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    Bone Gap
    Bone Gap
    Bone Gap
    Audiobook8 hours

    Bone Gap

    Written by Laura Ruby

    Narrated by Dan Bittner

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    National Book Award Finalist * Printz Award Winner for Best Young Adult Book of the Year

    “Ruby’s novel deserves to be read and reread. It is powerful, beautiful, extraordinary.”—School Library Journal

    Everyone knows Bone Gap is full of gaps.

    So when young, beautiful Roza went missing, the people of Bone Gap weren’t surprised. But Finn knows what really happened to Roza. He knows she was kidnapped by a dangerous man whose face he cannot remember.

    As we follow the stories of Finn, Roza, and the people of Bone Gap, acclaimed author Laura Ruby weaves a tale of the ways in which the face the world sees is never the sum of who we are.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperCollins
    Release dateMar 3, 2015
    ISBN9780062368096
    Bone Gap
    Author

    Laura Ruby

    Laura Ruby is the Michael L. Printz Award–winning author of many books for adults, teens, and children, including Thirteen Doorways, Wolves Behind Them All and Bone Gap, both National Book Award finalists; the ALA Best Fiction for Young Adults selection York: The Shadow Cipher and its sequels; the Edgar Award nominee Lily’s Ghosts; and the Book Sense Pick Good Girls. She is on the faculty of Hamline University’s MFA in writing for children and young adults program and lives in the Chicago area. You can visit her online at lauraruby.com.

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    Reviews for Bone Gap

    4/5

    478 ratings52 reviews

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    • 4/5
      Intriguing and held me captive throughout the whole book.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      Amazing! I was sucked into this story and transported to a magical land. A truly unique novel.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      I really liked this one. 4.5 stars. I may come back later and round it up to 5. I don't know if I've read anything quite like it. The magical realism was just right. The characters were great. I might review this one on the blog later, so keep an eye out for a longer review.
    • 4/5
      Marvelous story of two brothers, Finn and Sean. Eighteen-year old Finn lives with his brother who works as an EMT and has put his plans of medical school on hold until Finn is finished with high school. A young Polish woman mysteriously shows up in their barn and slowly trusts the brothers as they welcome her into their house and tend to her. Just as mysteriously, she is abducted and Finn, who witnessed the snatch, cannot identify the abductor because he cannot recognize faces.Who or what is the person that abducted Roza is unclear. He gives her everything she could possibly need and everyday asks if she loves him yet. Finn works hard to find her and rescue her for Sean who thinks Roza abandoned him just like their mother did.This was a beautifully written story full of imagery and mysticism. A big question theme through the story is what is beauty and it is treated with sensitivity and compassion.
    • 3/5
      I love Magical Realism, but this is not the kind of magical realism I'm accustomed to. Or at least I've never read anything like it before. I didn't mind that it was different from what I usually read, but my main issue with this particular story was that I didn't feel invested for a least eighty percent of it. I just couldn't wait to finish, I felt no connection to the characters or the story. Yes the writing was definitely good and I didn't dislike anyone really, I could sympathize with their troubles and thought the quirkiness of the town and the people were interesting, but I still wasn't able develop that deep invested connection. Also I kinda got this déjà vu, I've read this vibe from it, I was getting a beauty and the beast type of story. Overall it wasn't too much of a bad read for me personally since I didn't end up dnf'ing it.
    • 5/5
      In a small town, everyone knows everyone's business. They all know that Sean takes care of his brother Finn since their mother left, and that Finn is different. Now a beautiful girl who appeared in their barn has disappeared. Finn claims she was kidnapped, but can't describe the kidnapper.
    • 5/5
      A beautiful Polish girl shows up one day in Sean and Finn's barn, hurt and frightened. 17 year old Finn takes her to his older brother, strong, silent Sean who matter-of-factly takes care of her injuries and offers her food. Roza decides to stay on with the brothers as she is in a country far from home and has escaped from a kidnapper, intent on keeping her and all of her beauty for himself.The 3 bond together and the brothers enjoy the warmth Roza brings to their broken family with her knowledge of growing fresh vegetables and making good foods. Finn discovers a magic horse in the barn one day and starts riding it with Petey, an outcast because of her unusual looks. Finn doesn't care what she looks like though; in fact he is bullied because he never can remember faces anyhow. But he does know he is comfortable with her, as Sean and Roza develop a strong sense of comfort with each other on their own. One day, the 3 decide to venture forth to the town fair and all good things come to a screeching halt. Roza is spotted by her former kidnapper and taken again, with only Finn as a witness. She seems to be going willingly with the man, but as she gets in the car, Finn realizes too late that she was forced to do so in order to save him. With Finn's inability to describe the man, the people of Bone Gap think it is all a story and why would Roza stay with the boys when even their own mother wouldn't ? But this story isn't simple and although Roza has slipped into a gap not exactly real, all hope is not given up. This twisted fairy tale story brings out questions about beauty in our society, how things and people aren't always what they seem and what true bravery is. This 2016 Printz winner is for ages 14 and up for incidental sex, but more for the brutality of the world.
    • 3/5
      Narrated by Dan Bittner. Just when I thought I had this book pegged as a kidnapping thriller, the story veered into dreamlike directions time and again. Where is this book going? What is it really about? Beauty? Acceptance of self and others? Finding the soul behind the stranger? Not for teens who prefer their stories cut and dry but an intriguing journey for those who take it. Bittner's narration kept me attuned for the most part, evoking the atmosphere of a Midwestern small town where everyone knows everyone, and bringing out the memorable aspects of certain characters such as Petey, Roza, Finn and Charlie Valentine.
    • 5/5
      Lovely prose, satisfying mystery, a story that pivots around the expectations of who rescues whom and why, Bone Gap is one of those books that I couldn't bring myself to return to the library when I was finished reading it because I just couldn't bear not having it around to hold. Can't think of much higher praise than that! This book should win all of the awards because it's so good at winning your heart. :-)
    • 5/5
      I WANNA GIVE THIS BOOK A BIG HUG

