Ivory and Bone Review

Distiller: Hikari Loftus
3.5/5 Stars




Ivory and Bone
by Julie Eshbaugh
384 pages
HarperTeen (June 7, 2016)

I know this book is loosely based on Pride and Prejudice, but I think the similarities are vague enough that it's completely its own thing.

In a nut shell, we follow two prehistoric clans and learn the history that marks the huge clash between them. (This is a very brief synopsis. Ha)

What I loved about this read is the pre-historic time period. I think it was probably incredibly hard to write this story, trying to find the balance of using modern speech and terminology while basing everything else on a primitive time period.

The world building in this one felt really reminiscent of The Island of the Blue Dolphins, in a way. Talking about hunting, gathering, food preparation, home structure… all these things were interesting to me and I was interested in the life the characters lived. Maybe it’s because I can’t recall reading a Prehistoric novel in several years, that I just enjoyed living in and imagining each of the details provided.

I loved the uniqueness of this story, especially the voice of Kol. This entire story is him speaking to a girl named Mya. So whenever she comes up in the story, he says “You”. I thought it was one of the most compelling parts of the story.

That being said, it was pretty slow moving. I compare it to a lazy walk rather than a page turning heart gripper. Both are good types of stories for different reading moods and I didn't mind it.

It does pick up near the end with a lot of action, and I did like the way it ended. Even though I wanted a bigger romantic conclusion, I thought the way this one panned out stayed true to the story and characters.

If you’re looking for something different and a little more on the laid back side, give this one a try.