New Orleans is known for a lot of things: Mardi Gras, the French Quarter, Hurricane Katrina, to name a few. But human trafficking? I would not have linked the two.
In The Feathered Bone, author Julie Cantrell does. She also tackles such subjects as domestic abuse, grief, suicide, natural disaster, and divorce. When I think about the number of “heavy” issues in this novel, I’m surprised at how uplifting the story is. That’s the beauty of Cantrell’s storytelling for me. (Disclaimer: I received a free copy of the book in exchange for my review.)
But The Feathered Bone is all about holding on to hope, no matter the circumstances. And the analogy of hope being like a feather, a strong, bendable support that doesn’t break under pressure, is a beautiful reminder that pain and suffering don’t have to be the end of the story.
Cantrell starts the story pre-Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, where a class field trip ends tragically after one of the 12-year-old girls goes missing. What follows is a heart-breaking chronicle of grief and enduring hope. This is no fluffy escapist read. Some of it is shockingly difficult to process.
But it’s an important story, one of the best I’ve read recently. Take your time with this one and proceed with caution. The journey is worth it. Hope is its promise.
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