      (Caution, long preface below)

      Here's the thing: I've been reading YA for a while now, and one thing that has been consistently bothering me in the genre?and in other genres too, this is by no means exclusive to YA, it's just particularly prominent/concentrated in YA?has been the number of female characters described as beautiful. Stunning. Gorgeous. Not once, not twice, but over and over and over again. I pretty much enter every book nowadays expecting the default physical appearance of female characters to be "otherworldly beauty." My motto has become all female characters are beautiful unless described as otherwise. It's not so much the beauty that bothers me as much as it is its ubiquity and the amount of times that it's brought up. Everyone has their self-esteem issues, and for me, it's hard to feel close to a character whose beauty feels as if it is transcendent, on another plane of existence or something. Or, if not feel close to them, at least see myself in them. Give me characters with plain faces, give me characters with unusual faces, give me characters who aren't beautiful. Here is where Bone Gap comes into the discussion. When I heard that this book had feminist themes of beauty and physical appearance at its core, I jumped at the chance to read it. And lemme tell you, Bone Gap did not disappoint.

      What Bone Gap nailed:
      ? As aforementioned, this book delves into feminist themes surrounding beauty, and lack thereof. We have Roza, a character who is constantly described as beautiful by everyone she comes across, and Petey, a character who is defined by how ugly she is deemed. By setting up these two seemingly dichotomous characters, Ruby shows how women are forced to navigate milieux where, ultimately, no matter what they do, nothing is ever good enough. When Roza rejects abusive men who force themselves on her, they accuse her of being vain, of thinking she's beneath them because she is beautiful. When Petey begins a loving, caring relationship with Finn, the town assumes that Petey somehow coerced him into it out of desperation, or that Finn simply did it out of pity, all because she is ugly. Ruby does such a fantastic job of setting up these two women, one that possesses and one that lacks, and using the contrast between them to drive home a powerful message. If anything, this book shows you just how defining a gaze can be. But more importantly, it shows you how much more powerful the gazed-at's definition can be.
      ? The characters in this book are wonderful and sweet and endearing and I love them and I want to give them all big hugs. Finn is a precious soul who must be protected at all costs. Petey is all bravado and snark on the outside, but on the inside she's just as gooey as Finn. Roza, regardless of how many times she is beaten down and tired, never loses that ray of sunshine that makes her such a joy to read about. These characters, particularly Roza and Petey, could've fallen apart so easily?but they didn't. Petey was fragile, unable to believe that anyone would see worth in her. Roza was almost always scared, conditioned to look down and cover up. However, these powerful ladies are never defined by their conflicts, they never drown in self-pity or angst. And having read my fair share of self-pitying, angsty protagonists, I can tell you that that's a pretty hard balance to achieve.
      ? The writing style in this book is so lovely and whimsical. It kind of reminded me of a toned-down combination of Neil Gaiman and Maggie Stiefvater's writing styles. Ruby describes Bone Gap as a "rural fairy tale," and I have to say that that description is perfectly mirrored in her writing (and her story).
      ? ANIMALS. I freaking love animals, and there were so many in this book. Glorious, majestic horses. Tiny, cute lil' kittens. Super cool and interesting bees (and Petey is a beekeeper!!! I don't know about you, but beekeeping sounds like a completely badass job to me). Dogs that Sleep in Lanes. It's little things like that that are just the cherry on top of a poignant, engaging story.

