The Bones Beneath My Skin

TJ Klune, if you read this, keep being weird!!! I didn’t think I’d love another book as much as The House in the Cerulean Sea, but this one made new space in my heart. TJ Klune’s The Bone Beneath My Skin is a remarkable exploration of human connection set against the backdrop of 1995 rural Oregon. When disgraced journalist Nate Cartwright returns to his family’s isolated cabin, he encounters two extraordinary individuals who will transform his shattered life.

Klune masterfully crafts a narrative that balances vulnerability with extraordinary circumstances. The novel’s slow-burn approach allows for nuanced character development, revealing the complexity of human relationships with remarkable sensitivity. Nate’s journey from professional and personal dissolution to unexpected connection is both heartbreaking and hopeful.

The book transcends typical genre boundaries, offering a profound meditation on chosen family and resilience. Klune navigates potentially melodramatic territory with remarkable restraint, creating a story that feels simultaneously intimate and expansive. Artemis emerges as a particularly compelling character—mysterious yet deeply human.

With precise pacing and emotionally resonant prose, this novel demonstrates Klune’s exceptional ability to find beauty in life’s most fractured moments. It challenges readers to look beyond surface differences and recognize our shared humanity.