Rated of 5
by Darra W. (Walnut Creek, CA) Category 5 storm; category 3 reaction
On one hand, I admired this gritty novel for the voice of its narrator (the pregnant, 14-year-old Eshe), the unusual setting, and the device of the slowly and ominously building plot that so closely mimicked the movement of Katrina in the Gulf. On the other hand, I felt too distanced from the action to say that I LIKED it. The author's shortcoming or mine? Couldn't say. I'm simply disappointed that I couldn't abandon myself more readily to a story with such powerful potential.
Rated of 5
by Beth T. (Savannah, GA) Gritty and Beautifully Wrought
This is an amazing book. It's not for the faint of heart or overly sensitive. The subject matter is hard to get through sometimes, but the author's writing is so beautiful and poetic that it somehow softens the hard edges of harsh reality and helps the reader become immersed in the characters and their story. I found myself caring about these people and what happened to them, and wasn't ready to put the book down when I turned the last page. Ms. West's is a unique and powerful voice in Southern fiction and I recommend "Salvage the Bones" as a very good read.
Rated of 5
by Donna Oregon Salvage the bones
I looked forward to reading this book. I felt the topic was one that I would enjoy,but I was very disappointed. The writing was disjointed and the story lagged. None of the characters drew me to them and if they had I might have had a different reaction to the book. I am sure I was also unable to identify the dog fighting emphasis in the story.
Rated of 5
by Mary Lou F. (Naples, FL) Getting Along
Jesmyn Ward has a wonderful way of using words to describe situations. You can feel the action of the dog fights and, again, during the scary moments of Hurricane Katrina. This book shows that when the chips are down, a dysfunctional family comes together to help each other during a horrific storm -- Hurricane Katrina.
Rated of 5
by Eileen P. (Pittsford, NY) Lyric and heartbreaking
What an incredible book! Salvage the Bones is a moving portrayal of a family, made up mostly of children, trying to do their best amidst rural poverty. The social and natural landscape where these characters live is unforgiving and harsh, but Jasmyn Ward shows how it is also a place where kindness and love play a particularly important role. It would be an excellent discussion book as it raises so many important social issues in an enlightening and nonjudgmental way.
Rated of 5
by Donna W. (Wauwatosa, WI) Salvage the Bones
Jesmyn Ward uses extensive detail in the writing of her book, and this leaves the reader with a good feeling for the poorness of the people, the texture of the area around Bois Sauvage, Mississippi, and the pain inherent in some personal relationships. However, this extensive detail also interfered with the story for me. I felt the writing was at times disjointed, and I had a hard time getting into the book, and a hard time forming an attachment with the characters.
Also, the grittiness of some of the interactions, and the grimness of some of the scenes involving the dogs bothered me.
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of 5
by Darra W. (Walnut Creek, CA) 
of 5
by Beth T. (Savannah, GA) 
of 5
by Donna Oregon 
of 5
by Mary Lou F. (Naples, FL) 
