Book Review | Near the Bone

Together with her husband, Mattie lives in a log cabin in the desolate wilderness. Game has been sparse this winter and bears should be hibernating away in their dens, so Mattie is surprised when she stumbles across large pawprints in the snow. Worst yet, animal carcasses are being mutilated and arranged in ways no normal predator could manage.
Now Mattie must survive a monster with far more cunning than seems natural as well as survive the monster within her own home.

Heart-pounding and bone-chilling, Near the Bone by Christina Henry is an atmospheric survival thriller filled with an ever-present feeling of isolation and dread. Each page soaks with tension since the horror stems twofold: the wild and her own home.

First, the story effectively explores the domestic horror of Mattie dealing with a constantly abusive and hyper-controlling husband who won’t even let her listen to music or read any other book besides the bible because he believes it is a sin.

Next comes the monster, which is absolutely terrifying in its own right. We’re teased glimpses of it throughout the story, and I squealed and gasped out loud every time it appeared. However, this aspect of the story also became my greatest disappointment. The monster’s build up didn’t quite live up to its potential. I felt like its subplot was leading up to a poignant metaphor to parallel or connect with Mattie’s own husband and his abuse. However, the monster’s presence never became fully integrated into the story and its conclusion felt more like an afterthought.

All and all though, this is a story about survival. It’s a deliciously creepy cabin-in-the-woods type book, perfect to cozy up with on a chilly night, so if you love the atmosphere and undercurrent of folk horror in The Ritual, I think you’ll adore this one as well.

Book Details:

Publication Date : April 13, 2021
Publisher : Berkley
ISBN : 0593199766
Pages : 336

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