The Cold Is In Her Bones by Peternelle van Arsdale
Published by: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Pub Date: January 22nd, 2019
Pages: 258
Format: arc | Source: publisher
Genres: young adult, fantasy, retelling
Rating:

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.

This was an interesting book that wasn’t on my radar until I received it from Simon Teen, so thank you for my #ShelfQueens box! Pitched as a Medusa retelling meets The Crucible, I found that part to be most prevalent in the beginning chapters which happened to be the part I enjoyed the most. As the book moves along, The Crucible influences become obvious as well; the girls are vilified and there is a lot of general unease and finger pointing. I didn’t feel a huge connection to the characters (even though I liked Milla) and the plot was confusing and frustrating at times but I think what it says about society is worth discussing. It also kept me turning the pages to find out how it would resolve. I think the feeling of tension and anxiety that permeates the pages as you read adds to the experience even if it left me feeling unsettled!

Do you enjoy books that push you out of your comfort zone? What about retellings? (I love them!) Let me know.