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The Kneebone Boy
Life in a small town can be pretty boring when everyone avoids you like the plague. But after their father unwittingly sends them to stay with an aunt who’s away on holiday, the Hardscrabble children take off on an adventure that begins in the seedy streets of London and ends in a peculiar sea village where legend has it a monstrous creature lives who is half boy and half animal. . . .
In this wickedly dark, unusual, and compelling novel, Ellen Potter masterfully tells the tale of one deliciously strange family and a secret that changes everything.
In this wickedly dark, unusual, and compelling novel, Ellen Potter masterfully tells the tale of one deliciously strange family and a secret that changes everything.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published September 14, 2010
About the author
Ellen Potter
45 books252 followersEllen Potter is the author of many children's books, including the Olivia Kidney series, Pish Posh, SLOB, and The Kneebone Boy. Her non-fiction book, Spilling Ink; a Young Writer’s Handbook, was co-authored by Anne Mazer
Olivia Kidney was awarded Child magazine’s “Best Children’s Book Award” and was selected as one of the “Books of the Year” by Parenting magazine.
SLOB is on more than 10 state book award lists and was selected for the Junior Library Guild.
Spilling Ink; A Young Writer’s Handbook was a New York Public Library Top 100 Children’s Book for 2010 and a Children’s Literature Assembly 2011 Notable Book.
Her newest series is Piper Green and the Fairy Tree.
Olivia Kidney was awarded Child magazine’s “Best Children’s Book Award” and was selected as one of the “Books of the Year” by Parenting magazine.
SLOB is on more than 10 state book award lists and was selected for the Junior Library Guild.
Spilling Ink; A Young Writer’s Handbook was a New York Public Library Top 100 Children’s Book for 2010 and a Children’s Literature Assembly 2011 Notable Book.
Her newest series is Piper Green and the Fairy Tree.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 569 reviews
July 7, 2010
It's clever, funny, dark, and touching. It's Lemony Snicket and Roald Dahl and dare I say a touch of the ol' J.K. And it's over too soon! The Kneebone Boy straight charmed the crap out of me. I wanted it to be longer, or at least be the start of a series, but I believe it's just an awesome little standalone gem I'll have to reread soon and often.
This is the story of the three Hardscrabble siblings: Otto, Lucia, and Max. These kids are outcasts in their hometown of Little Tunks because their mother disappeared and the whole town suspects Otto killed her and their father buried her in the backyard. But no one really knows what happened to the mother. She may be dead. She may have been kidnapped. It's been long years since anyone's seen her and the Hardscrabbles have precious few memories of her.
Then one day their father has to go on one of his portrait-painting trips and leaves the kids with their cousin in London. Only it turns out their cousin isn't in London and they are stranded. Unable to reach their father, they decide to seek out their mysterious Great-Aunt Haddie in a town called Snoring-by-the-Sea. I will not give away any more plot, which is quite twisty, but I will go on a little about why I loved this so much.
First and foremost, the narration is outstanding. We're told in the beginning that one of the Hardscrabble siblings is writing the story, but can't say who it is: "They said it's because the story belongs to all three of us, and I suppose they're right, but it seems unfair since I'm doing all the work. No one can stop you from guessing though." It's pretty easy to guess who the narrator is, but it's also really fun that the story is told in both third and first person. It has great flow, but can be broken up by asides about the writing of the story itself (very Series of Unfortunate Events--if you didn't like those books, you probably won't like this). The asides are very funny and very meta. If I were more industrious I'd quote a long passage from page 87 that illustrates how great they are, but I'm not feeling industrious, so you're just going to have to read the book.
The relationship between the siblings is another of this book's strong suits. To me, it was so real. Each of the siblings' personalities seemed molded by their siblings. Otto doesn't speak, but communicates with a secret sign language he developed with Lucia. Max is just ten years old, but hyper-intelligent, so the very proud Lucia is often upstaged by him, which just makes her act even more haughty. They fight childishly. They bond touchingly. It's a dynamic that's familiar to most people, but not often captured so well in an adventure like this book.
One last compliment for Ms. Potter: I believe you are American, so bully for you for writing in so many cheeky Britishisms. I mean, I'm American too, so I can't truly say that you got them all right. But it sounded super awesomely British to me. The audio book could be great.
In the end, this book is about what all good adventure books are about: danger and discovery. And, as the narrator says, "Here is my most important message to you: All great adventures have moments that are really crap." Or, in a more philosophical vein: "You have to work really hard at being astonished by life."
One last thing: the cover art is perfect. Do you see how the cat has extra toes?
This is the story of the three Hardscrabble siblings: Otto, Lucia, and Max. These kids are outcasts in their hometown of Little Tunks because their mother disappeared and the whole town suspects Otto killed her and their father buried her in the backyard. But no one really knows what happened to the mother. She may be dead. She may have been kidnapped. It's been long years since anyone's seen her and the Hardscrabbles have precious few memories of her.
Then one day their father has to go on one of his portrait-painting trips and leaves the kids with their cousin in London. Only it turns out their cousin isn't in London and they are stranded. Unable to reach their father, they decide to seek out their mysterious Great-Aunt Haddie in a town called Snoring-by-the-Sea. I will not give away any more plot, which is quite twisty, but I will go on a little about why I loved this so much.
First and foremost, the narration is outstanding. We're told in the beginning that one of the Hardscrabble siblings is writing the story, but can't say who it is: "They said it's because the story belongs to all three of us, and I suppose they're right, but it seems unfair since I'm doing all the work. No one can stop you from guessing though." It's pretty easy to guess who the narrator is, but it's also really fun that the story is told in both third and first person. It has great flow, but can be broken up by asides about the writing of the story itself (very Series of Unfortunate Events--if you didn't like those books, you probably won't like this). The asides are very funny and very meta. If I were more industrious I'd quote a long passage from page 87 that illustrates how great they are, but I'm not feeling industrious, so you're just going to have to read the book.
The relationship between the siblings is another of this book's strong suits. To me, it was so real. Each of the siblings' personalities seemed molded by their siblings. Otto doesn't speak, but communicates with a secret sign language he developed with Lucia. Max is just ten years old, but hyper-intelligent, so the very proud Lucia is often upstaged by him, which just makes her act even more haughty. They fight childishly. They bond touchingly. It's a dynamic that's familiar to most people, but not often captured so well in an adventure like this book.
One last compliment for Ms. Potter: I believe you are American, so bully for you for writing in so many cheeky Britishisms. I mean, I'm American too, so I can't truly say that you got them all right. But it sounded super awesomely British to me. The audio book could be great.
In the end, this book is about what all good adventure books are about: danger and discovery. And, as the narrator says, "Here is my most important message to you: All great adventures have moments that are really crap." Or, in a more philosophical vein: "You have to work really hard at being astonished by life."
One last thing: the cover art is perfect. Do you see how the cat has extra toes?
July 14, 2018
The cover and blurb for The Kneebone Boy promised PG-rated gothiness in the Lemony Snicket vein. Unfortunately, the actual book did not live up to its packaging.
Otto, Lucia, and Max Hardscrabble are outcasts in their small English community. Their father is an outcast, too, when he bothers coming home, but usually he's off taking portraits of foreign dignitaries. Meanwhile the house falls into disrepair, Otto hasn't spoken in eight years, Lucia sulks and tries to impress her English teacher, and Max tries in vain to bring home friends and fit into normal society.
One time, when their father leaves them with a babysitter they don't like, the kids take off for London instead, and briefly step into another dimension full of Spiderwick-style fae folk that is fascinating - and never seen or heard from again.
Their ill-informed quest then brings them to the seaside, where they meet their very young Great-Aunt Hattie, who lives in a giant play-castle, and an eccentric dude who runs the local taxidermy. Mildly entertaining adventures ensue during which Max is cute, Lucia is a brat, and Otto keeps his mysterious silence. Also, there is a cat. Yay cats.
Finally, just when things are starting to get interesting, their dad shows up and reveals that their mother isn't dead--she's just been passing herself off as a teenage boy in an insane asylum all these years. The End!
The tone of this book struck me, among many other reviewers, as Trying Way Too Hard to Be Quirky, which is always off-putting. It lacks the wit and layers of meaning one finds in Snicket, and is additionally far too shallow, unoriginal and nihilistic to be compared with The Chronicles of Narnia, The Secret Country trilogy, or even The Dark is Rising. Not to mention it could never compare to any of those in terms of plotting, world-building, character development, and overall craftsmanship.
Of the siblings, only Otto emerges as remotely interesting - perhaps because he's the only one who keeps his mouth shut. The big asylum reveal at the end is gratuitous shock value, and the author puts a strange emphasis on androgynous women who can pass for boys (in addition to the mum, there's Aunt Hattie and a few walk-on characters described thus. It reappeared enough that I figured it was social commentary of some sort, but it wound up being random in the end). Finally, it is very obvious that this is an American writer awkwardly appropriating British slang.
In all, not the worst book ever written but far from recommended.
Otto, Lucia, and Max Hardscrabble are outcasts in their small English community. Their father is an outcast, too, when he bothers coming home, but usually he's off taking portraits of foreign dignitaries. Meanwhile the house falls into disrepair, Otto hasn't spoken in eight years, Lucia sulks and tries to impress her English teacher, and Max tries in vain to bring home friends and fit into normal society.
