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by Anne Fine
Yuri grows up in a country where no freedom of thought is encouraged – where he is told what to cheer for and who to believe in, where even the neighbours are encouraged to report any dissension to the authorities.
But it is still a shock when a few careless words lead him to a virtual death-sentence – sent on a nightmare journey to a northern camp amid the frozen wastes. What, or who, can he possibly believe in now? Can he even survive? And is escape possible . . . ?
"Starred Review. Succeeds brilliantly on three levels: The crushing atmosphere of Stalinist Russia is brilliantly evoked; Yuri is a memorable character who retains his humanity in the face of all that was inhumane; and political ideas are made palpable as Yuri and other characters reflect upon their conditions....A dark, intelligent novel for older readers. " - Kirkus Reviews.
"This is a modern novel with a mythical sensibility that grapples with those troubling questions about the atrocities human beings can perpetrate in the name of making the world a better place." - The Guardian (UK).
"There is nothing small about The Road of Bones. Beneath its cold, white cover, a story of magnitude unfolds... This is a modern novel with a mythical sensibility that grapples with those troubling questions about the atrocities human beings can perpetrate in the name of making the world a better place." - The Scotsman (UK).
"This ambitious book is a rare achievement... This book is subtle, stimulating and morally complex, but it is also evocative and convincing: we feel keenly the chill of both soulless hegemony and its frozen wastes." - The Sunday Times (UK).
"...her best yet - a book that has you reading with your mouth open with terror or your eyes filling with tears." - The Telegraph (UK).
"Although the rise of movements against the government at first appear to offer Yuri hope, the novel's outcome underscores the notion that history repeats itself. Dark and thought-provoking. Ages 12–up." - Publishers Weekly.
This information about The Road of Bones was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Anne Fine has written over forty books, including Madame Doubtfire—the basis for the film Mrs. Doubtfire, starring Robin Williams. She lives in County Durham, England, and was the UK's Children's Laureate from 2001 to 2003.
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If there is anything more dangerous to the life of the mind than having no independent commitment to ideas...
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