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Bone Talk by Candy Gourlay
Jan. 10th, 2021 03:13 pmThe Blurb On The Back:
See, the Tree of Bones calls. Can you see?
More than a hundred years ago, a boy called Samkad thinks he knows everything about the world. He knows the mountains he lives in. He knows his people. He knows his blood enemy, the Mangili. And he wants to become a man, to be given his own shield, spear and axe to fight with. His best friend, Luke, wants all the same things - except she is a girl, and no girl has ever become a warrior
But everything changes when a new boy arrives in the village. He calls himself Samkad’s brother, yet he knows nothing of the ways of the mountain. And he brings news of a people called ‘Americans’, who are bringing war and destruction right to his home …
( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )
The Verdict:
Candy Gourlay’s standalone historical novel for children aged 9+ is a sensitive coming-of-age story that combines the evils of colonialism with a magical realism vibe. Gourlay does a great job of showing the clash between village life and the temptations that the Americans bring with them (and the terrible price that comes with it), depicting a period and conflict that was new to me and which I think children would be interested in.
More than a hundred years ago, a boy called Samkad thinks he knows everything about the world. He knows the mountains he lives in. He knows his people. He knows his blood enemy, the Mangili. And he wants to become a man, to be given his own shield, spear and axe to fight with. His best friend, Luke, wants all the same things - except she is a girl, and no girl has ever become a warrior
But everything changes when a new boy arrives in the village. He calls himself Samkad’s brother, yet he knows nothing of the ways of the mountain. And he brings news of a people called ‘Americans’, who are bringing war and destruction right to his home …
( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )
The Verdict:
Candy Gourlay’s standalone historical novel for children aged 9+ is a sensitive coming-of-age story that combines the evils of colonialism with a magical realism vibe. Gourlay does a great job of showing the clash between village life and the temptations that the Americans bring with them (and the terrible price that comes with it), depicting a period and conflict that was new to me and which I think children would be interested in.