One time, when their father leaves them with a babysitter they don't like, the kids take off for London instead, and briefly step into another dimension full of Spiderwick-style fae folk that is fascinating - and never seen or heard from again.
Their ill-informed quest then brings them to the seaside, where they meet their very young Great-Aunt Hattie, who lives in a giant play-castle, and an eccentric dude who runs the local taxidermy. Mildly entertaining adventures ensue during which Max is cute, Lucia is a brat, and Otto keeps his mysterious silence. Also, there is a cat. Yay cats.
Finally, just when things are starting to get interesting, their dad shows up and reveals that their mother isn't dead--she's just been passing herself off as a teenage boy in an insane asylum all these years. The End!
The tone of this book struck me, among many other reviewers, as Trying Way Too Hard to Be Quirky, which is always off-putting. It lacks the wit and layers of meaning one finds in Snicket, and is additionally far too shallow, unoriginal and nihilistic to be compared with The Chronicles of Narnia, The Secret Country trilogy, or even The Dark is Rising. Not to mention it could never compare to any of those in terms of plotting, world-building, character development, and overall craftsmanship.
Of the siblings, only Otto emerges as remotely interesting - perhaps because he's the only one who keeps his mouth shut. The big asylum reveal at the end is gratuitous shock value, and the author puts a strange emphasis on androgynous women who can pass for boys (in addition to the mum, there's Aunt Hattie and a few walk-on characters described thus. It reappeared enough that I figured it was social commentary of some sort, but it wound up being random in the end). Finally, it is very obvious that this is an American writer awkwardly appropriating British slang.
In all, not the worst book ever written but far from recommended.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 21, 2014
I absolutely loved at least 90% of this book. It starts off very strongly, with Lemony narration, quirky characters, and wonderfully strange things happening. And most of the book continues in the weird footsteps of A Series of Unfortunate Events. Fortunately for me, who loved those books. I even ended up liking the gimmick of the narration: the story is being written by one of the three Hardscrabble children. Which one? That's left for the reader to guess. Initially, I thought this would become dull very quickly, especially since it took so little time to figure out which child was writing. Luckily, Potter handles the lack of ambiguity deftly enough that it becomes fun.
Really, I was enjoying myself right up to the last chapter, when the delightfully quirky ride that this book had been comes to an abrupt stop. The ultimate revelation of what happened to their mother feels so tonally at odds with the rest of the book that it's kind of hard to absorb. It actually verges on an idiot plot: Sure, it all may have been a beautiful lie, but it was astonishingly selfish, too. And because it happens so near the end, there's no real opportunity to deal with it.
But that's just the last chapter. The rest of the book is hugely fun, and packed with wonderful details that make this strange place feel more alive. Fans of Lemony Snicket's signature style will probably love most of the book for being such a fun example of that genre. But that ending is a bit of a clunker.
Really, I was enjoying myself right up to the last chapter, when the delightfully quirky ride that this book had been comes to an abrupt stop. The ultimate revelation of what happened to their mother feels so tonally at odds with the rest of the book that it's kind of hard to absorb. It actually verges on an idiot plot: Sure, it all may have been a beautiful lie, but it was astonishingly selfish, too. And because it happens so near the end, there's no real opportunity to deal with it.
But that's just the last chapter. The rest of the book is hugely fun, and packed with wonderful details that make this strange place feel more alive. Fans of Lemony Snicket's signature style will probably love most of the book for being such a fun example of that genre. But that ending is a bit of a clunker.
January 27, 2023
I cannot express in words how whimsical and enchanting this book was. It was a very atmospheric as well. From the first page you get addicted to the writing style as if the author is talking to the readers on a one-to-one basis. I easily cherished and became fond of all the characters, especially our MCs, Otto, Lucia and Max, in no specific order.
The book started out with the father going out for business and leaving the kids to go to their aunt in London, where they find the aunt's absence and are now left to fend for themselves. The kids' mother is missing but Max soon realizes that they have a great aunt from their mother's side living nearby and they visited her.
This is the beginning of an adventure that the kids will remember for the rest of their lives. They live in a castle folly and discover the mysterious Kneebone boy and the cat with five legs, if I say anymore, I'll probably spoil the surprise waiting to be revealed within the pages of the most exquisite and exhilarating book I've read in a long while.
I love these kinds of books that had a sense of discovery and adventure, mystery as well as a sibling/friendship bond that is wrapped up in exploring of the unknown.
The book started out with the father going out for business and leaving the kids to go to their aunt in London, where they find the aunt's absence and are now left to fend for themselves. The kids' mother is missing but Max soon realizes that they have a great aunt from their mother's side living nearby and they visited her.
This is the beginning of an adventure that the kids will remember for the rest of their lives. They live in a castle folly and discover the mysterious Kneebone boy and the cat with five legs, if I say anymore, I'll probably spoil the surprise waiting to be revealed within the pages of the most exquisite and exhilarating book I've read in a long while.
I love these kinds of books that had a sense of discovery and adventure, mystery as well as a sibling/friendship bond that is wrapped up in exploring of the unknown.
April 27, 2010
This novel is a wonderful, querky, witty and refreshing novel ! It's all the more brilliant that it deals with the serious themes that are abandonment, perception of one's self and others and one's acceptance of another's difference and flaws, no matter how great those may be.
But then, I've always been one to agree with the idea that the best tragedies are always comical and the best comedies are the ones with a strong tragic angle to them. Ellen Potter takes us exactly in this grey zone and she does so using one the Hardscrabble's voice (you're not supposed to know which one of the siblings is telling the story, but really, it's not hard to guess and the narration is all the more touching for it).
This is my first introduction to Ellen Potter's prose and it's definitely got me wanting to read more. Recommendations anyone?
This is a highly recommended read for all those looking for a "fake" light read, no matter how old you are, because, let's face it, we all have a bit of the Kneebone Boy in us.
But then, I've always been one to agree with the idea that the best tragedies are always comical and the best comedies are the ones with a strong tragic angle to them. Ellen Potter takes us exactly in this grey zone and she does so using one the Hardscrabble's voice (you're not supposed to know which one of the siblings is telling the story, but really, it's not hard to guess and the narration is all the more touching for it).
This is my first introduction to Ellen Potter's prose and it's definitely got me wanting to read more. Recommendations anyone?
This is a highly recommended read for all those looking for a "fake" light read, no matter how old you are, because, let's face it, we all have a bit of the Kneebone Boy in us.
November 1, 2010
THE KNEEBONE’S CONNECTED TO THE....
I probably never would have picked up THE KNEEBONE BOY on my own accord. I hate the cover with its awful staring kids (I thought of them as Wednesday, Pugsley, and Cousin It) and am not at all fond of books where characters have last names like “Hardscrabble.” Well, it’s okay when Dickens does it, but otherwise I find it a rather arch and lemony (if you know what I mean) device that almost always signals a parody and makes me think I shouldn’t take the book too seriously. I find this kind of affected writing usually provides more style than substance. Still, a great many people whose opinions I respect are trumpeting this book -- with at least one saying it deserves Newbery consideration -- so I knew I’d better read it.
Thirteen-year-old Otto Hardscrabble (who suffers from that disease which impacts children’s book characters in epidemic proportions – elective mutism) and his younger siblings Lucia and Max live in the English village of Little Tunks. Their mother is missing. Their artist father frequently leaves town to paint portraits of deposed royalty. When Dad must quickly go away on business, the kids end up -- through a series of confusions and complications (let’s call the “unfortunate events”) -- traveling to a seaside village where they find lodgings in a miniature castle, meet their surprisingly-young great aunt, and learn the local legend of the Kneebone Boy, who was kept captive in his own family’s castle many years earlier.
The book contains some intriguing elements, including an unidentified narrator (“I can’t tell you which Hardscrabble I am – Otto, Lucia, or Max – because I’ve sworn on pain of torture not to”) but the story takes a long time to get going (it’s ages before we hear much about the Kneebone Boy) and the conclusion is darker, sadder and more “real world” than the whimsical antics that have led up to it. The denouement also opens up a whole new set of questions that probably shouldn’t be examined too closely or the whole plot of the book gets shaky.
The arch prose makes Otto, Lucia, and Max seem remote, while other characters, such as Great-aunt Haddie, remain vague and contradictory. And while the kids sound British enough in their dialogue, the narrative of the book -- which is supposed to have been written by one of the siblings -- doesn’t much reflect the “Britishness” of the narrator. One seldom feels an English kid is telling this story.
THE KNEEBONE BOY has entertaining moments, yet some readers may find that reaching the jarring and unsatisfying conclusion after nearly 300 pages of stylized writing matches the dictionary definition of “hardscrabble” -- yielding meagerly in return for much effort.
I probably never would have picked up THE KNEEBONE BOY on my own accord. I hate the cover with its awful staring kids (I thought of them as Wednesday, Pugsley, and Cousin It) and am not at all fond of books where characters have last names like “Hardscrabble.” Well, it’s okay when Dickens does it, but otherwise I find it a rather arch and lemony (if you know what I mean) device that almost always signals a parody and makes me think I shouldn’t take the book too seriously. I find this kind of affected writing usually provides more style than substance. Still, a great many people whose opinions I respect are trumpeting this book -- with at least one saying it deserves Newbery consideration -- so I knew I’d better read it.
Thirteen-year-old Otto Hardscrabble (who suffers from that disease which impacts children’s book characters in epidemic proportions – elective mutism) and his younger siblings Lucia and Max live in the English village of Little Tunks. Their mother is missing. Their artist father frequently leaves town to paint portraits of deposed royalty. When Dad must quickly go away on business, the kids end up -- through a series of confusions and complications (let’s call the “unfortunate events”) -- traveling to a seaside village where they find lodgings in a miniature castle, meet their surprisingly-young great aunt, and learn the local legend of the Kneebone Boy, who was kept captive in his own family’s castle many years earlier.
The book contains some intriguing elements, including an unidentified narrator (“I can’t tell you which Hardscrabble I am – Otto, Lucia, or Max – because I’ve sworn on pain of torture not to”) but the story takes a long time to get going (it’s ages before we hear much about the Kneebone Boy) and the conclusion is darker, sadder and more “real world” than the whimsical antics that have led up to it. The denouement also opens up a whole new set of questions that probably shouldn’t be examined too closely or the whole plot of the book gets shaky.
The arch prose makes Otto, Lucia, and Max seem remote, while other characters, such as Great-aunt Haddie, remain vague and contradictory. And while the kids sound British enough in their dialogue, the narrative of the book -- which is supposed to have been written by one of the siblings -- doesn’t much reflect the “Britishness” of the narrator. One seldom feels an English kid is telling this story.
THE KNEEBONE BOY has entertaining moments, yet some readers may find that reaching the jarring and unsatisfying conclusion after nearly 300 pages of stylized writing matches the dictionary definition of “hardscrabble” -- yielding meagerly in return for much effort.
October 29, 2014
"There were three of them. Otto was the oldest, and the oddest. Then there was Lucia, who wished something interesting would happen. Last of all was Max, who always thought he knew better. They lived in a small town in England called Little Tunks. There is no Big Tunks. One Tunks was more than enough for everyone. It was the most uninteresting town imaginable, except for the fact that the Such Fun Chewing Gum factory was on its west end, so that the air almost smelled of peppermint. When the wind blew just right you could think you had been sucked down a tube of toothpaste."
I knew the moment I read that opening paragraph that I would love this book. Nevermind that it got just a bit creepy for my taste now and then. Nevermind that some of the things I expected (and wanted) to happen never did. Nevermind that I still can't decide whether the ending was brilliant or a huge and slightly unsettling let-down. I absolutely loved the writing style and the characterization. It just felt "right" to me--one of those books that seems like a long-lost friend.
The three Hardscrabble kids are so vivid, their emotions and motivations and flaws and strengths so believable, and I truly appreciated their overwhelmingly supportive and positive relationship with one another (albeit with a few of the requisite squabbles) as compared to all those books out there with siblings loathing one another or all caught up in rivalries. The secondary characters felt multidimensional, too, and I appreciated how we were kept guessing about the true nature of some without it feeling like we were simply being strung along. I did question the motives of a few characters, and am not entirely sure I am satisfied with the behavior of one in particular, though I suppose I can understand in the way it was presented.
Potter does a great job of lightening some rather dark, chilling chapters with flashes of humor that never seem off-pitch. And while some of the subject matter is quite sad, the overwhelming sense of love and camaraderie amongst the children, and their good humor, leavens the melancholy. I loved how the Hardscrabbles move so seamlessly from "ordinary" children to become quite heroic and that their heroism is motivated by compassion. Yet they also enjoyed the adventure for the delicious experience of it, because "People should have all their adventures before they're fourteen because if they don't they lose their passion for adventures."
This is a book I would be very happy to read again, and I wish there was (or will be!) a sequel.
I knew the moment I read that opening paragraph that I would love this book. Nevermind that it got just a bit creepy for my taste now and then. Nevermind that some of the things I expected (and wanted) to happen never did. Nevermind that I still can't decide whether the ending was brilliant or a huge and slightly unsettling let-down. I absolutely loved the writing style and the characterization. It just felt "right" to me--one of those books that seems like a long-lost friend.
The three Hardscrabble kids are so vivid, their emotions and motivations and flaws and strengths so believable, and I truly appreciated their overwhelmingly supportive and positive relationship with one another (albeit with a few of the requisite squabbles) as compared to all those books out there with siblings loathing one another or all caught up in rivalries. The secondary characters felt multidimensional, too, and I appreciated how we were kept guessing about the true nature of some without it feeling like we were simply being strung along. I did question the motives of a few characters, and am not entirely sure I am satisfied with the behavior of one in particular, though I suppose I can understand in the way it was presented.
Potter does a great job of lightening some rather dark, chilling chapters with flashes of humor that never seem off-pitch. And while some of the subject matter is quite sad, the overwhelming sense of love and camaraderie amongst the children, and their good humor, leavens the melancholy. I loved how the Hardscrabbles move so seamlessly from "ordinary" children to become quite heroic and that their heroism is motivated by compassion. Yet they also enjoyed the adventure for the delicious experience of it, because "People should have all their adventures before they're fourteen because if they don't they lose their passion for adventures."
This is a book I would be very happy to read again, and I wish there was (or will be!) a sequel.
January 4, 2021
Do you ever read a book that is so beautiful, so fantastic, so satisfying, that you just can't wait to reach the ending-- until you do, and it ruins the whole thing?
That was this book for me.
And I beg you all to listen to an adult who foolishly ventured into the kid's section to read a book because of the all-too-lovable kids on the cover (especially Otto. Oh, Otto...) Because what I have to say is important, and unfortunately, all I can say outside of the spoiler brackets is that this book is somehow both deeply racist and ableist, and I would not ever in my life let a child read it. If only because it would probably fill them with unstoppable rage.
You may already be turned off. Oh, here's another jaded weirdo, of course they're going way too deep into this, blah blah blah. I'm going to be completely open and say that yes, I am often very harshly critical of books for ableism, but this was the kind of thing that, as a child, made me terrified of mental health help because I was certain I'd be put in an asylum. This book trivializes the abuse real people go through in those situations, and it honestly shocks me nobody stopped this book before it was published because of that. It goes beyond inaccuracy so bad nobody could take this book seriously and flies directly into open cruelty.
The Hardscrabble kids are so lovable. I loved them right from the start. Otto, the clearly autistic (nonverbal, stims by fiddling with his comfort object [the scarf], disregards social norms, has special interests, strange posture, etc) oldest kid, was my favorite, but I loved Lucia and her candor, too. I never tired of her banter with Max, the poor youngest kid (and outsider.)
So of course I wanted them to find their mom. I was really excited, too, because this type of book usually has a big climactic ending, and everything was shaping up so well.
Unfortunately, nothing I'd wanted occurred.
I wanted to love this book. I loved every character. I loved the plot and every twist. I read it nonstop and barely made myself put it down at 4 AM to get some sleep (then picked it right back up to read the next morning.)
If this has to be the single negative review in a sea of shining ones, that's just how it's going to be. That ending ruined every other scene for me, and I'm not letting authors get away with trash. Cruel review? Maybe. I think it suits this book.
That was this book for me.
And I beg you all to listen to an adult who foolishly ventured into the kid's section to read a book because of the all-too-lovable kids on the cover (especially Otto. Oh, Otto...) Because what I have to say is important, and unfortunately, all I can say outside of the spoiler brackets is that this book is somehow both deeply racist and ableist, and I would not ever in my life let a child read it. If only because it would probably fill them with unstoppable rage.
You may already be turned off. Oh, here's another jaded weirdo, of course they're going way too deep into this, blah blah blah. I'm going to be completely open and say that yes, I am often very harshly critical of books for ableism, but this was the kind of thing that, as a child, made me terrified of mental health help because I was certain I'd be put in an asylum. This book trivializes the abuse real people go through in those situations, and it honestly shocks me nobody stopped this book before it was published because of that. It goes beyond inaccuracy so bad nobody could take this book seriously and flies directly into open cruelty.
The Hardscrabble kids are so lovable. I loved them right from the start. Otto, the clearly autistic (nonverbal, stims by fiddling with his comfort object [the scarf], disregards social norms, has special interests, strange posture, etc) oldest kid, was my favorite, but I loved Lucia and her candor, too. I never tired of her banter with Max, the poor youngest kid (and outsider.)
So of course I wanted them to find their mom. I was really excited, too, because this type of book usually has a big climactic ending, and everything was shaping up so well.
Unfortunately, nothing I'd wanted occurred.
I wanted to love this book. I loved every character. I loved the plot and every twist. I read it nonstop and barely made myself put it down at 4 AM to get some sleep (then picked it right back up to read the next morning.)
If this has to be the single negative review in a sea of shining ones, that's just how it's going to be. That ending ruined every other scene for me, and I'm not letting authors get away with trash. Cruel review? Maybe. I think it suits this book.
February 10, 2012
Is it wrong to be literally six feet under in love with a character that is two years younger than you?
Is it?
Please tell me that it’s not, because I might die. I will die a horrendously cruel death by drowning myself in my own big, fat, salty tears. And it’s almost Valentine’s Day too people! Not cool! Don’t crush my dreams!
Okay, I’m just kidding.Kinda, sorta, not really.
The Kneebone Boy is one of the best character driven books that I have read in a long time! Though the plot was quite weak and utterly confusing, if not pointless at many times during the story, the rich characterization and the absolute lovability of each and every person made up for it tenfold! Everybody has such a distinctive voice, complete with their own quirks and views and personalities that made them uniquely themselves!
From about the second or third page, Otto made me melt.
