The Bone Dragon

An original, haunting book with a realistic and likeable main character.

The Bone Dragon introduces us to Evie, who’s recovering from an operation to remove a part of her rib. With the help of her uncle, she decides to keep this piece of rib, and carve a dragon from it. As she recovers, this little bone dragon comes to life, and takes her out on night time trips.

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Over the course of the book, Evie’s past and life is gradually revealed to the reader, although it’s never totally clear; and it’s important to realise that Evie is the narrator of her story, so part of the experience is never knowing exactly sure what to expect, and what is truth.

For me, The Bone Dragon is a well layered book – I have seen some reviews saying it’s no more than a story of a depressed girl making a dragon. I guess that is the basis of the story, but they seem to have missed so much more. It can be read as a fantasy, as a tale of a dragon coming to life and trying to help Evie to heal, in many ways. Alternatively, it can be read as a personal story, dealing with healing, friendship, family, and revenge.

There is a darker side to the story too, Evie does learn to heal, and to develop her relationships, but there’s also a darker side to how she deals with her past. As for her past, it is a difficult one, but never is it presented in a graphic way – the author hints at what happened to Evie, and how it makes her feel. This to me is important, as this can be read by teenagers and adults alike.

This is a story about a teenager, and it is a YA book, but as an adult I found so much within it’s pages. It stirred memories of teenage feelings, whilst bringing out the nurturing adult in me. Evie is a troubled but lovable character, who I wanted to know and help.

I heard about this book a while ago, but have put off reading it. After meeting Alexia at YALC, suddenly it appealed, and I’m so glad I read it. Alexia has just signed a contract for her second book, and I will be first in the queue to read it.

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I found this book slightly disturbing - with a few tweaks, you could easily change it into a horror film.
Evie has been abused by her family and adopted into a new home, but she carries scars on her body and her psyche. She says her innocence is damaged, the ability to not know that people carry out

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wicked actions from hate and not to feel protected. She joins a nice caring family, who have also been devastated by the careless actions of other people and are struggling to retain their compassion and belief in a good world. She receives help at school from her English teacher, but finds expressing how she feels difficult and probably a re-run of the abuse. And a boy at school starts playing practical jokes on her.
I find Sonny Rawlins to be demonised and also left without protection, even though her teacher/counselor is aware that his behaviour is probably immature pig tail pulling. Her perfect Uncle puts slugs on toast to make her adopted mother squeal, yet is seemingly happy to demonise Sonny too. When Sonny brings her flowers on valentines day, she also takes this as an attempt to hurt her, but they are almost certainly not meant that way.
She ends the book with more dark secrets in her soul.

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"Sometimes it is no great shame to give in, even to despair, provided that it is just for a little while. Sometimes a little surrender is good for the soul"

An unusual story with the narrator being a 14-year-old girl with an abusive past which is never fully revealed (frustratingly). Evie is young

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and at times naïve, yet also angry with definite PTSD traits. The story is slowly drip-fed by the protagonist, which at times I found too slow, as not a lot happens.

The adoptive parents were slightly annoying, particularly the helicopter mother who did not notice Evie sneaking out at night, returning with wet/dirty clothes even though she acted like her shadow. The constant darling and sweetheart comments were very OTT and gag worthy.

Clearly the dragon is not real and therefore Evie is potentially a psychopath in the making. Her attitude and actions toward Sonny Rawlins, who was not the evil child he was made out to be, were extreme and the ending was a red-flag event. What I found worrying is that this is a YA and could easily give other impressionable young people the idea that sever revenge is acceptable…

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