens apart from that, but they ignore it?
Also, the random glossing over of some things never added up for me, but not enough to make me knock this down too many stars.
Basically I got what I wanted from this book; it's scary without being overly so, it's different and it's fast paced. A good book, four stars!
July 28, 2010
Review by Jake Kirk
Bonechiller is freaky... in an awesome way. The book is much like a horror movie but avoids all of the cliches.
Our protagonist, Danny, is a regular guy with a troubled past. His father keeps moving him from town to town attempting to escape their nightmare by moving further away from society.
One night, while walking home he's assaulted by a hideous beast that "stings" him, but then leaves him for no reason. He soon finds out that his situation is more dangerous and the stakes higher than he ever thought.
As I said earlier Bonechiller takes all the best parts of horror and amputates cliches such as the shriveling, mutilated, infectious mass that is the dumb blond in high heels. It's a clever adventure that you won't want to put down.
The writing really sets the tone with heavy use of personification that makes it feel as if everything in the surrounding environment is alive and watching. One part was so intense and freaky that I actually re-adjusted my seating so nothing could get behind me.
The cold, bitter, isolated setting becomes a character in it's own right. As for the human characters, they were engaging and intelligent. I was rooting for Danny and his friends all the way!
McNamee delivers a rapid pace then cleverly slows it at perfectly placed moments so you're not overwhelmed by the scary intense parts. But don't get comfy because in no time your off on another wild ride.
SEXUAL CONTENT: There's a budding romance between our protagonist and his tough but pretty tomboy friend. Only some mild making out takes place. This is more adventure/horror than romance.
COVER: I like it. It's simple and you get the sense of cold isolation and danger from some shadowy monster.
BOTTOM LINE: Intense, fast-pace thriller with smart characters, eerie setting and an engaging plot. If you want something that will freak you out and suck you in, Bonechiller delivers. Just be sure to keep the lights on!
Bonechiller is freaky... in an awesome way. The book is much like a horror movie but avoids all of the cliches.
Our protagonist, Danny, is a regular guy with a troubled past. His father keeps moving him from town to town attempting to escape their nightmare by moving further away from society.
One night, while walking home he's assaulted by a hideous beast that "stings" him, but then leaves him for no reason. He soon finds out that his situation is more dangerous and the stakes higher than he ever thought.
As I said earlier Bonechiller takes all the best parts of horror and amputates cliches such as the shriveling, mutilated, infectious mass that is the dumb blond in high heels. It's a clever adventure that you won't want to put down.
The writing really sets the tone with heavy use of personification that makes it feel as if everything in the surrounding environment is alive and watching. One part was so intense and freaky that I actually re-adjusted my seating so nothing could get behind me.
The cold, bitter, isolated setting becomes a character in it's own right. As for the human characters, they were engaging and intelligent. I was rooting for Danny and his friends all the way!
McNamee delivers a rapid pace then cleverly slows it at perfectly placed moments so you're not overwhelmed by the scary intense parts. But don't get comfy because in no time your off on another wild ride.
SEXUAL CONTENT: There's a budding romance between our protagonist and his tough but pretty tomboy friend. Only some mild making out takes place. This is more adventure/horror than romance.
COVER: I like it. It's simple and you get the sense of cold isolation and danger from some shadowy monster.
BOTTOM LINE: Intense, fast-pace thriller with smart characters, eerie setting and an engaging plot. If you want something that will freak you out and suck you in, Bonechiller delivers. Just be sure to keep the lights on!
July 8, 2010
This is a weak 3 stars, could be given a two, but I did just like it so I'm giving it a three. The characters are interesting and the story is definitely scary, but for some reason it didn't really grab me, didn't want me to keep reading to find out what happens. I didn't get that feeling of not being able to put it down, which was missing.
The reason I didn't love it is that the killing creature isn't ever really identified, what it is, does it capture the souls of the teenagers it takes or are those just dream images and why does it only attack teenagers and why only some? Too many questions left unanswered, even Dannny, who tells the story, is irrated by the no answers.
The reason I do like the book a little is that I really enjoyed the characters of Ash, Danny, Pike and Howie. I'd have enjoyed reading about them in another story. There were enough details about each of them and their lives making them very real characters. The story was somewhat weak, though.
Even so, I think I would give this author another try.
The reason I didn't love it is that the killing creature isn't ever really identified, what it is, does it capture the souls of the teenagers it takes or are those just dream images and why does it only attack teenagers and why only some? Too many questions left unanswered, even Dannny, who tells the story, is irrated by the no answers.
The reason I do like the book a little is that I really enjoyed the characters of Ash, Danny, Pike and Howie. I'd have enjoyed reading about them in another story. There were enough details about each of them and their lives making them very real characters. The story was somewhat weak, though.
Even so, I think I would give this author another try.
December 25, 2008
Terrifically creepy! McNamee's chilling tale of the mysterious icy monster grabbed me from the first page. The ancient Bonechiller has stalked the little town of Harvest Cove for centuries and now it is after Danny and his friend Howie but who will believe them? The vast Canadian wilderness is almost a character here and the cold came right out of the pages as I read. This a wild ride, literally, with snowmobile chases, cracking ice, massive explosions and four great teen characters, including a female boxer. Don't start this one if you don't have time to finish it because you won't be able to put this one down!
July 9, 2017
Zeer sterk begin, het einde viel daarom een beetje tegen
February 1, 2009
Harvest Cove is a tiny, out-of-the-way community trying hard to be a summer cottage location, with not much success, and in the winter the population dwindles. Perfect for Danny and his dad, who are drifting from place to place on the run from the past. His dad takes a temp job as the winter caretaker of the marina, and Danny goes to school with army brats from Base Borden. Pike, loyal but psycho and obsessed with explosives; his anxiety-ridden brother Howie; and Ash, a fierce, half-Ojibwa boxer that he has a mad crush on form his core group. It's a cold, bleak winter, the like of which the area hasn't seen in a while. Late one night on his way home, Danny is attacked by a huge white beast that blends into the ice and snow until it is nearly invisible. Still, he manages to see enough to terrify him, and the speed of its attack makes it nearly impossible for him to escape. But escape he does, after the beast stings him on the hand with its sharp tongue, and that's when the nightmare really begins. Because that's when Danny realizes he didn't get away after all. It's still hunting him night after night, toying with him, and soon his friends are in danger too.
This had a good, monster movie feeling to it and is one of those books in which the title works on several levels. Bonechiller refers to the freezing weather as well as the monster and what it does to its prey, and it also is a word used to convey fear. There's a frankness to the narrative, an immediacy, like Danny is telling the story directly to you, narrating events as they happen. Short, fragmented sentences and use of the present tense help that effect. There aren't a ton of books written in present tense, and it's interesting to see what a different reading experience that is. It's very cinematic, and it works well to convey Danny's panicky frantic scrambling during the beast attacks, less well when Danny is complaining about doing his homework. (There's a little too much of that slice-of-life stuff here.) The descriptions of this tiny town during a freezing winter is excellent -- much of the action happens at night out in the below-freezing wasteland of ice and snow, and the sense of isolation, of there being nowhere to run and no-one to help, is terrifying.
Unfortunately, the past that Danny and his dad are running from is not worth the build-up it gets; McNamee leads you to believe it's a deep, terrible secret (here I was thinking on the run from the mob or his dad being an ex-criminal or something)
The descriptions of the monster are cool, very vivid and scary and menacing. But with a half-hearted Wendigo-ish mythology that was never really put to use, the monster wasn't nearly as effective as it could have been. There were some cool variations and extrapolations on Wendigo lore, and it's not like I expected the characters to snap their fingers and go "A-ha! Wendigo! We know this for sure because it is exactly like the Wikipedia entry!" but I was annoyed by how vague the author left it. It's clear he did his research. Did he have to leave it all out? He basically has his kids shrug their shoulders after doing some historical and scientific research and hearing one Wendigo story from Ash's father, and he doesn't really tie it together. Someone else may like the vagueness but I felt it was kind of a cop-out.
Cover comments: This cover is awesome! It perfectly captures the setting and mood of the book: the huge expanse of snow, the little dark figure highlighted under the lonely street light running pell-mell down a narrow, sloping line, the creepy eyes, and the way the monster's mouth falls where the snow is, so that it actually looks like the snow itself being blown after him, chasing him. I don't have as much to say about the typefaces, since I don't know much about that part of design, but it works for me. The title is suffieciently large and different enough from the background to catch my eye (even though it is also white).
This had a good, monster movie feeling to it and is one of those books in which the title works on several levels. Bonechiller refers to the freezing weather as well as the monster and what it does to its prey, and it also is a word used to convey fear. There's a frankness to the narrative, an immediacy, like Danny is telling the story directly to you, narrating events as they happen. Short, fragmented sentences and use of the present tense help that effect. There aren't a ton of books written in present tense, and it's interesting to see what a different reading experience that is. It's very cinematic, and it works well to convey Danny's panicky frantic scrambling during the beast attacks, less well when Danny is complaining about doing his homework. (There's a little too much of that slice-of-life stuff here.) The descriptions of this tiny town during a freezing winter is excellent -- much of the action happens at night out in the below-freezing wasteland of ice and snow, and the sense of isolation, of there being nowhere to run and no-one to help, is terrifying.
Unfortunately, the past that Danny and his dad are running from is not worth the build-up it gets; McNamee leads you to believe it's a deep, terrible secret (here I was thinking on the run from the mob or his dad being an ex-criminal or something)
The descriptions of the monster are cool, very vivid and scary and menacing. But with a half-hearted Wendigo-ish mythology that was never really put to use, the monster wasn't nearly as effective as it could have been. There were some cool variations and extrapolations on Wendigo lore, and it's not like I expected the characters to snap their fingers and go "A-ha! Wendigo! We know this for sure because it is exactly like the Wikipedia entry!" but I was annoyed by how vague the author left it. It's clear he did his research. Did he have to leave it all out? He basically has his kids shrug their shoulders after doing some historical and scientific research and hearing one Wendigo story from Ash's father, and he doesn't really tie it together. Someone else may like the vagueness but I felt it was kind of a cop-out.
Cover comments: This cover is awesome! It perfectly captures the setting and mood of the book: the huge expanse of snow, the little dark figure highlighted under the lonely street light running pell-mell down a narrow, sloping line, the creepy eyes, and the way the monster's mouth falls where the snow is, so that it actually looks like the snow itself being blown after him, chasing him. I don't have as much to say about the typefaces, since I don't know much about that part of design, but it works for me. The title is suffieciently large and different enough from the background to catch my eye (even though it is also white).
September 6, 2011
Danny and his father live in Harvest Cove, Canada- otherwise known as the-ghost-town-located-in-the-middle-of-nowhere. The winters in Harvest Cove are brutal, leaving Danny and his friends with little to do in terms of recreation apart from drive around aimlessly and get home before dark. And it's imperative that they get home before dark...because dark is when something much more sinister comes out to play.
It is difficult to review this book without giving too much away. I wasn't entirely sure what to expect when I started- and I think that's probably the best way for a reader to go into it. There were parts that surprised me, but mostly because of the genre changes (?) in between. I read this book solely because Graham McNamee was the author- I previously read Acceleration by him and it became one of my top ten most favorite books ever. :) I've been anxious to read his other works ever since- and it seems that Bonechiller was the only one suitable. The other books are targeted towards younger audiences and the last one which may pass for a YA novel is WAY too hurt/comfort for me to even try. So I thought I'd give Bonechiller a go. :D
I'm glad I did. It's easy to spot similarities amongst his books once you've read one, but I enjoyed it regardless. The descriptions McNamee offered were enough to make me literally FEEL cold and he added elements to this book that I had not read previously in any other YA (always impressive). He also wrote of a very different relationship than what I'm used to- and was able to do it without irritating me. There were some hilarious bits of teen humor and some interesting history thrown in as well.
With that being said, it was also very unexpected in a lot of ways, and I'm not entirely sure if I liked it (hence the rating). I also thought certain parts were far-fetched, and not a whole lot of answers are offered at the end. There is a fantastic amount of character development however, and I suppose that makes up for it. Character growth is great (especially in YA books) but it just isn't my top priority. (This is why I have stayed away from Sarah Dessen thus far...I realize I cannot avoid her forever though. :/) I like epic battles with a breathtaking climax where the author blows you away with something you NEVER would've figured out on your own...and this didn't have that. :P
A book to read during the cold winter months when you're warm under your blanket and can hear the wind howling outside. :)
It is difficult to review this book without giving too much away. I wasn't entirely sure what to expect when I started- and I think that's probably the best way for a reader to go into it. There were parts that surprised me, but mostly because of the genre changes (?) in between. I read this book solely because Graham McNamee was the author- I previously read Acceleration by him and it became one of my top ten most favorite books ever. :) I've been anxious to read his other works ever since- and it seems that Bonechiller was the only one suitable. The other books are targeted towards younger audiences and the last one which may pass for a YA novel is WAY too hurt/comfort for me to even try. So I thought I'd give Bonechiller a go. :D
I'm glad I did. It's easy to spot similarities amongst his books once you've read one, but I enjoyed it regardless. The descriptions McNamee offered were enough to make me literally FEEL cold and he added elements to this book that I had not read previously in any other YA (always impressive). He also wrote of a very different relationship than what I'm used to- and was able to do it without irritating me. There were some hilarious bits of teen humor and some interesting history thrown in as well.
With that being said, it was also very unexpected in a lot of ways, and I'm not entirely sure if I liked it (hence the rating). I also thought certain parts were far-fetched, and not a whole lot of answers are offered at the end. There is a fantastic amount of character development however, and I suppose that makes up for it. Character growth is great (especially in YA books) but it just isn't my top priority. (This is why I have stayed away from Sarah Dessen thus far...I realize I cannot avoid her forever though. :/) I like epic battles with a breathtaking climax where the author blows you away with something you NEVER would've figured out on your own...and this didn't have that. :P
A book to read during the cold winter months when you're warm under your blanket and can hear the wind howling outside. :)
February 20, 2009
Danny and his father have been running since his mother died. They're running from memories, from connecting too hard with people. Danny's been in three schools in two years when they settle in to spend the winter in the tiny Canadian town of Haven Cove.
But Haven Cove is hiding more than just snow and ice. There's a terrible beast stalking the town, a beast that has been devouring Haven Cove's youth for as long as history can remember. Now, it's marked Danny and his friends as its next victims. Danny and his friends have to act fast if they want to survive being hunted by a monster as old as memory.
I enjoyed this book. It's a well-written, well-developed teens-and-supernatural-monster story, that doesn't pull its punches with chills and thrills. It starts off strong, from the first page, and only builds in the suspense and fear.
It's not a deep book, but it's an entertaining horror novel, and I really appreciated the way Danny and his friends didn't bother wasting time disbelieving in the monster--they just got right to knowing that something terrible was after them, and dealing with it as best as they could.
I also quite liked that while we never fully learned everything about the origin of the monster and all the facts, we learned enough to satisfy. Scary, fast-paced teen horror.
But Haven Cove is hiding more than just snow and ice. There's a terrible beast stalking the town, a beast that has been devouring Haven Cove's youth for as long as history can remember. Now, it's marked Danny and his friends as its next victims. Danny and his friends have to act fast if they want to survive being hunted by a monster as old as memory.
I enjoyed this book. It's a well-written, well-developed teens-and-supernatural-monster story, that doesn't pull its punches with chills and thrills. It starts off strong, from the first page, and only builds in the suspense and fear.
It's not a deep book, but it's an entertaining horror novel, and I really appreciated the way Danny and his friends didn't bother wasting time disbelieving in the monster--they just got right to knowing that something terrible was after them, and dealing with it as best as they could.
I also quite liked that while we never fully learned everything about the origin of the monster and all the facts, we learned enough to satisfy. Scary, fast-paced teen horror.
March 13, 2009
I heard about this book on a YALSA listserv discussion of scary YA books. When I read that this book might involve some kind of wendigo-type monster, that was enough to convince me (I like werewolves... although this was not a werewolf).
I was a bit concerned when the monster showed up in the few chapters. Usually I expect a horror novel to hold off on revealing the monster until the end (fear of the unknown). But the unknown here was what happened to the main character, Danny, and his friend Howie after they were "bit" by the monster. They begin to change... but not into monsters themselves. Into food for the monster.
The setting of this - a frozen Canadian town - makes it a perfect read for the winter. I wish I could have gotten to it sooner than March (like maybe during the ice storm that hit here back in December). The setting played into the plot and was described really well. I also liked the relationship between Danny and Ash, a girl boxer. Danny was okay being with a girl who could knock him out and that was cool.
In the end I decided that this was more of a thriller than horror, but it's a very thin line. I definitely found myself flying through the final chapters to find out what happened at the end!
I was a bit concerned when the monster showed up in the few chapters. Usually I expect a horror novel to hold off on revealing the monster until the end (fear of the unknown). But the unknown here was what happened to the main character, Danny, and his friend Howie after they were "bit" by the monster. They begin to change... but not into monsters themselves. Into food for the monster.
The setting of this - a frozen Canadian town - makes it a perfect read for the winter. I wish I could have gotten to it sooner than March (like maybe during the ice storm that hit here back in December). The setting played into the plot and was described really well. I also liked the relationship between Danny and Ash, a girl boxer. Danny was okay being with a girl who could knock him out and that was cool.
