The Silence of Bones

by June Hur

June Hur's elegant and haunting debut The Silence of Bones is a bloody YA historical mystery tale perfect for fans of Kerri Maniscalco and Renée Ahdieh.

I have a mouth, but I mustn't speak;
Ears, but I mustn't hear;
Eyes, but I mustn't see.

1800, Joseon (Korea). Homesick and orphaned sixteen-year-old Seol is living out the ancient curse: “May you live in interesting times.” Indentured to the police bureau, she’s been tasked with assisting a well-respected young inspector with the investigation into the politically charged murder of a noblewoman.

As they delve deeper into the dead woman's secrets, Seol forms an unlikely bond of friendship with the inspector. But her loyalty is tested when he becomes the prime suspect, and Seol may be the only one capable of discovering what truly happened on the night of the murder.

But in a land where silence and obedience are valued above all else, curiosity can be deadly.

• ISBN10: 1250229553
• ISBN13: 9781250229557
• Publish Date: 21 April 2020
• Publish Status: Out of Print
• Out of Print: 16 June 2023
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: St Martin's Press
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 336
• Language: English

Reviews

[Amber (The Literary Phoenix)]

I've been excited for THE SILENCE OF BONES for a while... but for some reason, I went into this one expecting a horror novel? I think it may be the title - "Bones" is synonymous with horror, right? Well, first of all, I do want to let y'all know that THE SILENCE OF BONES is a YA historical fiction mystery, *not* a horror novel. And it does really well!

18th century Korea is not a setting we see a lot... or ever... and I'm grateful that June Hur has brought this world to life. Hur is an #OwnVoices writer, born in South Korea, and has done some really wonderful research to bring this story to life. My favorite art of THE SILENCE OF BONES is how original the story feels - not, necessarily, in so far as plot? But as a whole offering, there's really nothing like it out there.

Is it perfect? No. The plot was extremely predictable, for starters, which hampered my personal enjoyment. Additionally, the characters were not emotionally-driven, and while there's nothing wrong with that, it something I struggle with as a reader (so no fault of the book, fault of the reader!). Finally, the pacing of THE SILENCE OF BONES is slow and sweet, which is wonderful in certain cases and for certain readers, but isn't ideal for me as a reader. None of these things should drive you away from giving the book a try, though, because it's all about personal preference!

Regardless of my personal enjoyment of THE SILENCE OF BONES, I came out of this book with respect for June Hur as a writer and I'm looking forward to reading more of her work as it comes out. This novel may not have been a fit for me as a reader, but it's clear that Hur is a skilled writer with something special to offer the market, and I'm super excited to follow her journey.

[Chelsea]

I’ve watched way too many kdramas and was expecting some serious pain while reading this book but I’m happy to announce it wasn’t that painful and I really enjoyed reading about Seol’s adventures. She felt a little younger than her actual age but it was kind of nice reading a YA book with a main character on the younger side of YA.

I liked that this was a mystery that was unraveled bit by bit. I love a good plot twist but it was nice to guess who the murderer was half way through and then slowly find evidence to back myself up. It was like 2 mysteries in one too because on one side we had the murder and on the other we had Inspector Han who Seol was conflicted about. They intertwined a little bit making for one big mystery!

If you like a good mystery, an interesting setting, and are not a fan of the violence that comes with a lot of crime books, then this is a great one for you!

[layawaydragon]

I received this book for free from Fantastic Flying Book Club in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.Hello everybody! Today is all about The Silence of Bones, by debut author June Hur. It's a YA historical in 1800s Korea about an indentured teen helping solve a murder mystery. How cool?!? How unique?!?

About The Silence of Bones:

Excerpt from The Silence of Bones

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Starts: 15th April 2020
Ends: 29TH April 2020

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This review was originally posted on The Layaway Dragon

[kalventure]

✨ You can read an excerpt over at Fierce Reads!

This book is incredible, friends! The Silence of Bones is a haunting and heartbreaking YA historical mystery debut. I was expecting a historical whodunit but was delivered a melancholic and twisty story that tore at my heartstrings and made me cry more than once.

"The purple sky deepened into midnight black. A darness so deep and quiet, swamped in slumbering silence, that [redacted] must have thought himself sneaky."

Meticulously researched, The Silence of Bones is set in Korea during the 1800s and Hur's writing transports you back in time. I could envision myself on the roads in the countryside or in the Inchon Prefecture. Hur balances descriptively beautiful writing with a quickly moving plot masterfully and I was gripped from the first page!

"The longing for knowledge only got me into trouble these days."

The characters are where this debut truly shine. You cannot help but fall in love with Seoul, the main character. She's an inquisitive, compassionate, and intensely loyal sixteen-year-old indentured as a damo for the capital's police bureau. I adore her inquisitive nature and desire to be valued; my heart breaks for her situation and the pain she experiences from the circumstances of her station. She is so incredibly smart with good instincts for investigation, highlighting how so many skillful people are stifled by history.

"'But you will serve. That is fact, that is your fate.' Fate. A shackle as solid as truth - unchangeable, unmovable."

Despite being a rule-abiding citizen, Seol constantly butts up against the fringe of what is acceptable for her. Her curiousity often gets her into trouble in a place where silence is celebrated and she is merely meant to be an extension of the male investigators. Duty and honor are central themes to this story.

Society is fiercely divided by gender roles and class and the time period is one of religious unrest as Christianity is making its way through the region. I like how the narrative explores how religion and politics are intertwined; power dynamics and how systems of power are maintained are depicted well. As Seoul meets characters who've converted, you can see the stark contrast in how people are treated and can feel the allure the disenfranchised characters feel through the promise of equality.

"For when grief swells around you like the sea, you must swim and keep your head above it. Do not drown in it."

From the beginning, I was filled with a sense of foreboding. The narrative is told in the paste tense, which gives a feeling of being told a story or reading a journal after the events have passed. Melancholy is woven into the pages; you can feel the regret and pain through recollection. And you cannot help but become invested in Seol's journey as you come to care deeply for the characters. This book broke my heart; it is so sad but such a beautiful and haunting debut. I can't get this book out of my head.

"Sometimes monsters are born, but sometimes they are made by an accumulation of hurt."

Intricately plotted and expertly crafted, the murder mystery takes a lot of twists and turns. I guessed one aspect of the mystery early on, but it distracted me to all the other things going on. The book has a bit of a slow start but it just kind of creeps up on you until you're trapped in web, needing to uncover the mysteries.

Overall, The Silence of Bones took my breath away and left me bereft at the end. The only thing I am sad about? It is a standalone! I'd love nothing more than to check back in on the characters to make sure they are okay. Stunningly written debut novel and June Hur is definitely an author to watch moving forward.

Representation: own-voices Korean in a historical setting
Content warnings: abuse, death, infanticide, interrogation and torture, loss of a loved one, murder, religious persecution, sexism, slavery, suicide

eARC provided by the publisher in exchange for my honest review. This did not affect the contents of my review. Quotations are from an uncorrected proof and may be changed upon final publication.

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[Veronica 🦦]

B+ | It is well-paced and a well-plotted mystery YA novel. The characters are compelling. The historical setting is wonderfully researched and it shows in the writing because Hur brought Joseon Korea to life through her characters and descriptions of the setting. Hur does a fantastic job with its plot as it explores loyalty and family.

For more of my thoughts, head over to my blog, moon & coffee.

Thank you to FFBC and to Feiwel & Friends for providing me with a copy of the eARC.