So much in fact, that I don’t think I’m gonna be able to be put back together again. I’m like Humpty Dumpty, except more gooey and not as round…It’s all your fault Otto
He was a thirteen-year-old boy who was mature beyond his years. He doesn’t speak at all-instead, he communicates through a self-made sort of sign language. He constantly wears an old scarf, even going so far as to sleep in it! He has a penchant for finding oddities (and pretty much anything else), including two-headed snakes and cats with five legs! Gosh, I could go on and on and on!
Seeing such tangible characterization is like a breath of fresh air!
And it wasn’t just Otto—there was proud and yet so naïve Lucia, boy-genius Max, kooky and a walking American stereotype Great Aunt Hattie, etc. etc. etc.
Just to touch on one small problem—that really doesn’t bother me in the grand scheme of things, which is odd, because if the addictiveness of this whole story wasn’t so delicious, I would have been all over this—was the fact that the plotting was haphazard. It felt as though the author spent so much time on her characters that she remembered halfway through that “Oh shit! Something is supposed to happen!”
But frankly, I would have been content just to read 500+ pages more of mere sibling squabbles and conversations between the siblings. Especially Otto and Lucia, their interactions felt so real, despite the apparent one-sidedness of them, since Otto doesn’t speak…
I’m torn as to whether or not I want a sequel. On the one side, Ineed REALLY REALLY want another adventure with the Hardscrabbles, but a sequel could squash the magicalness (yes, magicalness is a word, don’t argue!) of them!
If you can read.
If you can hold a book.
If you are in any way, part of the literate modern population.
GO OUT AND GET THIS BOOK!
But be warned that Otto is my lovely. I’ve claimed him! He’s mine!
P.S.
Yes, I am aware that this isn't a "unique" concept--having siblings going off on an adventure alone in a foreign place. I know that it has been done before in "A Series of Unfortunate Events" but personally, I enjoyed this book more than the series previously mentioned.
The events, though very over-the-top and not at all realistic, reminded me of make-believe games that I used to play for hours when I was seven or so and held an almost child-like wonderment. It was a beautifully executed concept, much better done than anything similar out there that I have seen so far.
Is it?
Please tell me that it’s not, because I might die. I will die a horrendously cruel death by drowning myself in my own big, fat, salty tears. And it’s almost Valentine’s Day too people! Not cool! Don’t crush my dreams!
Okay, I’m just kidding.
The Kneebone Boy is one of the best character driven books that I have read in a long time! Though the plot was quite weak and utterly confusing, if not pointless at many times during the story, the rich characterization and the absolute lovability of each and every person made up for it tenfold! Everybody has such a distinctive voice, complete with their own quirks and views and personalities that made them uniquely themselves!
From about the second or third page, Otto made me melt.
So much in fact, that I don’t think I’m gonna be able to be put back together again. I’m like Humpty Dumpty, except more gooey and not as round…It’s all your fault Otto
He was a thirteen-year-old boy who was mature beyond his years. He doesn’t speak at all-instead, he communicates through a self-made sort of sign language. He constantly wears an old scarf, even going so far as to sleep in it! He has a penchant for finding oddities (and pretty much anything else), including two-headed snakes and cats with five legs! Gosh, I could go on and on and on!
Seeing such tangible characterization is like a breath of fresh air!
And it wasn’t just Otto—there was proud and yet so naïve Lucia, boy-genius Max, kooky and a walking American stereotype Great Aunt Hattie, etc. etc. etc.
Just to touch on one small problem—that really doesn’t bother me in the grand scheme of things, which is odd, because if the addictiveness of this whole story wasn’t so delicious, I would have been all over this—was the fact that the plotting was haphazard. It felt as though the author spent so much time on her characters that she remembered halfway through that “Oh shit! Something is supposed to happen!”
But frankly, I would have been content just to read 500+ pages more of mere sibling squabbles and conversations between the siblings. Especially Otto and Lucia, their interactions felt so real, despite the apparent one-sidedness of them, since Otto doesn’t speak…
I’m torn as to whether or not I want a sequel. On the one side, I
If you can read.
If you can hold a book.
If you are in any way, part of the literate modern population.
GO OUT AND GET THIS BOOK!
But be warned that Otto is my lovely. I’ve claimed him! He’s mine!
P.S.
Yes, I am aware that this isn't a "unique" concept--having siblings going off on an adventure alone in a foreign place. I know that it has been done before in "A Series of Unfortunate Events" but personally, I enjoyed this book more than the series previously mentioned.
The events, though very over-the-top and not at all realistic, reminded me of make-believe games that I used to play for hours when I was seven or so and held an almost child-like wonderment. It was a beautifully executed concept, much better done than anything similar out there that I have seen so far.
December 21, 2010
Strong start, seemed quirky, I really liked Lucia as narrator, and the bond between siblings was well established and felt natural, but in the end, the plot really didn't hold up for me. I don't understand how they didn't run into Casper, their father, until the end of the book if he was supposed to have been at Kneebone Castle the whole time. And why do I care about Haddie? And why does she have their mother's name if she isn't their mother? A plot based on a single lie (your mother is in an institution), is always pretty weak because after they've uttered that single truth-revealing sentence there's nothing left to do but end the book and wonder why dad didn't just tell the truth in the first place. And finally, while I liked that Lucia was our "mystery" narrator (her asides were for the most part humorous), I didn't like it when she said things like "and then this really scary thing happened but I don't want to talk about it because it was so scary"... I want to hear the scary part. Constantly talking about omissions kept me bored.
Between this and Olivia Kidney, it seems Ellen Potter is pretty invested in tackling darkness in her children's fiction (an insane, institutionalized parent, abandonment, death/suicide of a sibling... things that actually happen to actual families), and I appreciate the endeavor. Her approach, though, hasn't worked for me in either case.
Between this and Olivia Kidney, it seems Ellen Potter is pretty invested in tackling darkness in her children's fiction (an insane, institutionalized parent, abandonment, death/suicide of a sibling... things that actually happen to actual families), and I appreciate the endeavor. Her approach, though, hasn't worked for me in either case.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 2, 2012
Unbelievable. I wrote a clever intro to this review on the church bulletin (during the sermon, shh...), then sang in the choir during the offering, only to forget about my cleverly written thingamajig on the bulletin and tossing it, unthinkingly, into the recycle bin. Alas, my lost masterpiece is enroute to some recycling plant in Taiwan. Ironically, the intro was regarding how I can forget my original web searches through hyperlinking too many times. Hyperlinking, went the other intro, can lead to many other interesting searches but if you have a lost, random brain like mine, it's easy to shoot off after these distractions becoming a lost piece of cyber debris. This book was like that for me. I found the writing interesting, chapters unpredictable, characters strong and voices distinct, but the plot confusing, with too many hanging clues, and some characters too out-there to be believeable. I preface this because my analysis might be tainted from an overstimulated brain from work being more bonkers than normal or a cough developed from chain-smoking Beijing's polluted air from a business trip a few weeks ago. So here goes... the review that is...
An unknown narrator explains that Otto, Max, and Lucia Hardscrabble's mother went missing when they were very young and the trio obsesses about whether or not their mother is dead or coming back. All three were affected by her disappearance. Thirteen-year-old Otto quit talking afterwards and invented a type of signing to communicate with his siblings. A wrapped scarf mysteriously never leaves his neck. Rumors in their small town say that he strangled his mother with it. Lucia (the middle sibling - I never found her age) tries to be the brave sister who takes care of her brothers. She needs them to be dependent on her so she doesn't feel abandoned and alone. Ten-year-old genius Max, has a stuffed animal named Spoon that he is attached to after their mother disappeared. The father, Casper, doesn't pay close attention to the children and travels often leaving them with a nasty neighbor. Freud could feast on this Hardscrabble situation.
When Casper goes on a business trip and sends the threesome to London to stay with cousin Angela, things go horribly wrong. Angela is not home and the Hardscrabbles are forced to sleep outside. They get attacked on the streets of London before hopping a train to seek out great-aunt Haddie Piggit whom they know is residing by the sea in a small town. Once in town they ask for help from a "great boulder of a man" with "a powerful nose and a chin that looked like it could hammer a nail into concrete." He helps them and thus begins their adventures with Aunt Haddie at a castle and the mystery of the Kneebone boy.
The author has some great lines. Of course my favorite was: "Memory, in my opinion, is a complete noodle. It hangs on the silliest things but forgets the stuff that really matters." (35) Yup... that's moi. Or "Lucia puffed out her nostrils. It was a lovely gesture of contempt that she used quite often." Or "It was the right and responsible thing to do, so they put it off until later." (122) The narrator talks about the structure of writing a story and pokes fun at the plot. I liked this ploy and found it funny in spots such as the one on cliches, "He says that one way to tell if a phrase is overused is if you have heard it in an advertisement. For instance, ...The Such Fun Chewing Gum company promises that their gum will give you a 'dazzling smile,' so I suppose it is a cliche, but the thing is, the sultan's smile was dazzling. It was the sort of smile that made you smile back before you even knew what you were doing." (264) The use of repetition and play on words are also scattered throughout the pages. I liked the experimentation with words and words choices even though some were crude.
The plot. The adults seem to abandon the kids too much. First the dad just sends them off without getting the details right. Then Angela's neighbor is a nasty piece of work who doesn't help the kids. Then the dogwalker abandons them and offers no assistance. In the small town the kids are abandoned at the castle. Haddie also abandons them on their hunt for the Kneebone boy. I thought this pattern was used too much to advance the plot and should have varied more.
