The Bone Houses by Emily Lloyd-Jones

The Bone Houses

by Emily Lloyd-Jones

Seventeen-year-old Aderyn ("Ryn") only cares about two things: her family, and her family's graveyard. And right now, both are in dire straits. Since the death of their parents, Ryn and her siblings have been scraping together a meager existence as gravediggers in the remote Welsh village of Colbren, which sits at the foot of a harsh and deadly mountain range that was once home to fae creatures known as the Otherfolk. The problem with being a gravedigger in Colbren, though, is that the dead don't always stay dead.

The risen corpses are known as "bone houses," and legend says that they're the result of a decades-old curse. Ryn has always been quick to deal with this inconvenience whenever they wander too close to her graveyard, but when Ellis, an apprentice mapmaker, arrives in town, the bone houses attack with renewed purpose. What is it about Ellis that draws them near? And more importantly, how can they stop them for good?

Together, Ellis and Ryn embark on a quest that will bring them deep into the heart of the mountains, where they will have to face both the curse and long-hidden truths about themselves. Equal parts classic horror novel and original fairy-tale, The Bone Houses will have you spellbound from the very first page.

Reviewed by kalventure on

4 of 5 stars

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It's a weird feeling writing a full review six months after reading a book, but trust me when I say that The Bone Houses is a memorable read that's stuck with me long after finishing it.
"The forest did not scare her; rather, she wanted to be like it: ageless and impervious, cruel and beautiful. Death could not touch it."
The descriptions and atmosphere are fantastic. I was immediately drawn into the world that Lloyd-Jones carefully crafted. The words flow easily and beautifully, gloriously toeing the line of purple prose without bogging down the narrative. The feeling of unease and tension build, leading to a completely wild and intense last quarter of the book that had me on the edge of my seat. I had to put my book down for a minute to recover!
"Our lives depend on people dying. And old people tend to die more quickly than young ones. But they won't be paying for your services, not so long as they think the dead will rise."
I did struggle a bit with the worldbuilding, particularly surrounding the king, magic's presence or lack thereof, the overall mystery of the bone houses and where they came from. A lot of it comes together in the end, but there are some things I just had to suspend my disbelief for and not poke with logic. Excellent pacing, never a dull moment even though I wish some things were explained earlier in the text. Even though I wasn't completely sold on the worldbuilding, it didn't detract much from my enjoyment of the book because of how I was invested I became with the characters.
"She knew how things died. And in her darkest moments, she feared she did not know how to live."
The characters most definitely shine in this book. I will die for the goat and I absolutely love Ryn. She will do anything for her family, making great sacrifices to be sure that her brother and sister are taken care of. And the beauty is in the character relationships. This book made me cry. The sibling relationships are precious and Ceri must be protected at all costs; I love her snark!
"Pain doesn't make a person weak or strong. Pain just is. It's not a purifier, it's a part of living."
The book is as much about grief, love, and family as much as the horrific bone houses (basically zombies). The theme of loss and pain runs throughout the story and is a journey of acceptance which I found incredibly moving.

Overall, The Bone Houses was such an enjoyable, original, and fast-paced read! I'm really glad that OwlCrate included this book in the September 2019 box (and look at the cover!

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 5 October, 2019: Finished reading
  • 5 October, 2019: Reviewed