Stephanie Jane reviewed The Shape of Bones by Daniel Galera
Well worth reading
4 stars
The opening chapter of The Shape Of Bones follows, almost in real time, an anonymous Urban Cyclist speeding through the back streets of Porto Alegre in Brazil. It's a exhilarating start to this novel and expertly sets the tone for the rest of the story. We don't initially know which of the characters he will turn out to be. I think this chapter is also the earliest time-wise. Galera uses time jumps to good effect to show how this boy's life progresses from daredevil child to sought-after plastic surgeon.
I loved the many detailed evocations of Porto Alegre, especially the Esplanada district where much of this story takes place. Galera makes it easy to vividly imagine these streets, parks and wastelands, and the gangs of children and adolescents wasting time there. He does a great job of establishing their fluid relationships as bonds are made and broken with the passage …
The opening chapter of The Shape Of Bones follows, almost in real time, an anonymous Urban Cyclist speeding through the back streets of Porto Alegre in Brazil. It's a exhilarating start to this novel and expertly sets the tone for the rest of the story. We don't initially know which of the characters he will turn out to be. I think this chapter is also the earliest time-wise. Galera uses time jumps to good effect to show how this boy's life progresses from daredevil child to sought-after plastic surgeon.
I loved the many detailed evocations of Porto Alegre, especially the Esplanada district where much of this story takes place. Galera makes it easy to vividly imagine these streets, parks and wastelands, and the gangs of children and adolescents wasting time there. He does a great job of establishing their fluid relationships as bonds are made and broken with the passage of time. I felt chapters dealing with the man in his thirties weren't as convincing however and didn't have the energy of those portraying his teenage years. I think this caused my disillusionment with what should have been the absolute denouement of the tale, because I wasn't invested enough to fully empathise with the man's actions. The Shape Of Bones otherwise is very good and certainly well worth reading, but not quite as great as earlier on I had thought it would be.