A BookViral Review Of Bone Necklace By Julia Sullivan

• ASIN: ‎ B09TXZ1YB1
• Publisher: ‎ Brandylane (3 Jun. 2022)
• Language: ‎ English
• Print length: ‎ 302 pages
• Genre: US Historical Fiction

The BookViral Review:

Sometimes when you read a novel, it’s so well-imagined that it just takes over and happens to you. Indeed, it’s a rare read that delivers on this level but that’s exactly what Sullivan’s Bone Necklace does.

An enthralling and powerful evocation of time and place, characters, moral choices, immoral certainties, human nature and social commentary with Sullivan creating an emotional eddy that draws you in from one page to the next. 

Flawlessly written it’s a novel that transcends the historical facts it covers and doesn’t require much effort to surrender to and enjoy. A novel to be relished with the relationship dynamics wonderfully observed and Sullivan’s fine ear for dialogue echoing the thoughts of her characters with a timely clarity which proves wholly engaging throughout. 

The pivotal perspectives are those of Jack Peniel, Running Bird, and to a lesser extent Nicole Lowsley interweaved with dispatches between General Sherman, General Howard and newsprint editorials.

Sullivan’s feel for detail is terrific. Every one of her characters is an individual and refreshingly her narrative remains clear of trite clichés as she finds the right pace and style for what an 1877 New York Times editorial discussing the conflict stated, “On our part, the war was in its origin and motive nothing short of a gigantic blunder and a crime”.

In terms of authenticity, the battle sequences are truly impressive. From Jack’s first armed encounter with the Nez Perce at The Battle Of White Bird Canyon to the aftermath of bloody combat at The Battle of the Big Hole the stark clarity of Sullivan’s prose combined with her intimate style of narrative evokes an overwhelming sense of loss and an inescapable need on the futility of war.

A must-read for fans of American historical fiction Bone Necklace is unreservedly recommended.