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The Obsessive Bookseller Reviews: “Ivory and Bone” by Julie Eshbaugh

March 23, 2017

Book review: “Ivory and Bone” by Julie Eshbaugh

Series: Ivory and Bone #1 Genre: Teen Fantasy The Overview: Goodreads

“Ivory and Bone” is set in the mammoth-hunting era of prehistory, and the constant cultural infusion was easily my favorite part of the book. It was doubtless a lot more fanciful than life in that era would’ve been, but I didn’t mind because it kept the plot lighthearted and fun and allowed the story to focus on the relationships. The book is supposed to be a creative retelling of “Pride and Prejudice.” Interestingly enough, it was only after finishing it that I was clued into this fact (sometimes it really helps to read the overview). As I’m not one for classic literature, I didn’t put two and two together, but in hindsight it was kind of obvious. During the read, I had a few issues with logistics. There was a lot of traveling back and forth between clans, which felt a little forced and unnecessary. Discovering that Eshbaugh was trying to stay true to a preexisting plotline made me a little more forgiving. As the next book goes beyond that initial framework, I am especially excited to see what the author can weave without these constraints.

The writing style and format were also major selling points of the novel. A boy tells his side of things to a girl about their journey together thus far. It’s a mix of first- and second-person narration that I found to be quite beautifully woven together. As an aspiring writer, I’m inspired by the creativity and usage of different techniques in this novel — it was very well done. I’ll admit that I’ve been having difficulty enjoying young adult books lately, so it really speaks to how unique “Ivory and Bone” was that I completely devoured it in a day.

Overall, if you’re in the mood for a cool setting, interesting writing style, and classic love story, “Ivory and Bone” is the book for you. I’m thrilled to continue on with “Obsidian and Stars,” out June 13.

Want more book reviews? Check out my website at nikihawkes.com.