The Feathered Bone by Julie Cantrell Published by Thomas Nelson on January 26th 2016
Pages: 384
Narrator: Clifton Harris
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“Feathers—no matter what size or shape or color—are all the same, if you think about them. They're soft. Delicate. But the secret thing about feathers is . . . they are very strong.”
In the pre-Katrina glow of New Orleans, Amanda Salassi is anxious about chaperoning her daughter’s sixth grade field trip to the Big Easy during Halloween. And then her worst fears come true. Her daughter’s best friend, Sarah, disappears amid the magic and revelry—gone, without a trace.
Unable to cope with her guilt, Amanda’s daughter sinks in depression. And Amanda’s husband turns destructive as he watches his family succumb to grief. Before long, Amanda’s whole world has collapsed.
Amanda knows she has to save herself before it’s too late. As she continues to search for Sarah, she embarks on a personal journey, seeking hope and purpose in the wake of so much tragedy and loss.
Set amidst the murky parishes of rural Louisiana and told through the eyes of two women who confront the darkest corners of humanity with quiet and unbreakable faith, The Feathered Bone is Julie Cantrell’s master portrait of love in a fallen world.
The Feathered Bone tells the story of every parent’s worst nightmare. Amanda is chaperoning her daughter’s class field trip to New Orleans when her best friend’s daughter disappears while under Amanda’s supervision.
You should know up front that this is a work of Christian fiction. If you are put off by faith-based stories, then this book is not for you. Personally, I appreciated the religious messages, but I can see how it might be overkill for some.
Difficult topics are explored, and there are definitely elements that could be considered triggers for some readers. I wish I could say it’s an inspirational story, and I suppose in the end it is, but there’s a pervasive depressing quality that weighs down the story.
The book feels excruciatingly long, slowly paced, and filled with too many chapters where nothing of significance happens. I listened to the audio book version, and perhaps it colored my perception. The narrator’s delivery is not expressive at all. It’s especially obvious given the many emotional moments in the book. I think it contributed to the sluggish feeling of the story. Every character she voices sounds exactly the same. At times I had difficulty figuring out who was speaking.
The book isn’t poorly written per se; however, it is poorly executed. Even the few compelling characters aren’t enough for me to consider this a win.
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