Bones Buried in the Dirt

Bones Buried in the Dirt - David S. Atkinson This review was first posted on Music, Books and TeaLast year, I branched out my reading habits a little, and read two fabulous short-story collections with We Bury the Landscape and Watering Heaven. I enjoyed both a great deal, and that was what made me excited to read Bones Buried in the Dirt.I don’t think a book has ever left me feeling so empty after I’ve read it. And I do not mean that in a bad way whatsoever. But all of the short stories in this collection are incredibly raw to read, and they all left an incredible effect on me. I tweeted about how this book made me incredibly sad, and it did, but I think that was what I loved about it. Normally books written about childhood are full of happiness and delight, and that wasn’t the case with Bones Buried in the Dirt, which sets it apart from other similar books. Atkinson is such a talented writer, he captured the voice of Peter so well that it was hard to remember I wasn’t reading a book written by a twelve-year-old. My favourite stories were Druthers Part 1, the titular Bones Buried in the Dirt and Cards. The story that stuck with me the most, however, was The Pipe. That wasn’t the story I expected to read, I wasn’t expecting it to pan out the way that it did and the ending shocked me. I had to pause after finishing The Pipe and take in what I had just read. I am so pleased that the book didn’t end with that story either, but followed The Pipe with Cards, a story that I thought wrapped up this collection really well.I’ve mentioned in the past about how much I dislike the shortness of short stories, but with Bones Buried in the Dirt, I feel the shortness of these stories was what made them work so well. If they had been longer, I wouldn’t have had that raw, empty feeling whilst reading them. In fact, I would have probably gotten very bored with them, and I wouldn’t have enjoyed the book as much as I did. These short and sharp flashbacks into Peter’s childhood really made me stop and think a lot, which is something that I always appreciate books doing. Bones Buried in the Dirt isn’t a the book to read if you’re looking for something light-hearted to read without really thinking. This is a book that you’ll want to consume quickly, and then spend a lot of time thinking about. It’s an easy read in the sense that the short stories are quick and punchy, but it’s definitely a book that will resonate with you.