      I loved it. What more can I say?
    • 2/5
      Someday I will hopefully learn that I just don't like books with magic in them, Harry Potter being a rare exception. Finn (high school) and Sean (adult) are young brothers who live alone. Roza, a Polish woman, who is evidently the most beautiful woman in the world just shows up out of nowhere and they take her in and let her stay in the apartment attached to their house. But as the book opens, Roza has disappeared. Finn claims she was kidnapped and he witnessed it, but no one believes him. We soon realize that Roza was kidnapped by some sort of supernatural man with magic powers, and around him anything can happen, because, ~magic~. Finn meanwhile is falling love with Petey, the girl known throughout town as "the ugly girl." But Finn can't recognize people's faces, so to him, "the ugly girl" is the beautiful girl, because she doesn't look like everyone else. This sort of sweet little teen romance was the one redeeming part of the story for me.Then toward the last 15% of the book all sorts of crazy nonsense happens because, ~magic~. I felt some minimal investment in Finn and Petey, but the rest of this book was just awful. Extremely well written, but just a dreadful story. Can't imagine who it won the Prinz award and was a finalist for the National Book Award.
    • 2/5
      It just, wasnt that good?

      I like a lot of the ingredients (mythology, magic, bees) but didnt really come together into something I enjoyed. There were a lot of scenes of sexual harassment and abuse but not enough character development/exploration to make those scenes necesary. Very slow going for most of the book and the split narrative got confusing more often than not.
    • 3/5
      I'm having a hard time reconciling the fact that I was hooked on this book while reading it, but as I've mulled over it today, I think I've become slightly less enamored. Now that I'm thinking back on it, it might be that the fantastical aspects of the book didn't actually work very well. A lot of those details felt like cop-outs for fully exploring an issue or flourishes leaving loose ends...I get that it adds to the whole ambience of the book, but I like my magical realism (if that's what we're calling it...it seemed to veer into portal fantasy to me) to be a bit more meaningful. Also, while I was intrigued by the whole prosopagnosia thing, I was also a bit disappointed that it was the only way Petey could be found attractive. Because apparently there's only one way to be physically attractive.

      Still, as I said, this book was gripping from beginning to end with creepy twists galore. Even though I had some problems with it, I still think it accomplished what it set out to do. It'll be a good discussion when my library book group meets for it.

