Outside the Bones Response

Christian Persaud
Outside the Bones by Lyn Di Iorio
Reading Response:

The novel Outside the Bones by Lyn Di Iorio is an enticing story coupled with mainstream aspects of a traditional love story but also with an unusual twist. What makes this story different is that it plays a part in tying a unique and original story together. The main character, Fina Mata, is a woman who lives on Manhattan's Upper West Side and is a "bruja", someone who practices with supernatural elements or also known as a "spirit worker". Early on in the story, Fina becomes captivated by her neighbor, Chico and tries to cast some sort of spell on him. I classify the latter aspect as an unusual twist because the setting is non-fictional and with believable characters but also with the unpredictability of fiction.  

From being told in a first-person point of view, author Iorio utilizes all the strengths that it can bring throughout the entire book. Through very detailed descriptions and metaphors, any reader can immediately visualize the message Iorio wants to convey on every single page. In addition, this perspective is the most effective of all when done right. Author Iorio demonstrates this by capturing her readers and immersing them in the mind of the main character when nothing is left to the imagination. One of the very first quotes that caught my attention: "A man whose face I barely saw grabbed hold of my waist and spun me into the sea of dancers." Upon reading this quote and the many that come after, I was able to picture all moments as if it was a movie. I am sure that this was the authors' intention so that every reader can get even just a glimpse of her ideal vision of the story. 

By the end of the story, everything we once knew or came to expect had been completely thrown out. For better or worse, the main character had to deal with some violent quarrels and ultimately made contact with spirits of some kind. As a result, I believe the story lost some of its charm by its end.