This beautiful novel offers mysteries within mysteries. I would give it a 4.5 if I could.

Set in 1800 in Joseon (Korea) -- which the reader can see and smell and feel, thanks to June Hur's evocative prose -- the narrative follows sixteen-year-old Seol, a girl far from her older sister and searching for the grave of her older brother. Indentured to the police bureau, Seol assists in the investigation of the murder of an aristocratic young woman, but unraveling that crime proves to be a much more difficult task than it first seems, challenging her notions of loyalty, purpose, and family. In the end, searching for the murderer leads Seol to reevaluate her own past and future.

The mysteries twist and turn here, but the real strength of this novel lies in its characters and their relationships. Seol is by nature and circumstance (as a young woman both alone and in service) a character who lives in her own mind, and Hur does an amazing job of creating a three-dimensional, fascinating character whose choices and fate really matters to the reader. She is one of the most genuine characters I have read in a while, very easy to empathize with and root for. Secondary characters are likewise well drawn. Ideas as well as individuals clash here in this moment of political, intellectual, and religious turmoil, and it's compelling to see the characters choose their values and navigate the (well-researched) turbulent times.

Hur effectively links individual and place, making memory cultural as well as personal, and a sense of exile and longing permeates every page.

At times a few of the large-scale developments seemed a bit rushed, and many happen offstage, so I had a few issues with the pacing/timing, but on the whole I found this to be an elegant, haunting work with both a satisfying set of mysteries and a powerful meditation on identity. If you enjoy historical fiction, mysteries, works about Korea, works that involve Catholicism, and/or well-crafted YA fiction, you simply can't go wrong with this novel. I will be watching for more from June Hur!

I ended up really enjoying this more than I expected. For some reason, I thought this was going to be a horror novel so I was confused at first but that was my own fault for not reading the description properly.
This is a mystery set in historical Korea. Even though historical fiction isn't usually my favorite, the writing in this book was extremely engaging and interesting. I will definitely be interested to see what else this author writes in the future. The mystery storyline wasn't my favorite but it was entertaining and enjoyable overall.

This is such an incredible historical fiction YA! It's a juicy mystery with heavy atmosphere, asks some really interesting questions. I found the relationship between Han and Seol to be a really interesting dynamic that I feel like I don't see that often in fiction, especially YA. It was also set in a time period that I feel like I knew nothing about, so I learned a lot. It kind of reminded me of Ruta Septeys in the way that it engages with periods of history that are really thorny and political (there's a lot going on here with religion and persecution) but frames it in a way that's compelling and holistic. Really enjoyed this one.

A beautifully written and well-researched historical mystery, The Silence of Bones will immerse you in Joseon Dynasty Korea until the last page. Seol is a great heroine, and I can’t wait to read her next adventure. The plot, characters, setting, and writing are all excellent, and Ms. Hur brings new life to both mystery and YA. This is the first YA novel I have read about Joseon Korea, and hopefully the first of many. I highly recommend this title to anyone looking for a thrilling, engaging read this spring.

This was as good as I was hoping it would be, and how often does that happen? I really loved delving into the Joseon-era and seeing the ins and outs of early detective work, especially from the eyes of a young woman. Seol was such a great character to follow – her natural curiosity meant that, as a reader, I got to explore the world quite thoroughly, yet Hur still managed to sneak in quite a few twists and turns to keep me guessing.

Not only does this book offer up a pretty solid murder-mystery, it also brings some much needed diversity to the genre. And the writing is there, as well, with a great plot line and character development, which gives this book a completeness. I felt very satisfied upon reaching the ending.

I would definitely recommend this book. Any fans of murder-mysteries, especially in the YA genre, are sure to enjoy this book. And anyone looking to add a little diversity to their reading habits, this one would be a great choice. It also provides some historical interest, so any fans of historical drama would easily be entertained by this book. Check it out!

A phenomenal mystery which will keep young readers engaged and turning the page. Hur does an excellent job presenting a setting and historical period which may be unfamiliar to readers. Highly recommend this title!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. My opinion was not affected by the free copy.

I like historical fiction, especially about times and places with which I’m unfamiliar. This was great to read for those reasons. The mystery, on the other hand, I felt was a little weak. Over all I still liked it, but it might have been better without the mystery.

I think my problem is that there was so much focus on the red herrings it became irritating. I guess the author was playing the long game, and it did connect and have a solution, but it was still tiring but o be stuck on this one thread when’s I knew that wasn’t the answer. I wasn’t surprised by the reveal and I feel maybe things dragged at the end. I also think that the narrator was maybe in scenes just because she was the narrator. I don’t know the culture, but it’s seemed weird she would be spoken to as an equal by so many. They allowed her to be in places or she pushed herself into scenes when she really shouldn’t have been there.

That said, I did enjoy reading about the culture and history. It wasn’t something I knew anything about before this. I read the author’s notes and saw that real historical figures were included and their fates were faithfully portrayed. I like that.

So I don’t know, the mystery felt weak but the history had me engrossed and fascinated. Take that for what it’s worth.

Well researched, and interesting storyline. I had a hard time getting into the characters, but that could just be my interest in the genre. The ending felt a bit anticlimactic to me. I think the author is a very talented writer, just not for me.

"The Silence of Bones" is a historic and richly atmospheric mystery that is utterly unique and difficult to put down! Seol is an indentured servant living in 1800 Korea, working for the police to solve a murder case. She is often reprimanded for her curiosity, but it's what is needed to uncover the truth. This story is mesmerizing.