The Cold Is in Her Bones
The Cold Is in Her Bones
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Simon & Schuster, Inc.
Annotation: When Milla, sixteen, who has lived a sheltered life on a farm near a cursed village, finally makes a friend, she learns of her connection to the curse's originator.
Genre: [Fantasy fiction]
 
Reviews: 4
Catalog Number: #254865
Format: Perma-Bound Edition
Copyright Date: 2019
Edition Date: 2020 Release Date: 01/21/20
Pages: 278 pages
ISBN: Publisher: 1-481-48845-7 Perma-Bound: 0-7804-8856-3
ISBN 13: Publisher: 978-1-481-48845-7 Perma-Bound: 978-0-7804-8856-4
Dewey: Fic
LCCN: 2018015760
Dimensions: 21 cm.
Language: English
Reviews:
ALA Booklist

Until Iris moved next door, Milla had never met a person from town, let alone a girl her own age. Her life on the family farm was one of work, duty, unanswered questions, and prayers to keep the demon at bay. Yet despite the family's precautions, this vengeful spirit takes control of Iris, like it has of countless girls in town, and Milla grows determined to save her newfound friend. Van Arsdale coils tension within her prose, winding it tighter as Milla learns the truth about the curse plaguing the town and the role she must play in lifting it. The palpable fear and paranoia surrounding demon-possessed girls easily brings to mind Salem's hysteria-fueled witch trials and is further heightened by fantasy elements that render this demon real t to mention droves of snakes. The primary narrative is devoted to Milla's journey of identity and personal transformation, but it is strongly informed by sibling bonds, friendship, and themes of vengeance and forgiveness. A dark, magic-infused story lit by bravery and hope.

Horn Book

Sixteen-year-old Milla, who's never left her family's farm, fears she will never be virtuous enough to escape the ever-present threat of demonic possession. When charismatic Iris visits from the nearby village, the two become fast friends; Iris confides that girls are becoming possessed by a vengeful demon and believes she will succumb next. Unsettling and thought-provoking, this dark fantasy explores the revolutionary power of women's anger and the strength of sisterhood.

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

This feminist retelling of the Medusa legend by

School Library Journal

Gr 7-{amp}ndash;10{amp}mdash; The myth of Medusa is revisited in this haunting retelling. Milla resents her life of servitude on her family's isolated farm and balks at the idea of conforming to her parents' selfish wishes. Most women of Milla's acquaintance live compliant lives, serving the needs of their husbands. Meanwhile, the superstitious villagers tremble in fear of a demon's curse, which manifests itself as reptilian skin and snakes in the hair and results in the loss of its victims' souls. The arrival of a newcomer, Iris, offers lonely Milla something she's never had: a true friend. But Iris bears a dark secret{amp}mdash;she's already been afflicted by the curse. When Milla's parents discover Iris's condition, they send her away to The Place, an awful fortress where demon-possessed young women are banished. Milla is determined to save her friend and sets out to free her. However, the curse has begun to spread to Milla, creating disturbing thoughts and physical changes in her. Part fairy tale and part allegory, the story pits serpents, witches, and demons against seemingly powerless female characters who must learn to speak up for themselves. The author has created a cautionary tale that warns against ignorance and shines a spotlight on feminism. Van Arsdale's writing will appeal to young adults with its strong themes of loyalty and friendship. VERDICT A good selection for those who enjoy fairy tales and to spark discussion about gender roles and feminism.{amp}mdash; Sandi Jones, Wynne High School, Wynne, AR

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ALA Booklist
Horn Book
Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)
School Library Journal
Word Count: 71,529
Reading Level: 4.6
Interest Level: 7-12
Accelerated Reader: reading level: 4.6 / points: 10.0 / quiz: 511612 / grade: Upper Grades
The Cold Is in Her Bones

1




TO PROTECT YOUR HOME FROM demons:

1. If you see a snake, kill it. Then burn it.

2. Pour salt where the air comes in--sills, thresholds, hearths.

3. Stay inside after dark. Lock tight doors and windows.

4. Pray.

Excerpted from The Cold Is in Her Bones by Peternelle van Arsdale
All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.

“A dark and enchanting tale.” —Bustle
“Fiercely written and beautifully feminist.” —Lisa Maxwell, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Magician

One girl must uncover secrets of the past to save her friend from a terrible curse in this “dark, angry fairy tale” (BCCB, starred review) filled with love, revenge, and redemption that is inspired by the myth of Medusa.

Milla knows two things to be true: Demons are real, and fear will keep her safe.

Milla’s whole world is her family’s farm. She is never allowed to travel to the village and her only friend is her beloved older brother, Niklas. When a bright-eyed girl named Iris comes to stay, Milla hopes her loneliness might finally be coming to an end. But Iris has a secret she’s forbidden to share: The village is cursed by a demon who possesses girls at random, and the townspeople live in terror of who it will come for next.

Now, it seems, the demon has come for Iris. When Iris is captured and imprisoned with other possessed girls, Milla leaves home to rescue her and break the curse forever. Her only company on the journey is a terrible new secret of her own: Milla is changing, too, and may soon be a demon herself.

Suspenseful and vividly imagined, The Cold Is in Her Bones is a novel about the dark, reverberating power of pain, the yearning to be seen and understood, and the fragile optimism of love.


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