In the end I decided that this was more of a thriller than horror, but it's a very thin line. I definitely found myself flying through the final chapters to find out what happened at the end!
December 19, 2014
It was okay. It's not my kind of genre but it kept my interest.
October 25, 2019
Personal Response
Bonechiller by Graham McNamee is a good book. It starts off a little boring but then it gets into more detail about what is happening. It also adds in a few folktale stories about Windegoś. I like how the author uses younger characters, so I can relate to as they talk about their feelings. There were many events in the book that made me want to keep reading more and that is what I look for in books.
Plot Summary
Danny is a teenage boy who keeps moving from town to town with his dad after his mom died. Danny is sick of moving because once he settles in and makes new friends he has to leave and move on again. After all that moving around, Danny and his dad settle in Harvest Cove. Harvest cove is a very small and unknown town where the town’s welcome sign is almost falling off because of all the bullet holes in it. Danny feels as if he will not make any friends, but he ends up making two new best friends as well as a girlfriend. One day Danny is walking home from the gym with a concussion. He is followed by what he thinks is a wolf. When Danny starts running, the creature catches up and it turns out it is not a wolf. It looks like a demon. The creature bites Danny and Howie: one of Dannyś friends. After a while, they start lucid dreaming and they are in dreams together. They both interact with each other and wake up to talk about it. In one of the dreams, Howie is the beast and he sees where the beast hides. When they tell their friends, they do not believe them until Howie takes them to its cave. They see a lot of bones, blood, and hair. Towards the end, Danny, Howie, Pike, and Ash all go to kill the Windigo. They go into a battle with it and Pike ends up killing it with dynamite. In the end, they all get matching tattoos of an infinity sign. It reminds them that it all really happens and it is not just made up.
Characterization
Danny is the main character in the book he tells the story through his eyes. He moves a lot since his mom dies. Anything that reminds Danny’s dad and Danny of his mom hurts them so they leave. Danny is shy but can relate to his group of friends, which is why they are friends. Danny thinks about others before he thinks about himself. He is very selfless. Howie is one of Dannyś friends. He is smart and loves science. Howie is really shy and unathletic. Pike is another one of Danny´s friends he is Howie’s older brother. He is in the same grade as him because he is not as smart as Howie. Pike is more interested in fighting and more activity type hobbies. Ashley A.K.A Ash is a native American. She is more manly than girly. She likes to professionally fight. Ash and Danny have a thing going on, but Ash does not want anyone else to know. The Windigo is a creature that only comes out during the coldest of winters. It takes kids from the ages of 13-18. He infects them with his venom by pricking them with of its large pointy teeth. It leaves one blue little dot and it never goes away. The beast’s shell is hard like plate armour. It only has one weak spot and it is the eyes. In Bonechiller Danny and his friends are the protagonists. They are the main characters of the story. They do everything to keep their town safe. The Windigo is the antagonist in the story because he causes all the trouble and terrorizes Danny, his friends, and the people of the town.
Setting
There are many different scenes in the story. The town the book takes place in is called Harvest Cove. It is a small town in Canada where the welcome sign has many bullet holes in it. It is kind of remote, but many people have gone missing there. Another place in the book is the school classroom. The way the author describes the book makes it seem like a small elementary classroom. There are also scenes where they are in the woods, on a frozen pond, and at the hospital. In all of those scenes, the author describes how the woods are covered with frost and small snowflakes fill the air. In the scenes with the pond, the author describes how thick the ice is and how it could crack at the same time. The hospital smells like bleach and soap. It is also dark and warm.
Recommendation
I recommend this book to teens who like stories told in first person. This book is good for people of any gender ages 12 and up. It is fun, mysterious, and has two percent romance. It talks about strong friendships and I think that is really important.
Bonechiller by Graham McNamee is a good book. It starts off a little boring but then it gets into more detail about what is happening. It also adds in a few folktale stories about Windegoś. I like how the author uses younger characters, so I can relate to as they talk about their feelings. There were many events in the book that made me want to keep reading more and that is what I look for in books.
Plot Summary
Danny is a teenage boy who keeps moving from town to town with his dad after his mom died. Danny is sick of moving because once he settles in and makes new friends he has to leave and move on again. After all that moving around, Danny and his dad settle in Harvest Cove. Harvest cove is a very small and unknown town where the town’s welcome sign is almost falling off because of all the bullet holes in it. Danny feels as if he will not make any friends, but he ends up making two new best friends as well as a girlfriend. One day Danny is walking home from the gym with a concussion. He is followed by what he thinks is a wolf. When Danny starts running, the creature catches up and it turns out it is not a wolf. It looks like a demon. The creature bites Danny and Howie: one of Dannyś friends. After a while, they start lucid dreaming and they are in dreams together. They both interact with each other and wake up to talk about it. In one of the dreams, Howie is the beast and he sees where the beast hides. When they tell their friends, they do not believe them until Howie takes them to its cave. They see a lot of bones, blood, and hair. Towards the end, Danny, Howie, Pike, and Ash all go to kill the Windigo. They go into a battle with it and Pike ends up killing it with dynamite. In the end, they all get matching tattoos of an infinity sign. It reminds them that it all really happens and it is not just made up.
