GIFTED | One of my favourite film directors is Tim Burton. Every time I watch Edward Scissorhands or The Nightmare Before Christmas I fall in love with the characters of Edward and Sally all over again. So I was beyond excited to read the press release for The Bone Garden, I knew it would be a novel I could get lost in. And, spoiler, it didn’t disappoint.
The Bone Garden
“Remember my dear, you do not really and truly exist.”
Made of dust and bone and imagination, Irréelle fears she’s not quite real. Only the finest magical thread tethers her to life – and to Miss Vesper. But for all her efforts to please her cruel creator, the thread is unravelling. Irréelle is forgetful as she gathers bone dust. She is slow returning from the dark passages beneath the cemetery. Worst of all, she is unmindful of her crooked bones.
When Irréelle makes one final, unforgivable mistake by almost destroying a frightening creature just brought to life, Miss Vesper threatens to imagine her away once and for all. Defying her creator for the very first time, Irréelle flees to the underside of the graveyard. And embarks on an adventure to unearth the mysterious magic that breathes bones to life, even if it means she will return to dust and be no more.
A spooky and adventurous novel, The Bone Garden is a compulsively readable gothic tale that explores notions of identity, love, and creation. With echoes of Neil Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book and Jonathan Auxier’s The Night Gardener, author Heather Kassner crafts a story humming with magic, mystery, and dark imaginings.
The Bone Garden is available in paperback or Kindle from Amazon UK.
Heather Kassner loves thunderstorms, hummingbirds, and books. She lives with her husband in Arizona, waiting (and waiting and waiting) for the rain, photographing hummingbirds, and reading and writing strange little stories. She earned her Masters of Organizational Management and worked in higher education for fifteen years, most recently as a Campus Chair and faculty member in the College of Humanities. The Bone Garden is her debut novel.
First impressions
I’ve spoken so many times before about the stunning artwork that graces Titan Books’ publications and The Bone Garden is no exception. Isn’t it beautiful? Delicate and ever so slightly creepy. Perfect for this gothic novel.
There are many echoes of other stories in this book. Miss Vesper is the image of Charles Dickens’ Miss Havisham: a twisted and malicious old bat whose ruined love affair shapes her dealings with all who come into contact with her. Irréelle made me think of Edward Scissorhands too, another sweet and gentle soul whose inventor died before he could transform him into a real boy. And I was very much reminded of Sally in The Nightmare Before Christmas, who is created from bits and pieces and yearns for more than her lot.
Manipulated, terrorised, and abused, Irréelle finally takes flight, only to find out she’s not the only being created by Miss Vesper. Her new friendships with more confident and assertive Guy, Lass, and the Hand (my favourite!) help her finally stand up to her creator and tormentor. In fact, it’s Irréelle who has the final say in Miss Vesper’s fate. Her journey from shy, fearful mouse to someone who is prepared to sacrifice herself for her friends is one loveliest character transformations to follow. It’s very hard to write much about the story without giving away any spoilers but I can say that she’s a surreal and ethereal heroine that I fell in love with.
Other thoughts
I’ve mentioned Tim Burton a few times and that’s because I think The Bone Garden would make a wonderful film, absolutely perfect for his particular brand of magic and fantasy. Interestingly, I found the novel quite open-ended: I think there may well be scope for future tales of Irréelle and her friends. I hope so, things were just getting even more interesting, and I’d be fascinated to see where they go next.
At just over 300 pages long, The Bone Garden is an easy and spellbinding read. One of those books that you just fall into and let the writing sweep you away for a magical few hours.
Would I recommend it?
If you’re a fan of fantasy tales and Tim Burton in particular, then yes, I think you’ll love The Bone Garden. Irréelle is a captivating heroine and the whole concept of creating characters from bone dust is one I very much enjoyed. Ashes to ashes at their finest.
Thank you very much to Titan Books for my copy of The Bone Garden, it’s one of the most enchanting reads to grace my TBR pile for some time. I very much hope Kassner will continue to write about Irréelle and her companions in the future, and that Tim Burton will get in touch with her as soon as possible.
* This post features some affiliate links (please see my disclaimer).
* This book was sent in exchange for a review but all opinions are my own. Please do feel free to check out my other book reviews too.
That cover is enchanting! This sounds like a great spooky book, will definitely check it out!
It really is, isn’t it? And thank you, I hope you enjoy it too 🙂
This definitely isn’t my usual type of book but it does sound good! Great review!
Oh thank you, that’s very kind – it really is a fab little tale!
The cover is so beautiful and enticing! Definitely will be adding this to my TBR x
It really is – and I hope you enjoy it!
Oh wow, I’ve never heard of this before but the cover caught my eye straight away and after reading the description and your thoughts I am even more intrigued. I’m attempting to get more into fantasy so I am really interested in picking this up for sure!
