Salvage the BonesSalvage the Bones
Score Modern
What it's about
In the twelve days before Hurricane Katrina, fourteen-year-old Esch lives with her father and three brothers in a poor coastal town in Mississippi. Her father is drunk and preparing for the storm, her brother Skeetah is devoted to his prize pit bull and her new puppies, and Esch has just realized she's pregnant. Then the hurricane comes.
Why it's worth reading
It won the National Book Award, and the New York Times named it one of the best books of the 21st century. It's a fierce, lyrical story of a family's love and survival.
You'll love it if you liked
Sing, Unburied, Sing
Beloved
Their Eyes Were Watching GodGood to know
There's a graphic dogfight, teenage sex and the full force of the storm. Esch loves Greek myths, and the story of Medea echoes through it.
By the numbers
- Readers34 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics85 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller39 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz1 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #52 of the 219 young adult books we rank
- #464 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #895 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving
More by Jesmyn Ward
Men We Reaped: A MemoirSing, Unburied, SingIf you like this, read next
The Help
A Thousand Splendid Suns
The Hate U Give
Nineteen Minutes
The Last Song
The DealExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is Salvage the Bones worth reading?
Yes. It won the National Book Award, and the New York Times named it one of the best books of the 21st century. It ranks #895 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 74.1 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Salvage the Bones about?
In the twelve days before Hurricane Katrina, fourteen-year-old Esch lives with her father and three brothers in a poor coastal town in Mississippi. Her father is drunk and preparing for the storm, her brother Skeetah is devoted to his prize pit bull and her new puppies, and Esch has just realized she's pregnant. Then the hurricane comes.
How long does it take to read Salvage the Bones?
About 7 hours (272 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What awards has Salvage the Bones won?
National Book Award (Fiction) winner (2011).
What should I read after Salvage the Bones?
If you liked it, try Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward, Beloved by Toni Morrison or Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston.