Many thanks to NetGalley, Mariner Books and the author for the advanced reader’s copy in exchange for my honest review.
- Title: The Bone Fire
- Author: György Dragomán
- Translator: Ottilie Mulzet
- Publisher: Mariner Books
- Pub. date: 23 February 2021
- Series: none
- Pages: 480
- Genre: historical fiction, magic realism, young adult, Gothic fiction, literary fiction
From an award-winning European writer, a Gothic page-turner with all the menace and promise of a fairy tale.
In the aftermath of a revolution that has plunged her country into chaos, thirteen-year-old Emma’s small corner of the world is shattered after her dissident parents’ death in a car crash. Before she can make sense of her new circumstances, an older woman arrives to claim her, alleging to be her grandmother. When the two travel to what will be her new home in a distant town, Emma is mystified by her guardian, a woman who can read fortunes in coffee dregs, inflict and heal pain at will, and even control the minds of her enemies; she also shares her home with the ghost of her dead husband. But Emma soon learns that there are other reasons her grandmother is treated as an outcast by her neighbors. Like a witch’s apprentice, Emma learns to accept the logic of her grandmother’s secluded life, and as she uncovers the older woman’s story—from the traumas of the Second World War to the Holocaust and the reeducation camps of the communist system—Emma comes to see that sometimes a reality shaped by magic is the only means of finding freedom in the face of terror, manipulation, and fear.
In The Bone Fire, Hungary’s literary star introduces an indelible young heroine, weaving together old-world mysticism and contemporary politics to uncover the soul of a war-scarred land and its people.
What initially drew me to The Bone Fire was the beautiful cover: it gave off strong fantasy vibes that I couldn’t resist. Then I was intrigued by the foreign setting. It was an unfamiliar culture and folklore. So, even though I hardly read translations, I decided I’ll give this a go.
The story follows thirteen-year-old Emma, who was recently orphaned and is taken in by her Grandmother. Emma instantly realises that Grandmother is not an ordinary woman. She’s proved right when mysterious events start to happen around her new household. Soon enough, Emma starts to bond with Grandmother, learning about her family’s past and a new lifestyle as she navigates a new school, new friends, and the fall of communism.
The Good Stuff:
- The writing is beautiful. There is something magical itself about the author’s writing or maybe it’s the translation.
- I love the story’s setting. The story is set in an unidentified East European nation that’s facing a political revolution. I didn’t know much about the political history so I brushed up on that quite a bit. Also, the aesthetic of the setting is just magical!
- Following the story through Emma’s POV was fun because we are figuring out things with Emma. It helped me relate more with the MC.
- Out of all the various characters, Grandmother is my favourite. She is the calm, level-headed personality that just makes everyone feel safe and loved.
- I loved reading about Emma’s school experience, the good and the bad.
The Not-So-Good Stuff:
- I am a tad confused by the style of writing. Rather than typical conversations between characters, the story is told solely through Emma’s POV. But it gets confusing because of the punctuation: there are no quotation marks.
- It gets very obvious that it’s a guy writing a thirteen-year-old girl’s perspective, especially when Emma gets body-conscious. It is very cringey.
- Sometimes the language can get a bit too flowery. I appreciate some good imagery and world-building, but some bits were just altogether unnecessary for me.
The Bone Fire by György Dragomán is a chilling Gothic tale of a thirteen-year-old Emma navigating a world that is going through a revolution. It is magical, heartbreaking and eye-opening. But I’m left wondering whether this translation lives up to the original work.
Have you read The Bone Fire or do you plan on picking it up?
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6 thoughts on “Witchy Grandmothers and Politics Clash in ‘The Bone Fire’”
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It sounds like there are some great positives to this story, but I do worry about the cringey “adult man writing about a teen girl,” not sure how that would work for me.
Yeah, that was one of main negatives here too! It was alright but not something I love 😅
ooooh your review has intrigued me so much!! also you have such a cute blog!
Thank you!!! 💛💛💛
The setting for this books sounds great, as does the Grandmother character. That is a shame about the writing though. I think that would bother me too.
Exactly!