A very unpleasant and overwritten novel about a teenage sociopath that tortures his dog and the family who is unwilling or unable to intervene. And then there is a hurricane. ( )

Phenomenal must-read. This savagely beautiful book has left indelible marks on my heart. Years on I can still recall the impact it had on me. Raw, lyrical, and convincing. Even Greek tragedy is filtered through the lens of Esch and her worldview, our 14-year-old impoverished, pregnant, and unrequited narrator. Though an occasional turn-of-phrase is mismatched, the overall effect is compelling and authentic characters, especially Skeetah and Randall. The description of Katrina is breathtaking, and I could not peel my eyes from the pages as the storm raged. An important novel that lives up to its National Book Award. I can't wait to revisit Salvage the Bones again. ( )

The author sure knows how to build a climax. ( )

This is a really beautiful and joyful book, not despite but encompassing the brutality and constant threat of destruction. I can't praise the writing enough, and I'm so happy to have read this. There were several themes, of varying centrality, that I found personally difficult and I had to make myself continue reading some pages. I don't think that detracts from anything, and even within those moments the writing is beautifully present and loving. ( )

For me, this book was ALL about the prose itself. The writing has a lyrical, poetic quality that I really both enjoyed and admired. Unfortunately, the plotting wasn't terribly exciting, and that doesn't bother me much if the characterization is really well done. Here, I thought it was good, but a little something is missing. I just didn't feel the characters pain and emotions nearly as much as I thought I should. I can describe the characters and their turmoil, and they are definitely multi dimensional, but somehow it just didn't draw me in emotionally for reasons I'm unable to pinpoint.

The story is of a family, a girl, Esch and three brothers, who have lost their mother during the childbirth of the youngest son. The father is an alcoholic, and the children are pretty much fending for themselves in rural Louisiana. Each chapter of the book is a day leading up to and during hurricane Katrina. Esch narrates the story, and we have a sense of how the hopes and dreams of the rural poor are limited by circumstances and how pragmatic concerns loom large in daily life. In this way, the book was very insightful.

Well worth reading for the gorgeous writing and a peek into the life of the rural poor, but definitely a sad story, but somehow sad in an arms length kind of way.
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