Many clues and characters that are introduced just disappear from the plot making it a tad confusing, particularly in the beginning of the story. First, the narrator's identity is never revealed. A bone in chapter one seems significant, but isn't. Max loses Spoon, his supposedly super-duper important stuffed toy, but we never find out what happened to it. Then there are the come-and-go characters of Brenda, Frogface, Willow girl, and Angela's neighbor. I kept waiting for them to crop up again in the story but they vanish from the story line like a wisp of smoke. Saint George is worked in nicely in the second half of the story and I kept thinking that would happen with one of the minor characters in the beginning, but it doesn't and I was left feeling a little muddled by the plot. On the plus side it did make the chapters unpredictable.
There is some swearing by Haddie in a letter and the nasty neighbor man. There is a comment when Lucia asks if her brothers noticed the mysterious person in the window has to be a woman because she has breasts. There are also some crude spots and crude words that seem for older kids like, "piss, crap, stupid, shut up." Another part has the three using a toilet and an adult noticing the smell when she discovers them locked in a room in the castle. I was bothered by Otto's violent attack on the tattoo guy. Even though the tattoo guy attacked the trio first, Otto goes beyond defense mode and into combat mode. His violent reaction was unsettling. I also felt uncomfortable with the resolution of the children's mother and the father's mishandling of her situation. It made me feel sort of ill, especially since her illness is one I've had relatives battle. I do know other readers who love this book, so this is a matter of personal taste.
Stuck with an evil spawn of a teenager? Or maybe a cranky friend? You can try this doozy of a one-liner, "No back talk, thou spleeny canker blossom." You might want to practice it first. It doesn't roll off the tongue easily.
Reading Level 5.5
An unknown narrator explains that Otto, Max, and Lucia Hardscrabble's mother went missing when they were very young and the trio obsesses about whether or not their mother is dead or coming back. All three were affected by her disappearance. Thirteen-year-old Otto quit talking afterwards and invented a type of signing to communicate with his siblings. A wrapped scarf mysteriously never leaves his neck. Rumors in their small town say that he strangled his mother with it. Lucia (the middle sibling - I never found her age) tries to be the brave sister who takes care of her brothers. She needs them to be dependent on her so she doesn't feel abandoned and alone. Ten-year-old genius Max, has a stuffed animal named Spoon that he is attached to after their mother disappeared. The father, Casper, doesn't pay close attention to the children and travels often leaving them with a nasty neighbor. Freud could feast on this Hardscrabble situation.
When Casper goes on a business trip and sends the threesome to London to stay with cousin Angela, things go horribly wrong. Angela is not home and the Hardscrabbles are forced to sleep outside. They get attacked on the streets of London before hopping a train to seek out great-aunt Haddie Piggit whom they know is residing by the sea in a small town. Once in town they ask for help from a "great boulder of a man" with "a powerful nose and a chin that looked like it could hammer a nail into concrete." He helps them and thus begins their adventures with Aunt Haddie at a castle and the mystery of the Kneebone boy.
The author has some great lines. Of course my favorite was: "Memory, in my opinion, is a complete noodle. It hangs on the silliest things but forgets the stuff that really matters." (35) Yup... that's moi. Or "Lucia puffed out her nostrils. It was a lovely gesture of contempt that she used quite often." Or "It was the right and responsible thing to do, so they put it off until later." (122) The narrator talks about the structure of writing a story and pokes fun at the plot. I liked this ploy and found it funny in spots such as the one on cliches, "He says that one way to tell if a phrase is overused is if you have heard it in an advertisement. For instance, ...The Such Fun Chewing Gum company promises that their gum will give you a 'dazzling smile,' so I suppose it is a cliche, but the thing is, the sultan's smile was dazzling. It was the sort of smile that made you smile back before you even knew what you were doing." (264) The use of repetition and play on words are also scattered throughout the pages. I liked the experimentation with words and words choices even though some were crude.
The plot. The adults seem to abandon the kids too much. First the dad just sends them off without getting the details right. Then Angela's neighbor is a nasty piece of work who doesn't help the kids. Then the dogwalker abandons them and offers no assistance. In the small town the kids are abandoned at the castle. Haddie also abandons them on their hunt for the Kneebone boy. I thought this pattern was used too much to advance the plot and should have varied more.
Many clues and characters that are introduced just disappear from the plot making it a tad confusing, particularly in the beginning of the story. First, the narrator's identity is never revealed. A bone in chapter one seems significant, but isn't. Max loses Spoon, his supposedly super-duper important stuffed toy, but we never find out what happened to it. Then there are the come-and-go characters of Brenda, Frogface, Willow girl, and Angela's neighbor. I kept waiting for them to crop up again in the story but they vanish from the story line like a wisp of smoke. Saint George is worked in nicely in the second half of the story and I kept thinking that would happen with one of the minor characters in the beginning, but it doesn't and I was left feeling a little muddled by the plot. On the plus side it did make the chapters unpredictable.
There is some swearing by Haddie in a letter and the nasty neighbor man. There is a comment when Lucia asks if her brothers noticed the mysterious person in the window has to be a woman because she has breasts. There are also some crude spots and crude words that seem for older kids like, "piss, crap, stupid, shut up." Another part has the three using a toilet and an adult noticing the smell when she discovers them locked in a room in the castle. I was bothered by Otto's violent attack on the tattoo guy. Even though the tattoo guy attacked the trio first, Otto goes beyond defense mode and into combat mode. His violent reaction was unsettling. I also felt uncomfortable with the resolution of the children's mother and the father's mishandling of her situation. It made me feel sort of ill, especially since her illness is one I've had relatives battle. I do know other readers who love this book, so this is a matter of personal taste.
Stuck with an evil spawn of a teenager? Or maybe a cranky friend? You can try this doozy of a one-liner, "No back talk, thou spleeny canker blossom." You might want to practice it first. It doesn't roll off the tongue easily.
Reading Level 5.5
August 16, 2010
I’m afraid I don’t know how to review this book without gushing, but I will do my best.
The Hardscrabble family is shunned in their small town for several reasons. Partly it’s because their mother disappeared suddenly and suspiciously. Her body was never found. Partly, it’s because all three of the children are a little odd and unusual. Their father creates portraits of royals who have lost their throne, traveling around the world. When he is gone, he leaves them with Mrs. Carnival, but then he makes a mistake and the three children are sent to stay with their aunt in London, who happens to be out of town herself. So the three children are alone in London with nowhere to stay. Luckily, they saw a letter from their great-aunt to their father giving vague hints about the truth about their mother. So off they head to her home, which happens to be a miniature castle next to a very large castle with plenty of mystery and atmosphere. Before they know it, they are off on an adventure that will change their lives.
Potter, author of Slob and the Olivia Kidney series, has outdone herself with this novel. I tend to dislike books with a narrator voice that interjects, but here it is a perfect fit, since the text is written as if one of the characters is writing it. It is less a narrator voice and more of one of the characters telling their story complete with asides. It works beautifully here, adding to the wryness and intelligence of the book.
When the story reaches the castle folly, the setting really comes to life. From the escapades on the beach and in the woods to the folly itself, details are shared and the entire world is suddenly bright with interest. Potter writes these details into the story, weaving them together to create a world that is fascinating, childlike and still sinister.
The three children act like real brothers and sisters, which in a fantasy novel is a pleasure to see. They are neither enemies or like friends, they are siblings through and through. Their dynamic is ever-changing and very honestly written. Potter also writes each of them with a distinct voice and perspective. This strengthens the novel even more. The children are delightfully but not distractingly odd. They are the types of children we all wanted to be friends with when we were little, because we were just as strange too.
I have saved the best for last. This is a book that reads like a fantasy but is realistic in the end and throughout. Yes, there are adventures, there are skills, there are castles and there is a secret to be unraveled. But in the end, it is real, sometimes achingly so. It is also an ideal book to read aloud to a class, because the adventures will keep them mesmerized and there is plenty to discuss.
A must-buy for all libraries, this book is a winning read. Fans of The Graveyard Book will enjoy it but so will children who look for adventure and reality. It is a cross-genre book that fans of both will enjoy despite the fact it is definitely not really a fantasy. Appropriate for ages 9-12.
The Hardscrabble family is shunned in their small town for several reasons. Partly it’s because their mother disappeared suddenly and suspiciously. Her body was never found. Partly, it’s because all three of the children are a little odd and unusual. Their father creates portraits of royals who have lost their throne, traveling around the world. When he is gone, he leaves them with Mrs. Carnival, but then he makes a mistake and the three children are sent to stay with their aunt in London, who happens to be out of town herself. So the three children are alone in London with nowhere to stay. Luckily, they saw a letter from their great-aunt to their father giving vague hints about the truth about their mother. So off they head to her home, which happens to be a miniature castle next to a very large castle with plenty of mystery and atmosphere. Before they know it, they are off on an adventure that will change their lives.
Potter, author of Slob and the Olivia Kidney series, has outdone herself with this novel. I tend to dislike books with a narrator voice that interjects, but here it is a perfect fit, since the text is written as if one of the characters is writing it. It is less a narrator voice and more of one of the characters telling their story complete with asides. It works beautifully here, adding to the wryness and intelligence of the book.