      PS-I think I'm through with captivity novels for a while.
    • 5/5
      This book deserves it's status as a National Book award finalist. It's a well written, fascinating adaptation of the Hades and Persephone myth. The book is set in Bone Gap, a rural town in the American Midwest, and will be engaging to Young Adult readers who like stories grounded in realistic experiences as well as avid readers of fantasy. The lyric descriptions of the corn fields surrounding the town evoke both Demeter and the Grim Reaper. The Persephone character, Roza, is a Polish exchange student who has the kind of resilience that comes from having faced adversity and overcome it. Although she can't escape the Underworld on her own, her determined attempts to resist her captivity are a refreshing change from the passive victims and romantic princesses that populate other version of the myth. In Bone Gap, the people left behind struggle to understand Roza disappearance, but point of view character, 17 year old high-school student Finn, feels her loss more than others. He actually saw Roza's kidnapping, but can't describe the kidnapper's face for reasons that become clear as the story unfolds. Finn's journey of self realization is moving and empowering in unexpected ways. His faults become strengths as he learns to accept and understand them.
    • 4/5
      YA This book definitely kept my interest and sucked me in, mostly because of 17 yr old Finn O'Sullivan, the so-sympathetic character who I think I had a little crush on. He is sweet and good and kind, determined to do the right thing, and very lonely because of it. He and his older brother Sean live on a dilapidated farm in Bone Gap, IL a super small town in the cornfields. When beautiful Roza comes to them unexpectedly, like an injured bird, their lives brighten and deepen and take on the sheen of happiness. When she leaves just as unexpectedly, Finn is sure there is more to her story. He witnessed her getting into a car with a man he just can't describe -- except to say he moves like a scarecrow. And whether she is leaving voluntarily or not is just as unclear. Sean clears out all her things, determined to forget her and ignore his broken heart, but Finn, who now feels like he has lost Sean as well cannot give up. As Finn becomes romantically involved with Petey, a girl who keeps bees and flouts the town's gossip, he gains the courage and the determination to go after Roza. This is a book about seeing : what our perceptions and preconceptions are, how we miss what is right under our nose and ignore what we don't want to see. To accomplish this, some elements of magic are necessary and that is where the book lost me a bit. Everything else about it was so real and practical that the magic felt a little out of place or forced. Plus it is part of the mystery, so is slowly revealed and a bit confusing. Still it all comes together for good in the end. Especially clever are the college essay topics Finn creates -- both mocking the process, but also taking the writing to another level of thought and poetic language. Pretty clean in language -- swearing is not gratuitous -- but a little steamy in the romance department, though at least in a context of love and caring.
    • 3/5
      After finishing this YA "fantasy" book up a couple of days ago, I'm still not quite decided on where I stand. And maybe where I stand is "This would be great for semi-mature YAs - they'd totally connect with the storyline and characters!" Was it great for me, personally? It was just okay. It felt more like a realistic fiction novel than fantasy and in that regard I was disappointed. But did I keep reading? Yeah, I did, and not because I had to. So there's that.
    • 4/5
      This book received many honors, including the 2015 Michael Printz award, a National Book Award Finalist, and one of the top ten best fiction for Young Adults Top Ten.Few can write magic realism and make it work as well as Alice Hoffman or Sarah Addison Allen, yet Laura Ruby was successful in making this work in Bone Gap.While at times the plot seemed somewhat convoluted, I stayed with the book, and I'm glad I did. Bone Gap is a small town, one in which everyone knows each other. And, as usual, small towns have their noisy neighbors, their near-do-wells, and a smattering to those who try to rise above the fray and all that is stifling about small-town life. The book begins with the disappearance of Rosa who left the town as mysteriously as she entered. Finn saw the abduction, but cannot recall the details. Finn is known by many names throughout the town, most of them dealt with his inability to stay on track. We follow the story of Finn who hears the corn talk to him in his rural setting, who allows the nasty Rude brothers to pick on him and beat him up, and we also know that Finn has a gift of understanding people. He knows his brother loves Rosa, but he is to afraid to try to find herr.As Finn finds a love of his own and in this strength learns his abilities to face what seems impossible to rescue his brother's love. Only Finn can rescue Rosa, and it is a very difficult task. As the magic both prevents and aids him.Three and 1/2 stars!
    • 3/5
      I didn't much care for the magical realism. Although the magical parts were integral to the plot, they didn't feel well integrated into the world of Bone Gap. I also felt that Finn's difficulties with facial recognition were dealt with in enough depth. It was an interesting twist and I wanted more, such as a section from Sean's perspective when he found out about it.Dan Bittner did a very good job narrating, especially in Roza's voice.
    • 3/5
      I love Magical Realism, but this is not the kind of magical realism I'm accustomed to. Or at least I've never read anything like it before. I didn't mind that it was different from what I usually read, but my main issue with this particular story was that I didn't feel invested for a least eighty percent of it. I just couldn't wait to finish, I felt no connection to the characters or the story. Yes the writing was definitely good and I didn't dislike anyone really, I could sympathize with their troubles and thought the quirkiness of the town and the people were interesting, but I still wasn't able develop that deep invested connection. Also I kinda got this déjà vu, I've read this vibe from it, I was getting a beauty and the beast type of story. Overall it wasn't too much of a bad read for me personally since I didn't end up dnf'ing it.
    • 5/5
      A wonderful, rare work of YA magical realism.
    • 2/5
      I don't usually do audiobooks, but I have been taking a lot of long (5-10 mile) walks as part of my backpacking training and I am getting bored!!I picked some young adult titles because I am not a great listener, so YA works well for me. I did not realize this was magical realism until I got to the crux of the story and--ta-da! magical realism! difficult situation solved! So frustrating. The story was good up to that point, and I was so curious how it would be worked out.The narrator was fine, other than his female voices. Particularly his voice of Roza, a native Polish speaker. It was not good--it sounded like a 15-year-old making fun of someone. But, I will continue to try some more audiobooks.
    • 5/5
      This subtly speculative novel about two brothers facing loss and a young woman fighting for her freedom from a kidnapper is absolutely gorgeous. I love the way each of the characters are portrayed and the magical realism of this small town, where everybody knows everything about everyone, even if they always get the story wrong.
    • 4/5
      Unlike most reviewers, I enjoyed the buildup far more than the climax. The climax and "twist" (what the hell is the twist people are talking about?) were really flat, uneventful and, lackluster to me. Getting to know the characters was the best part of the book. Trying to figure out what was going on and how things would come together was far more rewarding than them actually coming together.
    • 5/5
      A slow burn of a young adult mystery with strong hints of magical realism that feels like riding a carousel at a very creepy abandoned carnival of ghosts.This book took me pleasantly by surprise - it started slow and quiet, but built itself up to stealthily into a burning climax. Wonderful usage of magical realism, fantastic twist, down-to-earth genuine romantic relationships between teens which is a rarity in YA lit, and a powerful message about love, and sight.
    • 3/5
      2.75 stars