Characterization
Danny is the main character in the book he tells the story through his eyes. He moves a lot since his mom dies. Anything that reminds Danny’s dad and Danny of his mom hurts them so they leave. Danny is shy but can relate to his group of friends, which is why they are friends. Danny thinks about others before he thinks about himself. He is very selfless. Howie is one of Dannyś friends. He is smart and loves science. Howie is really shy and unathletic. Pike is another one of Danny´s friends he is Howie’s older brother. He is in the same grade as him because he is not as smart as Howie. Pike is more interested in fighting and more activity type hobbies. Ashley A.K.A Ash is a native American. She is more manly than girly. She likes to professionally fight. Ash and Danny have a thing going on, but Ash does not want anyone else to know. The Windigo is a creature that only comes out during the coldest of winters. It takes kids from the ages of 13-18. He infects them with his venom by pricking them with of its large pointy teeth. It leaves one blue little dot and it never goes away. The beast’s shell is hard like plate armour. It only has one weak spot and it is the eyes. In Bonechiller Danny and his friends are the protagonists. They are the main characters of the story. They do everything to keep their town safe. The Windigo is the antagonist in the story because he causes all the trouble and terrorizes Danny, his friends, and the people of the town.
Setting
There are many different scenes in the story. The town the book takes place in is called Harvest Cove. It is a small town in Canada where the welcome sign has many bullet holes in it. It is kind of remote, but many people have gone missing there. Another place in the book is the school classroom. The way the author describes the book makes it seem like a small elementary classroom. There are also scenes where they are in the woods, on a frozen pond, and at the hospital. In all of those scenes, the author describes how the woods are covered with frost and small snowflakes fill the air. In the scenes with the pond, the author describes how thick the ice is and how it could crack at the same time. The hospital smells like bleach and soap. It is also dark and warm.
Recommendation
I recommend this book to teens who like stories told in first person. This book is good for people of any gender ages 12 and up. It is fun, mysterious, and has two percent romance. It talks about strong friendships and I think that is really important.
March 26, 2018
Personal response
I liked this book because it always kept me interested and never hit any parts that were really boring. I also liked how it had four different kinds of people as the main characters in the book. It got right into how the characters met and did not drag it on. It also got right into the Windigo, monster, coming into the book instead of waiting for most of the book before I read about it.
Plot
The book was about four high schoolers who lived in Harvest Cove. One of their classmates mysteriously went missing in the middle of the winter. The cops thought he ran away, but the four high schoolers thought otherwise after two of them get targeted and bit by the Windigo. The Windigo was an ancient creature the targeted teenagers and ate them for over 1,000 years. It only came out on really cold winters. They were running out of time and had to find a way to stop or escape from the Windigo. They could not get help. The Windago was good at covering its tracks and no one would believe them. They had to take the Windgo on themselves.
Characterization
Bonechiller was told from first person point of view of Danny's prospective. Danny lost his mom in Toronto. After the death of his mom, Danny and his dad moved to Harvest Cove. He went to a training base and got knocked out. When he woke up, he found out he got knocked out by a girl named Ash. They became friends. He later met Howie and Pike. Danny was the first to get bitten by the Windigo. Danny's body temperature slowly started to decrease and would not stop. He also started to lose control of his body and mind after he got bit by the Windigo.
Setting
The book started off in a small town named Harvest Cove in Canada. The town was built around an army base that loved boxing. Danny and his dad lived by a frozen over lake. The lake was called Simco. Little did they know, but a monster named the Windigo lived near them. The setting was important to the storyline because the Windigo needed to live in a cold place, such as Canada in order to survive.
Recommendation
I would recommend this book to both males and females age 14 and up who like science fiction. It was an easy reading level, but had mature content. I liked this book because it kept me interested. I gave it four out of five stars.
I liked this book because it always kept me interested and never hit any parts that were really boring. I also liked how it had four different kinds of people as the main characters in the book. It got right into how the characters met and did not drag it on. It also got right into the Windigo, monster, coming into the book instead of waiting for most of the book before I read about it.
Plot
The book was about four high schoolers who lived in Harvest Cove. One of their classmates mysteriously went missing in the middle of the winter. The cops thought he ran away, but the four high schoolers thought otherwise after two of them get targeted and bit by the Windigo. The Windigo was an ancient creature the targeted teenagers and ate them for over 1,000 years. It only came out on really cold winters. They were running out of time and had to find a way to stop or escape from the Windigo. They could not get help. The Windago was good at covering its tracks and no one would believe them. They had to take the Windgo on themselves.
Characterization
Bonechiller was told from first person point of view of Danny's prospective. Danny lost his mom in Toronto. After the death of his mom, Danny and his dad moved to Harvest Cove. He went to a training base and got knocked out. When he woke up, he found out he got knocked out by a girl named Ash. They became friends. He later met Howie and Pike. Danny was the first to get bitten by the Windigo. Danny's body temperature slowly started to decrease and would not stop. He also started to lose control of his body and mind after he got bit by the Windigo.
Setting
The book started off in a small town named Harvest Cove in Canada. The town was built around an army base that loved boxing. Danny and his dad lived by a frozen over lake. The lake was called Simco. Little did they know, but a monster named the Windigo lived near them. The setting was important to the storyline because the Windigo needed to live in a cold place, such as Canada in order to survive.
Recommendation
I would recommend this book to both males and females age 14 and up who like science fiction. It was an easy reading level, but had mature content. I liked this book because it kept me interested. I gave it four out of five stars.
September 27, 2019
The book Bonechiller written by Graham Mcnamee is about a small part of Canada people call the Big Empty, for someone who’s looking for a place to disappear, this was the place to do it. Our protagonist is a teenager named Danny where he and his dad are caretakers of a marina of a frozen lake. Danny seems to have an uncertain, but content vibe about him, but one day that all changes after a mythical creature barges into his life with intent to end it.
I personally really liked this book, I would rate it about 8.75 out of 10. I would rate it this way because at times I found it to be slow when Danny was trying to get the rest of the group to believe, even after Howie experienced the same thing Danny did. This made an aurora of stubbornness around some of the main characters. But overall it was a good book, and I think it would make a very good movie.
I personally really liked this book, I would rate it about 8.75 out of 10. I would rate it this way because at times I found it to be slow when Danny was trying to get the rest of the group to believe, even after Howie experienced the same thing Danny did. This made an aurora of stubbornness around some of the main characters. But overall it was a good book, and I think it would make a very good movie.
