With echoes of Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book and Jonathan Auxier's The Night Gardener, debut author Heather Kassner crafts a gorgeously written story humming with magic, mystery, and dark imaginings.
A dark, compelling debut fantasy about a mysterious girl seeking the truth about the magic that brought her to life. Made of dust and bone and imagination, Irreelle fears she's not quite real. Only the finest magical thread tethers her to life - and to Miss Vesper. But for all her efforts to please her cruel creator, the thread is unravelling. Irreelle is forgetful as she gathers bone dust. She is slow returning from the dark passages beneath the cemetery. Worst of all, she is unmindful of her crooked bones.
When Irreelle makes one final, unforgivable mistake by destroying a frightful creature just brought to life, Miss Vesper threatens to imagine her away once and for all. Defying her creator for the very first time, Irreelle flees to the underside of the graveyard and embarks on an adventure to unearth the mysterious magic that breathes bones to life, even if it means she will return to dust and be no more.
About the Author
Heather Kassner loves thunderstorms, hummingbirds, and books. She lives with her husband in Arizona, waiting (and waiting and waiting) for the rain, photographing hummingbirds, and reading and writing strange little stories. She earned her Masters of Organizational Management and worked in higher education for fifteen years, most recently as a Campus Chair and faculty member in the College of Humanities. The Bone Garden is her debut novel.
Industry Reviews
"At once creepy and emotional, this hauntingly beautiful book and its wonderful narrator come alive with a breath of magic and a pinch of the macabre." Lori M. Lee, author of the Gates of Thread and Stone series; "A gorgeously creepy tale with a timeless feel. With her vulnerability and courage, Irreelle is a heroine you can't help but love." Elly Blake, author of Nightblood; "Beautifully haunting and elegantly told, The Bone Garden enchanted me from page one and kept me spellbound until the very end. I'm convinced Heather Kassner must have her own brand of magic as strong and compelling as her bewitching characters." Mindee Arnett, author of Onyx and Ivory; "The pages of this book are filled with imagination incarnate-in the form of a haunting heroine made from dust, bone, and a heart of gold. A deliciously dark, unique tale!" MarcyKate Connolly, author of Shadow Weaver; "This little Gothic fairytale brings a vivid and insular world to life through the trappings of death. It is easy to become lost with Irreelle as she navigates the eerie passages of the graveyard, listening to the hum of human bones. Ultimately a story of love and the power of friendship, this girl of dust and imagination will win your heart and keep you turning pages until the very end." Lucy Hounsom, author of Starborn; "Best read aloud on a dark autumn night (under a cozy blanket, of course), this magical story - and the brave girl in its pages - will haunt you in the best way." Natalie Lloyd, New York Times bestselling author of Over the Moon; "A hauntingly atmospheric debut." The Morning Star; "A beautifully woven gothic treat... A striking debut, & fans of moonlight shining on gravestones should have a wonderful time with this novel." SciFi Now; "[Evokes] the dreamy tone and themes of Neil Gaiman's Coraline and The Graveyard Book . . . an impressive new fairy tale that will appeal to fans of Lisa Graff's subtly magical stories." Booklist