      I had some difficulty figuring out what was going on with this book. I like the characters, but I'm not sure if the story was suppose to be completely realistic or what really happened at the end. When his issue with recognition was revealed it was really interesting to me, and really a lot of it was interesting to me. I was left feeling confused after reading it though.
    • 5/5
      This novel of magical realism centers around a mysterious disappearance in a small town with unexplained gaps--gaps of memory and gaps between worlds. Finn doesn't fit in and can't figure out why; he witnessed the abduction of Roza, his brother's girlfriend, but can't describe the assailant; he's drawn to the beekeeper's daughter who is burdened by the town's prejudices; and he must travel between the gaps to save Roza.
    • 5/5
      This was an amazing read. The story kept jumping between reality and magic reality. Characters are believable. I dove into this novel, and just tore through it. I will read it again. The poetry of character's thoughts, feelings and perceptions was unexpected and delightful. Everything moved the story forward. So much magic, so much believable magic. This was a santathing surprise and I'm just thrilled with it!!
    • 4/5
      This is a young adult book that was free this year in the audio sync program. One comment, there is a bit of sexual content, mild yes, no details but some heavy petting going on. A story set in Bone Gap, Illinois. I was pretty sure that it is fictional but, hey, who knew. If you google it there is a place called Bone Gap. The story features a rag tag bunch of characters; Finn the main character is described pretty much as a spacey kid, his brother Sean, Petey the beekeeper's daughter, Roza the girl from Poland here studying botany, the Rude Boys (bullies) and Charlie Valentine (not his real name). Besides the amusing array of characters there is a long list of animals; Calamity the Cat, the goat, the horse, the chickens, the dog in the lane, murder of crows, etc. Then there is the corn. The corn whispers. The story revolves around Roza going missing. But it also is told from different perspectives of Finn, Roza, Petey. Oh, and less I forget, there is a bit of botany (plants, gardening) going on as well. A pretty good story, maybe a bit too much stuff going on for some readers but after I settled into the story, I liked it. It also won quite a few awards or made some short lists. Having just read How to read Literature Like a Professor, I can recommend this book as a good exercise. If you want no spoils, don't read the rest. This story is based on the mythology of Persephone. Roza goes missing, Finn sees her leave and thinks maybe she wanted to go but he is not sure and he can't describe the man that takes her. He can't talk to Sean who loved Roza. Petey is mad at Finn for not being able to see her for what she is. Of course the story of Persephone is that she is the daughter of Demeter. Hades falls in love with her and takes her to Hades. Finn is on a quest, his quest is to find Roza but he also finds himself in this quest. Finn enters the corn, he finds the stream (river Styx), he "finds" Roza with his unique vision and he, Roza and Russ escape back through the corn to Bone Gap.
    • 5/5
      Just freaking awesome.

      Library copy
    • 5/5
      Wow! This is a wonderful story full of mystery, magical whispering, gateways to other worlds and lessons on how we see (and don't always see) the beauty in ourselves and others. Full of charming, rich characters and wonderful atmosphere.