The Bones of the Story by Carol Goodman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Twenty-five years after a student vanished into Briarwood College's mysterious "ice caves" and a well-loved but controversial professor, Hugo Moss, disappeared, presumably searching the woods and caves for her. After that, the friends in the "Raven Society," closest to the pair, and the last to inhabit the college's writing center, dispersed across the country, trying to forget the vents of that night. But 25 years later, bones are discovered in a cave, one day before a planned memorial for Moss and the reopening of the writing center. And as the group reunites to finally face the past, it appears someone is there for more than a reunion - they're out for revenge. Trapped on campus by a snowstorm, the old Raven Society is forced not only to dissect the events of 25 years ago, but face their greatest fears - and hope that will keep them alive.
This book follow two timelines: One in the present, and one of the college days of the main character and narrator, Nell.
Wow. That's really my first thought when reflecting on this book. It was clever and creepy in some very classic ways, but it was unique enough that I was drawn in and did not see some of the twists coming at all! Especially when you have an academic setting like this, some stories can fall into a trap where they get too highbrow, but this never crossed that line and hit just the right note, paying homage to classic authors and their works, without feeling like it was talking down to the reader. I loved that. It felt like you were along for the ride with the story, rather than just detached observer.
And the fact that this had a bit of a slasher-movie quality mixed in with the academic setting? Even better! Again, it showed the the author could blend genres and didn't want to take the story so seriously that it became a thesis on classic literature, even though that's what the characters were studying. It had just enough creepiness and gore coupled with cleverness and gothic academia. It blends together perfectly.
I am now a devoted Carol Goodman fan! If this book is any indication of how good she can write, then she has talent in spades and I can't wait to read more of her work!
(And obviously, you need to pick this one up!)
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