Near the Bone, by Christina Henry

 Hey guys, this is Abi here, 

And I'm back! After three weeks, mostly full of work, but ready to post twice in a week! 

I've been reading so many amazing books recently, that I just feel in the mood to review them all. 

Look at me, two reviews in two months, when last year that was basically all I posted in terms of reviews! 

Without further ado, this review is about the most Halloweenish book I've read this year. 

You already know which one I'm talking about, if you've read the title, so here's my review of Near the Bone, by Christina Henry. 

Title: Near the Bone

Author: Christina Henry 

Genre: Horror

Release date:13/4/2021

Status: Standalone.

Pages: 363

Blurb: "Mattie can't remember a time before she and William lived

alone on a mountain together. She must never make him upset. 

But when Mattie discovers the mutilated body of a fox in the 

woods, she realised that they're not alone after all. 

There's something in the woods that wasn't there before, 

something that makes strange cries in the nights, something 

with sharp teeth and claws. 

When three strangers appear on the mountaintop looking for

the creature in the woods, Mattie knows their presence will 

anger William. Terrible things happen when William is angry." 

My Thoughts

Despite reading many fantastic (and diverse) recently, the roar for Near the Bone will simply not be silenced until I've shared my thoughts. 

Going into this, I wasn't really sure which fairytale Near the Bone was based off of. It felt a bit like Little Red Riding Hood, but I knew it was unlikely to be, because of The Girl in Red. I never really did figure it out, because it felt like a number of fairytales combined, spun into a web, and turning into it's own beast. It held it's own against some of my favourite classic horrors, because of how brilliantly written it was. (And because I find Henry's books surprisingly easy to get into.)

Near the Bone follows Mattie, who has lived with her husband William for as long as she can remember. They are completely isolated, with no human contact, high up on a mountain, in plain sight. Our story begins when Mattie comes across a mutilated fox, realising that maybe they're not as alone as they originally thought. 

From the opening scene, I thought I had an inkling about what direction the story was going to take. I also thought William was her brother. When I learned that he is in fact her husband, and the life that they live together, my predictions went straight out of the window. 

I thought Mattie was going to be pursuing this mysterious beast, side by side with Willam, finding out why it would threaten their small dwelling. But honestly, I felt sympathetic with Mattiew from the start. I won't spoil it, but Near the Bone is more about Mattie piecing together the puzzle parts to who she was when she was a young girl, and simply trying to survive the desperate circumstances she finds herself in. 

I enjoyed reading about these other characters too. I wasn't super happy about their turn of events, but I enjoyed getting to know them, they didn't feel rushed, and I was rooting for their survival. They were, after all, just a group of kids, looking to do some research about unique monsters. 

I've enjoyed every single Christina Henry book in the past, and although it might not have been my favourite Christina Henry book (sometimes you just gel with the characters and the plot), I will say that I've never felt this kind of urgency to find out what happens next, with one of her books. 

Near the Bone is only 363 pages, so I think it'll be perfect for newby readers that like the odd horror film or two. Not to mention it introduces them to a whole load of other creepy-ish, atmospheric reads that have enough pacing to keep you interested. 

To wrap up, I wish I hadn't read this book, just so I could pick it up with fresh eyes and read it for the first time over. Maybe in a few years, when I've read more, and forgotten some of it, I'll go back. 

And maybe it's time to pick up some of my other Christina Henry books now as well... 

Okay! That is all I have for you all today! I hope you enjoyed the post, comment down below if you've read any Christina Henry books, and if you have any recommendations for creepy, atmospheric reads! 

I hope you have a wonderful day, and I'll see you all soon with my November Wrap Up (2024)! 

Byeeeee! 

-Abi xxxx