I’ve never been to Nebraska. I can’t even claim to have driven through. But Jonis Agee’s The Bones of Paradise, a bold, ambitious novel set in the Nebraska foothills 10 years after the Wounded Knee Massacre, has an unrelenting pull towards its world of grit and hard living, of tough men and tougher women.
And while the landscape and the people who inhabit it are undoubtedly harsh, intrepid readers will be rewarded with a profound sense of beauty woven through nearly every page.
At times a mystery, a romance, and a sweeping family drama, The Bones of Paradise sets the stakes early, as J.B., a white rancher, and Star, a young Native American woman, are found murdered, pulling their family members into a vortex of grief, revenge, and survival. J.B.'s estranged wife Dulcinea returns, determined to claim the land that is rightfully hers. Meanwhile, her two teenage sons, far from welcoming their mother back with open arms, seem to be taking after their grandfather, a cruel, determined man with secrets of his own. And all the while, Rose, Star's sister and dear friend to Dulcinea, is determined to find her sister's killer, even if revenge will come at the cost of her own soul.
Ultimately, The Bones of Paradise proves a riveting read from start to finish. Ron Rash, author of Above the Waterfall, states: “From the opening image of a ‘windmill slowly clanking in a wobbly circle’ to the sublime final sentence, Jonis Agee’s The Bones of Paradise is a beautifully written epic that seamlessly intertwines a family’s history with a region’s, and, ultimately, with a nation’s.” That about says it! The book goes on sale August 2nd, so be sure to check out the egalley, available on Edelweiss. As always, we'd love to hear what you think! (hint: there might be free books in it for you)
-Chris