Bones and All Book Summary

TL;DR

Bones and All is a coming-of-age story about a young woman named Maren Yearly who discovers her true nature as a cannibal. The novel follows Maren as she travels across the country in search of her father, while also grappling with her newfound identity and the challenges of living in a society that fears and rejects her.

Table of contents

Writing Background

Bones and All was DeAngelis’s debut novel. It was published in 2015 and was met with critical acclaim. The novel was praised for its originality, its haunting atmosphere, and its unforgettable characters.

Author’s Introduction

Camille DeAngelis is an American author known for her dark and atmospheric novels. She has been praised for her ability to create characters that are both complex and sympathetic, and for her unflinching exploration of taboo subjects.

Key Insights

• Bones and All is a coming-of-age story about a young woman named Maren Yearly who discovers her true nature as a cannibal.
• The novel follows Maren as she travels across the country in search of her father, while also grappling with her newfound identity and the challenges of living in a society that fears and rejects her.
• The novel explores themes of identity, acceptance, and belonging.
• It also examines the nature of good and evil, and the ways in which we can be both victims and perpetrators of violence.

Chapter Summary

1. The novel begins with Maren living with her father in a small town in Indiana. She is a lonely and isolated child, and she has always felt like an outsider. When her father abandons her, she sets out on a journey to find him.
2. Along the way, Maren meets a variety of people, including Sully, a mysterious drifter who becomes her traveling companion. Sully is also a cannibal, and he teaches Maren how to survive in a world that fears and rejects them.
3. Maren and Sully travel across the country, meeting other cannibals and learning more about their own nature. They also face danger from those who want to harm them.
4. The novel culminates in a confrontation between Maren and her father. Maren must decide whether to accept her true nature or to deny it.

Conclusion

Bones and All is a powerful and moving novel about the search for identity and belonging. It is a story that will stay with readers long after they finish reading it.

Others

Bones and All has been praised by critics for its originality, its haunting atmosphere, and its unforgettable characters. It has been compared to the works of Cormac McCarthy and Flannery O’Connor. The novel has been adapted into a film starring Timothée Chalamet and Taylor Russell.