March 10, 2022
I really loved the detail in this book, and even though it was in the horror section, I didn't really think it was scary.
July 15, 2025
Mi primer abandono de 2025.
Tenía muchas ganas de cambiar de género literario, pero después de 125 páginas he decidido abandonarlo porque no tengo por dónde coger el libro.
Este libro definitivamente no es para mí.
Tenía muchas ganas de cambiar de género literario, pero después de 125 páginas he decidido abandonarlo porque no tengo por dónde coger el libro.
Este libro definitivamente no es para mí.
December 31, 2019
Lo hubiera disfrutado más si tuviera 8 años.
July 7, 2015
Thoughts on the Overall Book: This was a fun fast-paced scary adventure story. More folklorish than actually horror in my opinion, but nothing wrong with that!
Cover--Yea or Nay: I do like the cover, I love creepy forests :)
Characters: Danny is pretty much a typical hero, but not the kind of guy protags who are jerky and arrogant, thus I liked him. In fact, I was actually surprised how much I liked the characters in this book, usually these kinds of books give you cookie-cutter characters who you don't really care for but the cast here had good characteristics that made you care for them. Aside from Danny, you have Ash, who is a little bit of a stereotypical 'tough girl' but she didn't have an attitude that got on my nerves either, she was really just a tom boy. And then there's Pike and Howie the brothers--Pike being the typical crazy friend and Howie his quiet, scholarly younger brother. They were both fun, though, and I loved their relationship, how Pike was really protective of his bro. I also liked Danny's relationship with his dad, again, you usually expect it to be rougher, but they had a good relationship which made me happy. I also liked Ash's relationship with her dad. I guess mainly because it cuts out a lot of the teen angst that could have been there. In any case, the cast was enjoyable.
The Romance: There is some romance between Danny and Ash, but it really wasn't bad either. There's plenty of action to keep it from being annoying.
Writing Style: Nothing really special, but it's definitely fast-paced and easy reading, good for this type of book. It's pretty geared as a guy read, and for that, it's actually paced and written really well, not just like an action-packed movie script, there is character development among the action scenes. It wasn't as scary as I was hoping, actually, but I don't scare easy either and I don't think anything would be totally scary after finishing 172 Hours on the Moon. It did have a cool folklore vibe and kind of read like an episode of Supernatural and that's a good thing. The suspense was built well and it had a good and satisfying ending and there were parts that were scary too. The monster was actually really cool as well (and I don't mean that as a pun lol).
Accuracy/ Believability: Not really applicable.
Problems/What bothered me: The only real complaint I have is that I wish we had had more info on the monster itself.
Conclusion: 3.5/5 stars. An entertaining read and good one for being alone on a rainy night. Also a nice refreshment for the summer heat!
Recommended Audience: This is a great guy read but of course girls can read it too. ages 16 and up. Fans of mild folklorish horror would enjoy this. If you liked it read The Secret Journeys of Jack London by Christopher Golden and Tim Lebbon.
Cover--Yea or Nay: I do like the cover, I love creepy forests :)
Characters: Danny is pretty much a typical hero, but not the kind of guy protags who are jerky and arrogant, thus I liked him. In fact, I was actually surprised how much I liked the characters in this book, usually these kinds of books give you cookie-cutter characters who you don't really care for but the cast here had good characteristics that made you care for them. Aside from Danny, you have Ash, who is a little bit of a stereotypical 'tough girl' but she didn't have an attitude that got on my nerves either, she was really just a tom boy. And then there's Pike and Howie the brothers--Pike being the typical crazy friend and Howie his quiet, scholarly younger brother. They were both fun, though, and I loved their relationship, how Pike was really protective of his bro. I also liked Danny's relationship with his dad, again, you usually expect it to be rougher, but they had a good relationship which made me happy. I also liked Ash's relationship with her dad. I guess mainly because it cuts out a lot of the teen angst that could have been there. In any case, the cast was enjoyable.
The Romance: There is some romance between Danny and Ash, but it really wasn't bad either. There's plenty of action to keep it from being annoying.
Writing Style: Nothing really special, but it's definitely fast-paced and easy reading, good for this type of book. It's pretty geared as a guy read, and for that, it's actually paced and written really well, not just like an action-packed movie script, there is character development among the action scenes. It wasn't as scary as I was hoping, actually, but I don't scare easy either and I don't think anything would be totally scary after finishing 172 Hours on the Moon. It did have a cool folklore vibe and kind of read like an episode of Supernatural and that's a good thing. The suspense was built well and it had a good and satisfying ending and there were parts that were scary too. The monster was actually really cool as well (and I don't mean that as a pun lol).
Accuracy/ Believability: Not really applicable.
Problems/What bothered me: The only real complaint I have is that I wish we had had more info on the monster itself.
Conclusion: 3.5/5 stars. An entertaining read and good one for being alone on a rainy night. Also a nice refreshment for the summer heat!
Recommended Audience: This is a great guy read but of course girls can read it too. ages 16 and up. Fans of mild folklorish horror would enjoy this. If you liked it read The Secret Journeys of Jack London by Christopher Golden and Tim Lebbon.
May 15, 2020
The book "Bonechiller" by Graham McNamee is about a boy named Danny who moved to a place called Harvest Cove in Canada. He and his father moved after his mother died, which was really hard on both Danny and his father. Harvest Cove is considered to be a ghost town with very few people residing there. The author describes the town as a perfect place to hide. Harvest Cove however is home to a terrifying beast called the Bonechiller that terrorizes residents, but especially teenagers. When Danny and his father move in to Harvest Cove, the town has one of their worst winters to date. During this winter, Danny and his friends encounter the Bonechiller, which they call the Windigo, many different times and they try to work together to defeat it.
