The Bones Beneath My Skin by TJ Klune

A Five-Star Book

TJ Klune never disappoints. Ever since reading The House in the Cerulean Sea, I have been captivated by his distinct characters, expressive descriptions, and overarching messages of found family and love. The Bones Beneath My Skin is his most recent example of Klune’s mastery. 

Summary of The Bones Beneath My Skin (No Spoilers)

Despite disowning him when his parents discovered he is gay, Nate Cartwright’s dad still left him two things: an old Chevy pickup truck and the family cabin in the remote Oregon woods. So, when Nate needs to escape the remains of his journalism career and grapple with the deaths of his parents, he heads to the cabin and lick his wounds. The time away will help him re-set his life, Nate thinks.

But, it all changes when two curious strangers greet him at the cabin: one is a menacing, gun-holding giant of a man who seems more inclined to shoot than to speak. The other is a tiny little girl who speaks like the cowboys in a Louis L’Amour paperback and proudly claims her name is Artemis Darth Vader. With a gun to his head, Nate reluctantly joins these two in the cabin, a life-changing decision.

Although Nate isn’t sure he wants to know more, it’s clear from the first meeting that these strangers have secrets. Artemis chatters about everything and nothing, with occasional glares from Alex, her companion, as if she might be getting too close to the truth. Is he her captor? Her father? Nate doesn’t think so, but they’re definitely hiding from something or someone and he cannot work out what is unique about this pairing. Then, just as the three seem to be adjusting to each other, they’re thrust into a boundless, high-stakes adventure that ties Nate to the duo as they seek safety from something he never imagined.

“Sometimes you need to take things on faith,” she said quietly. “Even if you think you have no faith left, I promise you, you do. All of you do. It’s easier, I think, to stay lost. But when you’re found, when you open your eyes, you can finally see the truth for what it is.”

The Bones Beneath My Skin by TJ Klune

(Page 96)

What I Enjoyed about The Bones Beneath My Skin

I refuse to give away spoilers for The Bones Beneath My Skin, but I will tell you that it’s a Klune story through and through. The trio’s tale celebrates found family, second chances, and humanity. While I did find the pacing to be a bit slow, The Bones Beneath My Skin is a star-filled book for me because of the characters and themes, all brought to fruition through Klune’s brilliantly creative mind and his impeccable writing style.

• Complex Characters: Nate, Alex, and Artemis Darth Vader are uniquely memorable characters. Nate is logical and cynical, drawing from his journalism background and his failed relationships with his family. He’s along for the ride against his better judgment until suddenly he’s swept up in the charisma of a strange little girl and a reticently handsome man who appears to be ex-military and a full-on grump, except when he shows glimmers of humor and endearment toward Artemis Darth Vader. Alex shows emotion reluctantly, but it’s clear to Nate that there is a lot of pain and grief within him. And finally, Artemis Darth Vader is a captivating character: on one side she is a capricious young girl who loves bacon, cowboy paperbacks, and Alex; on the other, she carries a haunting past forced upon her by manipulative, greedy adults.

• Heavy Themes: It wouldn’t be a Klune novel if the story wasn’t full of emotionally laden themes. The Bones Beneath My Skin addresses family dynamics; betrayals and heartbreaks; and a search for larger meaning in life. As the three main characters drive across the USA, their insecurities and fears come to the surface. Starting with Nate’s expulsion from his family and then unveiling the backstories of Artemis Darth Vader and Alex, Klune addresses how these characters are grieving deep losses and ultimately hold onto each other as a found family. As unlikely as it would seem, Artemis Darth Vader is the most open in her emotions and ability to show love. Nate, who is constantly searching for explanations about their current situation, must decide whether logic is more powerful than the love she shows through her apparent innocence, openness, and fierce connection to Alex, her confidante. And Alex is carrying his own heavy shadows of grief and guilt, so much so that he finds it difficult to show anything other than gruff caution and distrust

My Final Thoughts about The Bones Beneath My Skin

The Bones Beneath My Skin is a more action-packed adventure than The House in the Cerulean Sea or Somewhere Beyond the Sea, my two favorite Klune novels, but it continues the author’s reputation of delivering a memorable story filled with complex characters and emotional themes. It’s a book that seems slow at time, but really, you’re covering vast distances as the trio of main characters discover how powerful they can be together as a found family. This is a book that kept me cheering for Nate and Alex to acknowledge their love connection, for Artemis Darth Vader to be the victor that she clearly deserves to be, and for the three of them to leave their pasts behind and find a star-filled future together.