Slowly moving story about a mother who is obsessed by the death of her daughter and can't understand why everyone else in the world doesn't feel the same. The plot elements felt somewhat contrived to me and I didn't feel much sympathy for or understanding of the grieving angry mother. The son's epilogue location wasn't well integrated and seemed more it belonged in the acknowledgements or as a justification for the author's overseas trip. Those issues aside, the relationships within the family seemed to be well explored. ( )

It seems almost axiomatic now that people should be allowed to grieve in their own way and at their own pace so Sally Piper's latest novel is a timely reminder that it's not as simple as that...

We've all seen those roadside memorials and wondered about the story behind them. From time to time we see media about councils wanting to tidy them up, and the distraught relatives who want them left there. We see conflict-laden stories about the memorialisation of places where significant tragedies have occurred, such as the Twin Towers site, and closer to home the Sari Club. It's not just the commercial value of these sites, it's also that a new generation comes along who may be respectful but they want to move on.

Some memorials are bled into our consciousness without any visible signs. I can never drive over the Westgate Bridge without thinking of the last moments of Darcey Freeman.

In Piper's story, however, it's proximity to the site where Billie's daughter Jess was murdered. Every day she visits the bushland and lovingly cleans the small plaque that records her loss. She has a deep attachment to the bush, and believes that her daughter's presence is there. Sixteen years after the murder, it defines Billie and her life. And when she loses her job at a garden centre she has more time to brood and obsess over her sacred place.

Her grandson, Daniel, however, who witnessed the murder as a toddler but remembers nothing of it, is ready to move on. He is a gentle, kind and thoughtful boy, but like his younger stepsister Scout, he doesn't want to be defined as a victim.

To read the rest of my review please visit https://anzlitlovers.com/2022/05/31/bone-memories-by-sally-piper/ ( )