Throughout the book the author used different literary techniques within his writing, including suspense and symbolism. The author used suspense to hook the reader into wanting to know what happens next. The author did this a lot, especially when Danny and his friends encountered the Windigo. For example, at the end of chapter 32, Danny and his friends are carrying out their plan to catch the Windigo and the chapter ends with Danny bracing for what is to come. This leaves you in suspense and this is one of the many times the author uses suspense in his writing. The author uses symbolism with the Windigo and how Danny is trying to defeat it. The author shows how much the death of his mother meant to Danny and how it has hurt him throughout the novel and the Windigo can symbolize Danny's ability to persevere. The Windigo has haunted Danny and his friends and by defeating it, it can show how Danny was able to overcome the difficulty of defeating the monster. This can tie back to his mother's death because overcoming her death and its impact on Danny wasn't easy for him, just like trying to defeat the Windigo.
I think that this book was a good read. It was suspenseful and made you want to read more. The use of symbolism made you realize how Danny grew as a person throughout the novel. I enjoyed the setting and I personally like plots that are action packed and suspenseful which is why I enjoyed this book. I gave this book four stars because it is not the best book I have read, but it is an enjoyable book. This book has a scary side to it, which creates more suspense and leaves you at the edge of your seat. Overall, I would recommend this book and I think that someone who enjoys action would like it.
Throughout the book the author used different literary techniques within his writing, including suspense and symbolism. The author used suspense to hook the reader into wanting to know what happens next. The author did this a lot, especially when Danny and his friends encountered the Windigo. For example, at the end of chapter 32, Danny and his friends are carrying out their plan to catch the Windigo and the chapter ends with Danny bracing for what is to come. This leaves you in suspense and this is one of the many times the author uses suspense in his writing. The author uses symbolism with the Windigo and how Danny is trying to defeat it. The author shows how much the death of his mother meant to Danny and how it has hurt him throughout the novel and the Windigo can symbolize Danny's ability to persevere. The Windigo has haunted Danny and his friends and by defeating it, it can show how Danny was able to overcome the difficulty of defeating the monster. This can tie back to his mother's death because overcoming her death and its impact on Danny wasn't easy for him, just like trying to defeat the Windigo.
I think that this book was a good read. It was suspenseful and made you want to read more. The use of symbolism made you realize how Danny grew as a person throughout the novel. I enjoyed the setting and I personally like plots that are action packed and suspenseful which is why I enjoyed this book. I gave this book four stars because it is not the best book I have read, but it is an enjoyable book. This book has a scary side to it, which creates more suspense and leaves you at the edge of your seat. Overall, I would recommend this book and I think that someone who enjoys action would like it.
March 5, 2014
I would definitely recommend Bonechiller to others, especially those who love horror fiction and thrillers. If anyone has read and enjoyed Acceleration, also by McNamee, they will definitely love this book because both plots advance in similar ways, and both are extremely thrilling. The setting of Bonechiller is in Harvest Cove, Canada, a very cold and wooded area, and the freezing temperatures in this small town contribute to the title. This book, while considered a horror story, has traits typical of a novel for teens, such as romance and friendship, but these do not take away from the terror that is produced throughout the pages. Though the plot is rather typical of a horror story, how the monster attracts and lures is victims is very atypical. The monster bites two of the main characters, Danny and Howie, and leaves a small blue dot where they were bit. Soon, they begin to experience the effects of the bite, such as an extremely low temperature, literally icy skin, ability to see in the dark, and a rather unique thing I have rarely read about in horror stories: the monster stalking them in their dreams. The two boys even appear in each other's dreams, fully conscious that they have done so. The monster "plays" with his victims and stalks them in their dreams until they become nearly insane and give themselves up to the monster, but Danny and his friends instead try to find the monster to end its torturing of them. The parts of the story where the monster is actively stalking or chasing Danny, the narrator, or any of his friends, will keep your eyes glued to the book, your heart racing, and your brain formulating many guesses about what will happen until you read the next page, which is definitely one of the best experiences while reading horror stories. Finally, as foreshadowed in the title, this book is definitely one that will chill your bones.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 27, 2014
Bonechiller is a suspenseful novel about a boy named Danny. He lives in Canada, but he never stays in one town for very long. His mother passed away, so Danny and his father have to live on their own. They go from town to town trying to escape the reality of living without the woman in their family. Danny has made friends in the small town he lives in: Howie, Pike, and Ash. After hanging out with them one night, Danny is jogging home to stay warm in the bitter cold of Canada. While jogging he is attacked by a mysterious beast. It leaves Danny terrified; bad dreams destroy every one of his nights. He is nervous to tell any of his friends about this, until Howie is attacked by the same creature. The rest of the book they work to try and identify this beast, before they go crazy.
Danny and all of the other characters are described in great detail by the author. Because of his mother’s passing, Danny has become less outgoing. He is not quick to open up about any of his feelings and he does not tell his best friend, Ash, about his mother until halfway through the book. Danny’s best way of handling things is bottling them up and keeping them to himself. Danny and his father have a hard time accepting everything life throws at them. Throughout the book he becomes more comfortable with his friends and is more straight forward.
I really enjoyed Bonechiller, because there is never a dull moment. The book is full of suspense and cliffhangers. I would recommend this book to teenagers and young adults, because of the age group of the characters. I think boys would like Bonechiller better than girls. People who like suspense and mystery would love reading this book.
Danny and all of the other characters are described in great detail by the author. Because of his mother’s passing, Danny has become less outgoing. He is not quick to open up about any of his feelings and he does not tell his best friend, Ash, about his mother until halfway through the book. Danny’s best way of handling things is bottling them up and keeping them to himself. Danny and his father have a hard time accepting everything life throws at them. Throughout the book he becomes more comfortable with his friends and is more straight forward.
I really enjoyed Bonechiller, because there is never a dull moment. The book is full of suspense and cliffhangers. I would recommend this book to teenagers and young adults, because of the age group of the characters. I think boys would like Bonechiller better than girls. People who like suspense and mystery would love reading this book.
