In the spring of 1995, Nate Cartwright has lost everything: his parents are dead, his older brother wants nothing to do with him, and he’s been fired from his job as a journalist in Washington, DC. With nothing left to lose, he returns to his family’s summer cabin outside the small mountain town of Roseland, Oregon to try and find some sense of direction. The cabin should be empty. It’s not. Inside is a man named Alex. And with him is an extraordinary little girl who calls herself Artemis Darth Vader. Artemis, who isn’t exactly as she appears.
Soon it becomes clear that Nate must make a choice: let himself drown in the memories of his past, or fight for a future he never thought possible. Because the girl is special. And forces are descending upon them who want nothing more than to control her.
The Bones Beneath My Skin by TJ Klune is a strange and unexpectedly tender story, one that takes a wildly far-fetched premise. A mysterious alien intelligence living inside a little human girl, but it turns into something deeply human. At first, I wasn’t quite sure what to make of the setup. It felt odd, slightly implausible, and hard to pin down. But as with so many of Klune’s books, the heart of the story lies in the characters. And once I settled into their emotional journey, I was fully pulled in.
The story follows three very different people who slowly form an unlikely found family. What begins as a desperate attempt to protect a girl from forces far beyond their control becomes a quiet, emotional exploration of grief, love, identity, and healing. The speculative elements, aliens, secret agencies, psychic powers, take a back seat to the quieter, more human moments: a broken man learning how to care again, a scared girl learning to trust, and the slow, steady growth of connection between people who never expected to need one another.
As always, Klune’s character work is exceptional. One of his great strengths is crafting emotional intimacy between characters, and here it shines. The bonds form slowly and with real weight. You believe in these people, and you want them to make it through. There’s also beautiful LGBTQ+ representation, not just through the m/m romance, but through the gentle way the story affirms identity. The idea that people have the right to choose who they are and what they’re called is treated with quiet respect, and it adds another layer of warmth and acceptance to the story.
That said, this book is not as cozy as some of Klune’s other works. While I don’t agree at all with the “A spine-tingling thriller” from the blurb, it does deal with heavier themes like trauma, loss, and violence. It is definitely worth checking content warnings if you’re sensitive to certain topics. There are some difficult moments along the way. But even with the darker tone, Klune still manages to leave you with that signature feeling of hope. It may not be a soft blanket kind of read, but it’s one that says: even after everything, it’s still possible to heal.
The romance is more of a slow-burn background thread, and I liked that it didn’t take over the story. It’s not about swooning or dramatic declarations. It’s about two damaged people slowly learning how to let someone else in. Understated, genuine, and all the more impactful for it.
In the end, The Bones Beneath My Skin is a beautifully strange, emotionally rich book about what it means to connect. With others, and with ourselves. It’s about becoming who you are, finding your people in the most unlikely of places, and choosing kindness even when the world doesn’t seem to deserve it. If you’re looking for something a little darker but still full of heart, this one’s absolutely worth picking up.