When the story reaches the castle folly, the setting really comes to life. From the escapades on the beach and in the woods to the folly itself, details are shared and the entire world is suddenly bright with interest. Potter writes these details into the story, weaving them together to create a world that is fascinating, childlike and still sinister.
The three children act like real brothers and sisters, which in a fantasy novel is a pleasure to see. They are neither enemies or like friends, they are siblings through and through. Their dynamic is ever-changing and very honestly written. Potter also writes each of them with a distinct voice and perspective. This strengthens the novel even more. The children are delightfully but not distractingly odd. They are the types of children we all wanted to be friends with when we were little, because we were just as strange too.
I have saved the best for last. This is a book that reads like a fantasy but is realistic in the end and throughout. Yes, there are adventures, there are skills, there are castles and there is a secret to be unraveled. But in the end, it is real, sometimes achingly so. It is also an ideal book to read aloud to a class, because the adventures will keep them mesmerized and there is plenty to discuss.
A must-buy for all libraries, this book is a winning read. Fans of The Graveyard Book will enjoy it but so will children who look for adventure and reality. It is a cross-genre book that fans of both will enjoy despite the fact it is definitely not really a fantasy. Appropriate for ages 9-12.
March 22, 2023
Wow! This is now the 3rd book I've read by Ellen Potter, & I think she has now become a favorite author-because I loved this 1 so much too. I've had this book forever, & when I saw it on her list of written books- I went & grabbed it from the book room to read ASAP. Such a great read. What a strangely unique, wonderfully gothic feels of a family. The whole story itself is so unusual, compelling, extremely engaging, & highly entertaining. I love how the narrator occasionally talks to us the reader as well. The whole backstory of this family, & then the "Kneebone Boy" were so intriguing. Then the siblings go on their 1st ever adventure, & misadventures (because adventures never go like they think they will). The town of Snoring-by-the Sea lol, Saint George & everything about him(including his shop of curiosities), the Kneebone Castle & Castle Folly, Haddie their great Aunt, Chester the cat with 5 legs-all these are just some of the incredible things & people we encounter on this adventure with the kids. It's incredible lol. Great Aunt Haddie is a pistol & a half lol. What a riot. I loved her. Each of the siblings is so different in comparison to the next. Max is a thinker, & quite quick with this smarts. Otto hasn't spoken in a long time, but has created his own way of speaking with his hands that only his siblings understands. He loves odd things, & also, ever since their mom disappeared, he wears a red scarf & never takes it off. Lucia is quick tempered, highly imaginative, controlling, impulsive, & longs for adventure. She did get on my nerves so much at times though. Ugh. Lol The way every piece clicks together in the end, & the big reveals happen, I was blown away. I NEVER saw that coming in a million years. So good. Everything we learned starting at the beginning when they were still home with their dad, up til the ending slid right into place. So many twists & turns-with so many different parts. Incredible. HIGHLY recommend. BEAUTIFUL cover by Jason Chan too. 💜
July 3, 2013
3.5
This is an interesting little book. DEfinitely not quite what I was expecting - but that's not always a bad thing and, in this case, I was pleasantly surprised. Well, partially I'm just glad I didn't see a twist coming from a mile ahead for a change and, also, I kind of like how things were wrapped up in a bittersweet kind of way.
Though, that said, things were a bit too neatly wrapped up, and it's just a bit too pat - so there is that.
Anyway, the story follows the three Hardscrabble children and is written as a sort of memoir from one of the children, though its not identified which one. (Though it's pretty easy to guess the identity of the narrator.)
Even as a memoir it's written mostly in third person, though the narrative does break the fourth wall and address the audience from time to time. Sometimes I find the narrator interacting with the reader a bit twee, but, in this book, I found it mostly clever and humorous - especially some of the faux-Victorian chapter titles.
I think my biggest complaint, really - aside from being a bit pat - is that I would've liked the kids to have been a bit more developed. They never really seem to change from the 'types' they are described as in the beginning. I know it's a kid's book and all, but, still, I've read lots of kid's books with more development and depth.
But, that aside, it was an enjoyable and weird little read. I say weird 'cause I don't really know what to call it. It's not fantasy. It's not a whodunit or thriller. It's not quite the action-adventure that the blurb suggests. But it doesn't feel like straight fiction, either.
I guess I would say it's kind of a gothic mystery more than anything else. If that's the case, then I definitely think I'll have to add gothic mystery to the genres that I keep my eye out for.
This is an interesting little book. DEfinitely not quite what I was expecting - but that's not always a bad thing and, in this case, I was pleasantly surprised. Well, partially I'm just glad I didn't see a twist coming from a mile ahead for a change and, also, I kind of like how things were wrapped up in a bittersweet kind of way.
Though, that said, things were a bit too neatly wrapped up, and it's just a bit too pat - so there is that.
Anyway, the story follows the three Hardscrabble children and is written as a sort of memoir from one of the children, though its not identified which one. (Though it's pretty easy to guess the identity of the narrator.)
Even as a memoir it's written mostly in third person, though the narrative does break the fourth wall and address the audience from time to time. Sometimes I find the narrator interacting with the reader a bit twee, but, in this book, I found it mostly clever and humorous - especially some of the faux-Victorian chapter titles.
I think my biggest complaint, really - aside from being a bit pat - is that I would've liked the kids to have been a bit more developed. They never really seem to change from the 'types' they are described as in the beginning. I know it's a kid's book and all, but, still, I've read lots of kid's books with more development and depth.
But, that aside, it was an enjoyable and weird little read. I say weird 'cause I don't really know what to call it. It's not fantasy. It's not a whodunit or thriller. It's not quite the action-adventure that the blurb suggests. But it doesn't feel like straight fiction, either.
I guess I would say it's kind of a gothic mystery more than anything else. If that's the case, then I definitely think I'll have to add gothic mystery to the genres that I keep my eye out for.
April 12, 2012
Picked up at the library, completely judging it by its cover. People say not to do that, but I think we all should totally do that. It works out most of the time.
The first half of this book, I was completely enchanted. It's clever. It's weird. It's funny. That's everything I'm looking for. I loved Potter's writing style - it's very familiar, and she has that gift of saying everything you need to know and making it funny, yet brief. It's a gift.
The Hardscrabble siblings don't fit in in their small town, Little Tunks. Their Mom has disappeared, their Dad paints portraits of deposed leaders in countries you've never heard of, and the oldest brother Otto hasn't spoken in years. Awesome. Through a mistake they end up in London without parental supervision and set off on an adventure, maybe to find their Mom.
The story was good, great even, right up until the last bit. What you thought for SURE would be a slightly magical, quirky ending just fell totally flat on it's face. Can a plot do that? Because this one did. It just tripped and face planted in the dirt.
5 stars for the beginning, and by the end petered down to 2. So I averaged it to 3.
The first half of this book, I was completely enchanted. It's clever. It's weird. It's funny. That's everything I'm looking for. I loved Potter's writing style - it's very familiar, and she has that gift of saying everything you need to know and making it funny, yet brief. It's a gift.
The Hardscrabble siblings don't fit in in their small town, Little Tunks. Their Mom has disappeared, their Dad paints portraits of deposed leaders in countries you've never heard of, and the oldest brother Otto hasn't spoken in years. Awesome. Through a mistake they end up in London without parental supervision and set off on an adventure, maybe to find their Mom.
The story was good, great even, right up until the last bit. What you thought for SURE would be a slightly magical, quirky ending just fell totally flat on it's face. Can a plot do that? Because this one did. It just tripped and face planted in the dirt.
5 stars for the beginning, and by the end petered down to 2. So I averaged it to 3.
November 7, 2010
I'm not at all familiar with this nouveau-Gothic/British or whatever kind of writing; I haven't read any Lemony Snicket etc. But I thought this book was hugely enjoyable and very well-done, and oh, such a satisfying conclusion. Some say it isn't convincingly British; I read those reviews and thought "well, it isn't convincingly stereotypically British, no".
There's a little bit of Dahl-ish vulgarity here and there that I wasn't enthusiastic about, because I am prudish about these things, but it won't bother normal people at all.
Laurie and Matthew, I think you are bound to like any book that contains the line "No one even bothered to say 'That's weird' because it so clearly was."
There's a little bit of Dahl-ish vulgarity here and there that I wasn't enthusiastic about, because I am prudish about these things, but it won't bother normal people at all.
Laurie and Matthew, I think you are bound to like any book that contains the line "No one even bothered to say 'That's weird' because it so clearly was."
April 5, 2011
How do you classify this one? It's not fantasy, there's no magical realism, and it's not realistic fiction, but there's probably enough suspense and mystery to appeal to a good number of middle schoolers. The darkness and snarky dialogue will appeal to young readers, who will also enjoy delving into the strange new world of Snoring-by-the-Sea and the castle folly.
That said, as a more mature reader, I found the ending to be an easy out, of sorts. It was an all too tidy wrap-up for a storyline that could have ended with something more clever. I'm not sure what that something is, but then again, I'm also not the author.
That said, as a more mature reader, I found the ending to be an easy out, of sorts. It was an all too tidy wrap-up for a storyline that could have ended with something more clever. I'm not sure what that something is, but then again, I'm also not the author.