The artwork is so stunning, and the story is just beautiful – I’m so glad my review might have piqued your interest, it’s such a good book!
This sounds like my sort of book! I love the mentions of Neil Gaiman and Tim Burton. The cover is beautiful x
Yay, a fellow Tim Burton fan, I think you’d love this one for sure 🙂 x
I’ve not heard of this book before and it’s not the type of genre I go for. I always find anything Tim Burton-esque a bit creepy. But I love your review and glad you enjoyed it so much, which shows through your review. Thanks for sharing, Lisa! x
Thank you, that’s so kind, and I do know what you mean about Tim Burton sometimes, haha! X
Firstly the drawing on the book is beautiful and sounds like it works with the story really well. I don’t usually read fantasy books but this one really sounds great and sounds like something I would get stuck into! Great review x
It’s such a lovely tale, one that I couldn’t put down. The characters and writing are both magical, I’m sure you’d love it if you gave it a go, and thank you 🙂 x
This sounds fascinating! You wrote a great review – I’ll have to check this out!
Oh thank you, and I hope you enjoy it too if you do read it!
This isn’t the type of book I’d usually read, but it definitely sounds like a great experience!! If I have time I may check it out 🙂
Thank you – I’d love to know what you think if you do check it out! 🙂
i love the cover on this book. I’ll put it on my to read list 🙂
Yay, I hope you enjoy it!
The cover for this book is so pretty, I really like the sound of the plot and the character development! Thanks for sharing x
Kayleigh Zara 🌟 http://www.kayleighzaraa.com
It’s gorgeous, isn’t it? And thank you, I’m glad it all came across in the review! x
Sounds like a really creepy book! The cover definitely reminds me of Tim Burton!
Glad I’m not the only one who’s a Tim Burton fan!
What a gorgeous edition! And it sounds like it is the perfect gothic story rather than necessarily being a horror. I feel like it probably has similar tones to Coraline, which interestingly was directed by Henry Sellick too, the same as Nightmare Before Christmas, so I suppose that makes sense! It sounds like exactly the sort of thing to read with the nights closing in. How perfect!
Yessss, it’s not a horror story, it’s a gothic fairytale! I haven’t seen Coraline yet (the DVD is gathering dust on our shelf) but it’s such a lovely story, so well written. I’m so glad that came across, thank you for your lovely comment 🙂 x
What a beautiful cover!
I absolutely love The Nightmare Before Christmas so I might have to add this to my reading list.
Louisa
It is, isn’t it? And that’s great, I hope you emjoy it 🙂
This looks like an interesting magical fantasy, like the ones my mum used to tell me when I was little. Adding it to my reading list. I love your book reviews Lisa, as I get to know something new and interesting. 🙂
Via | http://glossnglitters.com
It’s so magical, commpletely enthralling, I’m sure you’d love it, Via – and thank you so much for your lovely comment, how kind 🙂
I’m a huge fan of Tim Burton and gothic fairytales, so this is write up my alley. The cover artwork is stunning! 🖤
It sounds like the perfect novel for you, Kim – glad to find a fellow Tim Burton fan 🙂
Ooh, I love both Edward Scissorhands and The Nightmare Before Christmas so I reckon I would enjoy this book! Firstly the cover is beautiful, it’s is so eye-catching and has that creepy enchanting vibe to it. Your reviews are always so well written Lisa and whatever genre, I always feel intrigued to give it a read! This one sounds like a story you could easily get lost in and escape for a few hours with. I love the gothic, mysterious and magical theme – it sounds like the perfect reading for these darker colder cosy evenings. Fab post, thanks for sharing your thoughts lovely! <3 xxxx
A fellow Tim Burton fan, I’m so pleased 🙂 I’m glad you loved the cover artwork too, I think it’s gorgeous, so evocative. And thank you so much, that’s the loveliest compliment any book reviewer could wish for, you are so kind! xxx
I’ve never heard of this book! But it sounds so interesting and the cover is so beautiful. I’ve been meaning to start reading more books so I’ll have to add this to my never-ending list of books to read xD
It’s a lovely, easy read, one that you would whip through in a few hours, I’m sure. Perfect for your TBR pile! x
The cover of this book is just stunning! It’s giving me such great aesthetics. It sounds like a good story and I’m a MASSIVE fan of Tim burton so this is right up my street and what better time to snap this up with it being autumn.
Jordanne || thelifeofaglasgowgirl.co.uk
It’s so beautiful, isn’t it? It just invites you to pick it up. And fantastic to know another Tim Burton fan, I’m in great company! x
This sounds right up my street! I can’t wait to pick up a copy!
Thank you for sharing Lisa!
Didi | http://www.didicrawford.com
You’re very welcome – I hope you enjoy it!