Series: Ivory and Bone #1
Author: Julie Eshbaugh
Published June 7th 2016 by HarperTeen
Goodreads Summary
A prehistoric fantasy—with allusions to Pride and Prejudice.
Hunting, gathering, and keeping his family safe—that’s the life seventeen-year-old Kol knows. Then bold, enigmatic Mya arrives from the south with her family, and Kol is captivated. He wants her to like and trust him, but any hopes of impressing her are ruined when he makes a careless—and nearly grave—mistake. However, there’s something more to Mya’s cool disdain…a history wrought with loss that comes to light when another clan arrives. With them is Lo, an enemy from Mya’s past who Mya swears has ulterior motives.
As Kol gets to know Lo, tensions between Mya and Lo escalate until violence erupts. Faced with shattering losses, Kol is forced to question every person he’s trusted. One thing is for sure: this was a war that Mya or Lo—Kol doesn’t know which—had been planning all along.
Goodreads
Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher. This in no way impacted on my view.
When I first saw ARC reviews for this book, I was immediately intrigued. You probably already know how much I love any form of Pride and Prejudice retellings, and learning that there was a new one, and one set in prehistoric times, too, I knew I needed to get my hands on it.
In Ivory and Bone, we follow Kol, the eldest son of the clan leader, who knows that there are hard times ahead. There aren’t many women about that he can marry, and continue the clan, and food supplies seem to be dwindling. When members of another clan appear, Kol’s mother thrusts him in the path of the stubborn Mya, who seems to want nothing to do with him. Then, when another clan appears, and the daughter of that clan’s leader, Lo, appears really interested in Kol, Kol doesn’t know what to do. As the tensions between Lo and Mya become apparent, and the real issue of lack of food makes itself known, the whole situation becomes troubled.
I’ve never read a book like this before. Set in prehistoric times, I found myself feeling as if I was actually there, because Julie has an amazing technique for description. Also, the book is written in second person, which when I’ve them before, I’ve hated, but in this case, it really suited the story.
The way that it was a gender-bend P&P retelling was something new for me too. Kol was the Elizabeth Bennet character in this case, and I could see it perfectly. His whole family just spoke of the Bennet family, especially Kol’s mam. Mya was a wonderful Darcy character; as was Lo with Whickham. Considering the era its set in, I wasn’t sure how the story would translate, but Julie managed to do it expertly.
Initially, I’d thought this was to be a standalone, but I’m overjoyed it’s a series, because I need more of Kol and Mya’s story! An amazing debut from Julie Eshbaugh!
Dates Read:
June 13-14, 2016
Rating
4 Stars
Rating
4 Stars