May 28, 2012
I know you're not supposed to judge a book by its cover, but the last book I picked up for its beautiful cover art (Lisa Mantchev's Perchance to Dream) was a winner, so I took a chance again on this one. I'm glad I did. The quirkiness of the plot and writing style is highly reminiscent of Lemony Snickett, but unlike his books, this one didn't leave me frustrated and wanting to gouge the author's eyes out with a spoon. I don't quite know how to classify this book--while reading it I kept thinking "What is this? Fantasy? Magical realism? What is it actually about?" but whatever it is, it is thoroughly charming.
June 6, 2012
This book was very different. I hate to talk about it, almost, because I don't want to spoil anything. It went to some unusual places, physically and emotionally, and had some twists that I never in a million years would have seen coming.
April 24, 2013
LOVED IT! JUST LOVED IT! :D
July 1, 2016
I gave it 3.5 because it was super cute! I loved it!!! >_<
December 31, 2019
I enjoyed it in some degree, not the best but not the worst, I do like the humor though
July 19, 2017
Thanks to a simple misunderstanding, the three Hardscrabble children are sent to stay with an aunt while their father's out of town ... only to discover their aunt's away. So Otto, Lucia, and Max have to fend for themselves. Misfits and whispers. Curiosities and courage. Sketches and secrets.
When I picked up the book, I was under the impression it would have more of a paranormal/supernatural angle. While it has its share of quirks, the story actually meanders unhurriedly through slice-of-life territory. I'll confess to a growing restlessness, waiting for *something* to happen; however, I took a liking to the siblings, and I wanted to see their story through. I'm glad I did. This is one of those stories that I'll enjoy even more as a re-read, since I won't be wrestling with unmet expectations. I'll definitely relax with their story again since it's been added to my shelf at home.
When I picked up the book, I was under the impression it would have more of a paranormal/supernatural angle. While it has its share of quirks, the story actually meanders unhurriedly through slice-of-life territory. I'll confess to a growing restlessness, waiting for *something* to happen; however, I took a liking to the siblings, and I wanted to see their story through. I'm glad I did. This is one of those stories that I'll enjoy even more as a re-read, since I won't be wrestling with unmet expectations. I'll definitely relax with their story again since it's been added to my shelf at home.
November 20, 2023
This was a wonderful book, I would definitely recommend it! I was not expecting the end! I really love the dynamic between the siblings, it gave a Series of Unfortunate Events, just a little more sibling bickering. If given the option I would have rated this book a 4.5, mainly due to the author's occasional ramblings which unnecessarily pulled you out of the story. The author's writing style made you feel like someone was there in person telling you the story. I really liked that, but I feel like a little less rambling could have been in order. Overall this is a wonderful story and I can't wait to reread it in the future!!
March 16, 2020
I ordinarily don't like the knowing tone of books written about English schoolkids ... as though, if you don't subscribe to their ideas of what's "in" versus what's "infra dig," you deserve to be bullied. This book escapes that, barely, but effectively. The narrator speaks to the reader several times in each chapter, which is something that is rarely pulled off well, but again, in this case Potter manages it. It makes you feel as though you're listening to a person who wants to make sure you understand the story he or she is telling. Barely believable Dickensian situations make this an enjoyable entertainment.
November 13, 2021
I mostly picked this up because I absolutely loved the cover. It is so cool. Overall, this was a good read full of things that I was not expecting at all. Basically, these kids end up on their own in London and decided to find their lost great aunt instead of heading home. Then, a bunch of stuff starts happening and everything seems unrelated, and it all comes together in this crazy solution. Basically, I spent a lot of this book having no idea where it was going, but then somehow everything made sense in the end. It was a bittersweet ending, but I did enjoy it.
February 22, 2022
This was a good book to read with my little guy. It was a difficult family situation, but it was handled so beautifully with tenderness and humor.
November 8, 2010
Reviewed by Rusty Key Writer: Jordan B. Nielsen
Recommended for: Ages 11 and Up for themes of family trauma and implications of violence.
One Word Summary: Unsettling.
Superbly written with smart charm, thoroughly rounded and loveable main characters, and a winning narrative device, ‘The Kneebone Boy’ stands as the best book I ever didn’t like. Up until the last twenty pages or so, the one word I would have picked for my ‘one word summary’ was ‘Beguiling’. But as I closed out those last few pages, I was left with ‘Puzzling’ ‘Inscrutable’ and finally the word that was ultimately chosen, ‘Unsettling.’ Without question, ‘The Kneebone Boy’ was unlike anything I’ve ever read before, for better or for worse.
Kneebone is narrated by one of the three Hardscrabble children, Otto, Lucia and Max, who live in a small town called Little Tunks in the English countryside. Our narrator insists on remaining anonymous, and part of the early fun comes in guessing which of the children this feisty, shrewd voice might belong to. The Hardscrabbles live with their father, an eccentric painter of disgraced royals. As he travels the globe painting portraits of the third cousin of the Duke of Glastonshire (or what have you) the Hardscrabble children are left to fend off the curious glances and ugly rumors that follow them. Some time in the recent past their mother went missing, presumed dead. Suspicion bounced from their father and on to Otto, the eldest of the Hardscrabbles, who mysteriously stopped speaking upon their mother’s disappearance (He now relies on a kind of sign language), and cleaves to a black patterned scarf that he wears around his neck at all times. Lucia is fiercely defensive of her older brother, alienating them all further, and youngest Max is willing to tell elaborate lies to try and win even a single friend, but inevitably fails. The real adventure begins when the Hardscrabbles are sent to stay with a cousin in London, rather than the icky old lady down the street, while their father leaves for work. Nothing goes according to plan, and the Hardscrabbles are set on a course by fate (Or as it’s put in the book: ‘Then suddenly, without realizing it, they found a secret opening into the Perilous-World-at-Large.’… a metaphor I absolutely loved) to unravel some of the mysteries that have pervaded their home life. There is a lot more to the plot, but I won’t go further for fear of ruining some of the initial twists and turns.
Ninety percent of this book works brilliantly. The Hardscrabbles are fully developed characters I truly enjoyed spending time with. The haunted feeling about them is poignant, and the dynamics of their relationships with one another are made more interesting when you realize that their circumstance really forces a closeness between them that might not have existed otherwise. My favorite moment of the book comes when Lucia witnesses a violent streak in Otto that makes her consider if her brother, to whom she’s completely devoted, might indeed have strangled their mother to death, as the rumors suggest. How fascinating, and bold, not to mention chilling: to have to contemplate whether your beloved relation might be responsible for the death of another beloved relation, particularly as a child. The moment is just glanced over, but resonates through the entire story. The notion that the people you love the most might not be who you think they are is a pervasive theme. Though devoid of any magical elements, there’s a lovely, dour sense of the bizarre lurking in the nooks and crannies of this story that gives it an otherworldly feel.
However, it all boils down to the ending. It is a surprise, to be sure, and one that’s likely to draw a wide range of reactions. Mine was akin to the feeling Christopher Columbus might have had upon turning to his navigator when their ship landed on North American soil rather than India. ‘North America is perfectly lovely, but I thought we were going to INDIA.’ Though certainly thought provoking and not entirely inappropriate, I wonder if the end wasn’t SUCH a sharp turn that it might throw some readers over the prow. We encourage you to share your thoughts with us!
For more reviews from The Rusty Key, visit us at www.therustykey.com
Recommended for: Ages 11 and Up for themes of family trauma and implications of violence.
One Word Summary: Unsettling.
Superbly written with smart charm, thoroughly rounded and loveable main characters, and a winning narrative device, ‘The Kneebone Boy’ stands as the best book I ever didn’t like. Up until the last twenty pages or so, the one word I would have picked for my ‘one word summary’ was ‘Beguiling’. But as I closed out those last few pages, I was left with ‘Puzzling’ ‘Inscrutable’ and finally the word that was ultimately chosen, ‘Unsettling.’ Without question, ‘The Kneebone Boy’ was unlike anything I’ve ever read before, for better or for worse.
Kneebone is narrated by one of the three Hardscrabble children, Otto, Lucia and Max, who live in a small town called Little Tunks in the English countryside. Our narrator insists on remaining anonymous, and part of the early fun comes in guessing which of the children this feisty, shrewd voice might belong to. The Hardscrabbles live with their father, an eccentric painter of disgraced royals. As he travels the globe painting portraits of the third cousin of the Duke of Glastonshire (or what have you) the Hardscrabble children are left to fend off the curious glances and ugly rumors that follow them. Some time in the recent past their mother went missing, presumed dead. Suspicion bounced from their father and on to Otto, the eldest of the Hardscrabbles, who mysteriously stopped speaking upon their mother’s disappearance (He now relies on a kind of sign language), and cleaves to a black patterned scarf that he wears around his neck at all times. Lucia is fiercely defensive of her older brother, alienating them all further, and youngest Max is willing to tell elaborate lies to try and win even a single friend, but inevitably fails. The real adventure begins when the Hardscrabbles are sent to stay with a cousin in London, rather than the icky old lady down the street, while their father leaves for work. Nothing goes according to plan, and the Hardscrabbles are set on a course by fate (Or as it’s put in the book: ‘Then suddenly, without realizing it, they found a secret opening into the Perilous-World-at-Large.’… a metaphor I absolutely loved) to unravel some of the mysteries that have pervaded their home life. There is a lot more to the plot, but I won’t go further for fear of ruining some of the initial twists and turns.