December 30, 2009
A strong 7.5/10 on the Peach-worthiness scale. I didn't enjoy it as much as I think teens will. Similar to Acceleration, which won the Peach Award a couple of years back, this book has a lot to draw teen boys. I can see it doing well with the Cirque du Freak fans, many of whom started off as reluctant readers. This story is the sort that might keep them looking for the kinds of books that speak to them. Loads of action and a monster/mutant in this one instead of a serial killer. Still with plenty of psychological suspense, but this one has more of the real action-based suspense. Basic premise: Danny, who has been pinballed around northern Ontario by a father still reeling from the death of his wife to a brain tumor, finally finds a group of friends and even a girl, albeit a badass half-Ojibwa boxer, with whom he's got a mutual attraction and affection going, but something weird is going on in Harvest Cove. An enormous creature chases Danny one sub-freezing night into a ditch and bestows a fierce kiss, a stinging blue sort of tattoo that begins to change Danny into a creature of the night and ice. Another of his group, brainy, weakling Howie also gets branded for consumption. The group has only a short time to try to understand and stop the process that seems to end with Danny and Howie becoming tortured souls whose bodies sustain a thousand-year-old menace.
September 19, 2011
In my book Bonechiller, by Graham McNamee, there was a boy named Danny. He was the main character. He was a small town boy along with three of his best friends Ash, the girl that he was practically in love with. Maniac Pike is a boy that will do anything that would creep any normal person out, and Howie is the brains of all four.
In Canada on a wintery night Danny was out alone, on his way home. He caught the suspension that something was following him. So he began to run home. The beast that was following Danny caught him and bit him. Danny later found out that Howie encountered the same beast with the same bite marks like himself. Eventually Danny, Howie, Ash, and Pike discovered the beasts’ weaknesses and killed the beast with a sticky bomb.
Mr. McNamee gave a few hints on which audience he was talking to. He made it very clear that he was talking to teenagers. This is because Ash, Danny, Howie, and Pike are all high school students, going through a thriller story.
I think that there is more than one theme of this story but one really stuck out to me. Real friends never turn their backs on you. I say this because Ash and Pike never turned their backs on Howie and Danny, when they needed them the most.
In Canada on a wintery night Danny was out alone, on his way home. He caught the suspension that something was following him. So he began to run home. The beast that was following Danny caught him and bit him. Danny later found out that Howie encountered the same beast with the same bite marks like himself. Eventually Danny, Howie, Ash, and Pike discovered the beasts’ weaknesses and killed the beast with a sticky bomb.
Mr. McNamee gave a few hints on which audience he was talking to. He made it very clear that he was talking to teenagers. This is because Ash, Danny, Howie, and Pike are all high school students, going through a thriller story.
I think that there is more than one theme of this story but one really stuck out to me. Real friends never turn their backs on you. I say this because Ash and Pike never turned their backs on Howie and Danny, when they needed them the most.
June 24, 2011
I read this book in an effort to read more "boy books." There is a reason I don't read many "boy books"--I just don't like them. They are not for me. This book was not my type of book either. I just wasn't interested in it. I couldn't get a clear picture in my head of what the "monster" looked like, so I had a hard time caring. Also, monster books just aren't my thing. I like a bad guy that's intelligent and twisted. Not just a big hulking thing that tries to eat you.
That being said, I'm sure there are some people out there who would enjoy this book a lot. It's pretty fast paced, there are explosives, fighting and a tiny little bit of romance (kind of.) I'll recommend it to my boys, and see how they respond to it.
That being said, I'm sure there are some people out there who would enjoy this book a lot. It's pretty fast paced, there are explosives, fighting and a tiny little bit of romance (kind of.) I'll recommend it to my boys, and see how they respond to it.
September 28, 2009
This is one of those rare books that I picked up having really no clue as to what it was about. How did it make it to my library checkout pile? I was intrigued by the cover. I wasn't disappointed. Bonechiller is a thrilling, suspenseful read about a boy who struggles to save himself from a seeming inevitable fate. The writing style flows very well and the characters are appealing. Throw in a bit of fantasy and horror, and you've got a book that will keep you turning pages late into the night. I'd recommend Bonechiller to fans of Simon Holt's The Devouring, or for anyone looking for a quick, thrilling read.
December 16, 2014
Que libro más adictivo por deoh
Me lo devoré.
Me encanto en el modo que está narrado y como el autor hace que el personaje exprese todo lo que siente. Además que no es un libro tan solo de terror, tambien tiene accion, amor, tristeza y muchas otras cosas que hacen este libro buenisimo.
De principio me encanto la relacion entre el protagonista y sus amigos, se nota que son muy cercanos. La bestia me dio demasiado miedo. Y lo mejor es que cada capitulo te deja más shockeado y con ganas de leer más.
5/5 a este maravilloso libro <3
Me lo devoré.
Me encanto en el modo que está narrado y como el autor hace que el personaje exprese todo lo que siente. Además que no es un libro tan solo de terror, tambien tiene accion, amor, tristeza y muchas otras cosas que hacen este libro buenisimo.
De principio me encanto la relacion entre el protagonista y sus amigos, se nota que son muy cercanos. La bestia me dio demasiado miedo. Y lo mejor es que cada capitulo te deja más shockeado y con ganas de leer más.
5/5 a este maravilloso libro <3
February 24, 2009
Danny and his father have been moving almost every year since Danny's Mom died. Now they are in Canada, in a cold forgotten town, but Danny is making good friends here. Young people start to disappear and Danny is targeted but gets away. The love of brothers, the loyalty of friends and the beginnings of new love help pull together a crew that is a real match for the enemy that lurks in the ice cave.
September 22, 2009
this book is a good book to read if you havent read anything in a while you get caught up in side stories that may distract you from whats actually happening. The story is full of suspense and mystery.So if you want to read a good book its right here.
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