The Cold is in Her Bones

I would like to thank NetGalley and Simon and Schuster UK for sending me this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

I first feel the need to point out that Peternell Van Arsdale is one of the most unique writers I have ever read. Her previous book, The Beast is an Animal, was like nothing I’d read before and this book was no different easily climbing the high pedistool I have placed her on as an author.
This book came with so many twist and turns I felt as if I was staggering through a wood also and just as I was about to become frustrated with a characters decision Peternell throws a curveball and leaves you thinking ‘wow I didn’t see that coming’.
I truly adore her style of writing and this book showcased it perfectly. It was dark and thrilling with an ending only she could write that perfectly.
The main character, Milla, never once overshadowed her fellow characters and made them seem redundant. The pace was consistent and realistic and kept me enthralled.
I don’t know what more I can say about this book other than....why haven’t you read it yet?

A lusciously written YA fantasy , The Cold is in Her Bones is a Medusa inspired tale of a young woman, raised in virtual isolation , who must find the strength to break a curse that haunts not just her family, but all the girls of the local village, before she succumbs to it, and becomes possessed.
Milla is lonely, growing up on a farm with her brother and parents. She is far from the golden child of the family, her brother is the beloved, heir to the family farm and her only real companion.Raised in such isolation she is completely naive, and knows nothing about the world outside her farm, or it's dangers. When Iris, the granddaughter of a neighbour comes to stay, as a prospective bride for him, Milla is delighted to find she has a new friend, and the two soon become inseparable. When the curse that blights the nearby village, resulting in many young women becoming possessed, comes for Iris, both Milla and her brother are determined to save her. Going against her parent's wishes, Milla breaks their forced isolation and embarks on a quest to save her friend, and along the way discovers some disturbing truths about her family and the origin of the curse.
This book has a strong Eastern European flavour, with a style reminiscent of an oral storytelling tradition of myths and fables. The prose is lyrical and vivid, and fits the darker tone of the story perfectly. The prologue is both chilling and gripping in equal measure, and really lets the reader know that there is darkness ahead, which is good, because this is a book where the reader needs to be patient and let the story flow at its own pace. Milla is a fascinating character, her unusual upbringing makes her almost a perfect foil for the reader, we know little more than she does as the story unfolds, and I thought this worked particularly well.
I read a review copy courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.