Ninety percent of this book works brilliantly. The Hardscrabbles are fully developed characters I truly enjoyed spending time with. The haunted feeling about them is poignant, and the dynamics of their relationships with one another are made more interesting when you realize that their circumstance really forces a closeness between them that might not have existed otherwise. My favorite moment of the book comes when Lucia witnesses a violent streak in Otto that makes her consider if her brother, to whom she’s completely devoted, might indeed have strangled their mother to death, as the rumors suggest. How fascinating, and bold, not to mention chilling: to have to contemplate whether your beloved relation might be responsible for the death of another beloved relation, particularly as a child. The moment is just glanced over, but resonates through the entire story. The notion that the people you love the most might not be who you think they are is a pervasive theme. Though devoid of any magical elements, there’s a lovely, dour sense of the bizarre lurking in the nooks and crannies of this story that gives it an otherworldly feel.
However, it all boils down to the ending. It is a surprise, to be sure, and one that’s likely to draw a wide range of reactions. Mine was akin to the feeling Christopher Columbus might have had upon turning to his navigator when their ship landed on North American soil rather than India. ‘North America is perfectly lovely, but I thought we were going to INDIA.’ Though certainly thought provoking and not entirely inappropriate, I wonder if the end wasn’t SUCH a sharp turn that it might throw some readers over the prow. We encourage you to share your thoughts with us!
For more reviews from The Rusty Key, visit us at www.therustykey.com
December 14, 2014
Ellen Potter's The Kneebone Boy is a children's book set in the town of Little Tunks (there is no Big Tunks), England, starring the three Hardscrabble children: the oldest, Otto, who everyone believes murdered his mother but since he is mute and the body never turned up, no one can be for certain; the middle child, Lucia (pronounced Lu-CHEE-ah and don't you forget it!) who loves to flare her nostrils indignantly and considers life in Little Tunks boring as she never goes on any grand adventures; and the youngest, Max, who puzzles out problems and is only useful for squeezing boils on old ladies' necks. (I'm sorry, was that a terrible visual? Imagine poor Max having to do this every time his father Casper goes out of town to paint one of many desposed royalty, which he does with little complaint.)
But one day, the usual boring lives of the Hardscrabble's gets thrown for a loop when their father sends them to stay in London with their cousin Angela who happens be in Germany at the time. Stranded in the city with dwindling money, the children decide on a whim to stay a day - and night - out by themselves, which obviously leads to an disastrous end. With no other choice other than to head back to Little Tunks, the three decide on whim once more to visit their unknown Aunt Haddie, who lives in Snoring-by-the-Sea. After their arrival in the back of a funeral carriage and a rickety descent into a castle folly, thus begins the Hardscrabble's adventure to solving their own past and the mystery of the Kneebone Boy.
The characterization for this book is spot-on. As the baby sibling, I know what it is like to be singled out, to feel left out, and to be made to do all the dirty chores because I'm too little to say no or otherwise. In short, I know what it's like to be Max. Lucia and Otto are inseperable, having contrived a secret sign language that not even their father can sort out with Lucia as the headstrong and brash mouthpiece. The three's squabbles are perfect, and their dynamic even more so when they finally decided to all work together. Even Casper, who is mostly off-screen, seems to stand on his own, as does the rest of the colorful cast.
While this story has a lot of magical ingredients, including old scary legends and castles, the story is set entirely in a non-fiction world, the bittersweet ending making this all the more evident. The book was somewhat slow to start in the beginning, but as the Hardscrabble's adventure began, the pages seemed to fly by. While some may become suspect of the story and the characters partway through as I did, where questions of what really happened to the Hardscrabble's mother, and how Otto, his scarf, and his mother's disappearance were all connected and discover the answer before the ending, it's worth finishing even if it is somewhat tearful.
So why three stars, you ask? Simply put: while the characters were unique and the story very Lemony Snicket-y (whose books I love), the overall feeling I was left with was bland. The mystery wasn't very mysterious, the magic set in the story was slightly offset by the very real-world ending, and sometimes I felt as though the "narrarator" was trying too hard to be whimsical. I most definitely enjoyed this book, but I wasn't too impressed with it either. Regardless, my hat's off to Ellen Potter for nothing other than bringing back the memories of my childhood, both the good and the nasty.
But one day, the usual boring lives of the Hardscrabble's gets thrown for a loop when their father sends them to stay in London with their cousin Angela who happens be in Germany at the time. Stranded in the city with dwindling money, the children decide on a whim to stay a day - and night - out by themselves, which obviously leads to an disastrous end. With no other choice other than to head back to Little Tunks, the three decide on whim once more to visit their unknown Aunt Haddie, who lives in Snoring-by-the-Sea. After their arrival in the back of a funeral carriage and a rickety descent into a castle folly, thus begins the Hardscrabble's adventure to solving their own past and the mystery of the Kneebone Boy.
The characterization for this book is spot-on. As the baby sibling, I know what it is like to be singled out, to feel left out, and to be made to do all the dirty chores because I'm too little to say no or otherwise. In short, I know what it's like to be Max. Lucia and Otto are inseperable, having contrived a secret sign language that not even their father can sort out with Lucia as the headstrong and brash mouthpiece. The three's squabbles are perfect, and their dynamic even more so when they finally decided to all work together. Even Casper, who is mostly off-screen, seems to stand on his own, as does the rest of the colorful cast.
While this story has a lot of magical ingredients, including old scary legends and castles, the story is set entirely in a non-fiction world, the bittersweet ending making this all the more evident. The book was somewhat slow to start in the beginning, but as the Hardscrabble's adventure began, the pages seemed to fly by. While some may become suspect of the story and the characters partway through as I did, where questions of what really happened to the Hardscrabble's mother, and how Otto, his scarf, and his mother's disappearance were all connected and discover the answer before the ending, it's worth finishing even if it is somewhat tearful.
So why three stars, you ask? Simply put: while the characters were unique and the story very Lemony Snicket-y (whose books I love), the overall feeling I was left with was bland. The mystery wasn't very mysterious, the magic set in the story was slightly offset by the very real-world ending, and sometimes I felt as though the "narrarator" was trying too hard to be whimsical. I most definitely enjoyed this book, but I wasn't too impressed with it either. Regardless, my hat's off to Ellen Potter for nothing other than bringing back the memories of my childhood, both the good and the nasty.
January 25, 2011
This story has a sardonic, mischievous edge that sets it apart. There are none of the typical outlandish characters we see these days – no vampires, reality stars or actual murderers - but there are strange and unexpected elements throughout. Potter gives the hint of something unusual on every page. The narrator, one of the three siblings (although they won't say which one) speaks directly to the reader with honesty and an element of humor. The language can be somewhat sophisticated and there may be some challenging words like portcullis, precipice or restive. There are questionable ideas like a career in tattooing people’s bums, creepy situations like rats in the dungeon where they sleep, scary moments when they feel they’re being watched and disgusting images like squeezing a giant cyst (ugh) found on their elderly neighbor. Although things tie up a little too neatly, the dark ending is consistent with the rest of the story and could be disturbing to some young readers.
I'll try to give you a good idea as to what you're in for, without giving away any surprises. In a boring town in England, three siblings named Otto (the oldest at 13), Lucia and Max Hardscrabble are leading a pretty sad existence. Their mother had disappeared years ago, their father often leaves them with a nasty neighbor while he travels to exotic locations to paint fallen royalty, Otto hasn’t spoken in years and their community has ostracized them. Is there mother still alive or was she murdered? Did Otto strangle her? Those are questions that plague these children. When their father tells them that he has to leave quite suddenly for a painting assignment, the Hardscrabble kids set off alone to visit their cousin, Angela, in London. When they arrive and find Angela out of town, things take some unexpected twists and turns. Wondering if their dad, too, has ditched them, they face a night alone on the streets of London, getting a first-hand look at the bizarre characters that roam the city streets after dark. One of these characters confronts the kids and a bloody fight results. They refer to their father’s drawings of various figures like the Sultan of Juwi and the Empress Amalie, to give them courage and strength during these types of difficult situations. With nowhere else to turn, they decide to seek out the help of their mysterious Aunt Haddie. It is with her that they discover another mystery, the whereabouts of the Kneebone boy, which actually leads them to some answers to their own personal problems.
I'll try to give you a good idea as to what you're in for, without giving away any surprises. In a boring town in England, three siblings named Otto (the oldest at 13), Lucia and Max Hardscrabble are leading a pretty sad existence. Their mother had disappeared years ago, their father often leaves them with a nasty neighbor while he travels to exotic locations to paint fallen royalty, Otto hasn’t spoken in years and their community has ostracized them. Is there mother still alive or was she murdered? Did Otto strangle her? Those are questions that plague these children. When their father tells them that he has to leave quite suddenly for a painting assignment, the Hardscrabble kids set off alone to visit their cousin, Angela, in London. When they arrive and find Angela out of town, things take some unexpected twists and turns. Wondering if their dad, too, has ditched them, they face a night alone on the streets of London, getting a first-hand look at the bizarre characters that roam the city streets after dark. One of these characters confronts the kids and a bloody fight results. They refer to their father’s drawings of various figures like the Sultan of Juwi and the Empress Amalie, to give them courage and strength during these types of difficult situations. With nowhere else to turn, they decide to seek out the help of their mysterious Aunt Haddie. It is with her that they discover another mystery, the whereabouts of the Kneebone boy, which actually leads them to some answers to their own personal problems.
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