To the Bone - by Alena Bruzas (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

This gripping, shocking, and exquisitely crafted survival story reveals the truth of America's colonial history in a powerful new way--visceral and breathtaking.

After the long journey from England, Ellis arrives in America full of hope. James Fort is where a better life will begin for her: where she will work as an indentured servant to Henry Collins and his pregnant wife, gain financial security, and fall deeply in love with bold, glorious Jane Eddowes.

But as summer turns to fall, Ellis begins to notice the cracks in this new life--the viciousness of the colonists toward the Indigenous people and the terrifying anger Henry uses to control his wife and Ellis--leaving her to wonder if she has sentenced herself to a prison rather than a new home.

Then winter arrives and hunger grips the Fort. Ellis is about to learn that people will do whatever it takes to survive.

To the Bone is a riveting story of survival and horror that forcefully overturns the mythos of the American settler. It will stay with you, forever.

Review Quotes

A Junior Library Guild Gold-Standard Selection

"A tale of graceful devastation. Alena Bruzas's flawless prose embroiders one of the most brutal periods of our country's early history with a pure and glinting thread of humanity. A chilling, unforgettable story."--Gillian French, author of Sugaring Off and The Lies They Tell

"Tragic, harrowing, and raw, To the Bone is fraught with tension, longing, and an increasing sense of dread that makes it difficult to look away."--Erin Bowman, author of Vengeance Road

"Alena Bruzas has spun a tale that will crawl under your skin and refuse to leave. To the Bone is a unique and unforgettable read."--June Hur, bestselling author of The Red Palace

"Via first-rate prose, Bruzas seeds pockets of tenderness, warmth, and romance throughout, lending emotional weight to the unfolding horrors. "--Publishers Weekly

★ "Alena Bruzas pulls no punches with her lean, lyrical prose. Ellis' voice is entirely convincing, her quiet observations of people and situations around her perfectly embedded in her own experiences even as they elucidate for a contemporary audience the brutal harm done by her settlement. Ruthless and tender by turns: a triumph of historical fiction." --Kirkus, starred review

"The story tackles notions around homophobia, abortion, and gendered societal expectations during a time when very few could buck the roles they were born into." --The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"By combining historical and archaeological facts with a compelling love story, Bruzas has created a powerful, engaging tale that illuminates social, economic, and moral lines in colonial America. Bruzas skillfully uses the weather to set the mood, while building believable and empathetic primary and secondary characters through connected relationships and events." --School Library Journal

"From its first pages, Bruzas' tragic, brutal historical novel is steeped in hunger, fear, and yearning. Bruzas anchors her story firmly in the historical record. Her writing is spare, even elegant, using repetition and sensual, visceral descriptions to inspire dread and hope in turn as circumstances reveal each character's true nature. This macabre novel will lead readers to a fresh fascination with colonial history." --Booklist

About the Author

Alena Bruzas grew up in Seattle and currently lives in Lincoln, Nebraska, with her family. She is the author of the acclaimed novel Ever Since, and she hopes her writing will find the people who need it most. When she's not writing, Alena serves on the board for Ten Thousand Villages, Lincoln. She also occasionally cooks dinner, worries about commas, and wanders the prairie.