I was eager to reach this installment in Michael Connelly’s series because the story told in City of Bones constitutes the narrative core for the first season of the TV series, which made me finally aware of this author’s works and introduced me to a very intriguing character. Unlike what happened with previous books, here both narrative paths (book and TV) follow the same progression, so there were no surprises for me story wise, and yet the novel was able to capture my attention from start to finish as if it were completely new – a further demonstration of Connelly’s narrative skills, not that I really needed it at this point…
It’s the first day of the new year, and – unsurprisingly – Harry Bosch is on duty when he’s called to the site of a grim discovery: the bones of a murdered child that have been lying in the ground for a long time, probably a couple of decades. Even worse than the murder of a child is the revelation that the poor kid had been the victim of prolonged abuse, as testified by the multiple healed fractures evident in the bones: nothing like this kind of innocent victim can drive Harry Bosch on an unstoppable quest to find the perpetrator, not even the awareness that the long time elapsed might turn into a fruitless search, at times hindered by the LAPD politics which don’t look too kindly on such an expenditure of time and resources for what looks like a very cold case.
But Bosch is quite determined to get to the bottom of this because this time it’s not just a matter of being faithful to his motto “everybody counts, or nobody counts”, which drives him to seek justice for those who don’t have a voice anymore; this time the case feels close and personal, touching on the hardships of his own childhood, spent between uncaring foster families and indifferent institutions after the murder of his own mother. Even though it’s never expressed openly, Bosch feels a kinship with young Arthur Delacroix, the victim, and also the need to avenge his stolen innocence. As he muses at some point:
Child cases haunted you. They hollowed you out and scarred you. There was no bulletproof vest thick enough to stop you from being pierced. Child cases left you knowing the world was full of lost light.
City of Bones is much more than a compelling police procedural, even though it’s a fascinatingly detailed one, because it turns out to be the book in which Bosch’s psychological makeup is explored in greater depth than before, showing how under the abrasive surface of his personality there is a very human individual who built that exterior armor of bluntness as a defense against the injuries of the world. The detective’s flaws are showcased here more than in previous books, often portraying him as fallible, since his single focus on the goal tends to make him ignore peripheral details that are later revealed in their importance, but it’s thanks to these flaws that the human being can be seen, and appreciated.
There are a couple of instances in which we see Bosch lowering his “shields” in this novel: one is focused on his relationship with Julia, a trainee officer who exposes him to the double dangers of letting down his defenses (and later paying the price) and of going against the department’s regulations concerning romantic attachments inside the force. Julia seems just as determined as he is in making a difference, but does so without the years-long experience that the older detective has acquired over time, and this costs her dearly, leaving Bosch saddled with an undefinable sense of guilt that weighs heavily on him. The other instance concerns his exchanges with the forensic pathologist charged with the examination of young Arthur’s bones: there is a moment in which the doctor shows Bosch some bones recovered from the city’s tar pits, bones that reveal how murder was a component of society even in prehistoric times – the indication that human wickedness possesses deep roots indeed. Which brings Bosch to a bitter conclusion:
[…] a truth he had known for too long. That true evil could never be taken out of the world. At best he was wading into the dark waters of the abyss with two leaking buckets in his hands.
It’s a very sad consideration, and probably the start of the process leading to the unexpected decision Bosch makes at the end of the book: a decision that mirrors the one he takes at the end of the TV series, but for completely different reasons. It’s possible that this choice comes from a number of factors, not least the depressing links between law enforcement and its political ramifications, which here also dovetail with media relationships and community awareness, creating a mix that the detective finds unpalatable and more constricting than ever. This heavy equation is further burdened by the lack of complete closure in the case: yes, the murderer is finally apprehended but it looks almost like an afterthought, and this certainly does not bring any kind of comfort to the shattered and dysfunctional family of poor Arthur, or to Bosch himself. The prospect of an incoming promotion leaves him cold and distant, almost in acknowledgment of the emptiness of the task he has dedicated himself to for so long: in the very moment we are allowed to see more clearly into the soul of this character, we are also led to what looks like a massive shift in his perspective and his life:
He had always known that the would be lost without his job and his badge and his mission. In that moment he came to realize that he could be just as lost with it all […] The very thing he thought he needed the most was the thing that drew the shroud of futility around him. He made a decision.
Even though I have an inkling about what that decision might be, I more than look forward to actually learning what it is, and to allow Michael Connelly to intrigue me once again with his stories centered on such a fascinating character. I know that I will not wait too long to get to the next book in line…
Talk about plumbing deep waters! This sounds like it has some heft and weight alongside the entertainment side….
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Connelly can provide some immersive reading, indeed: I still wonder how it took me so long to become aware of his works… 🙂
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I love hearing that this is a more emotional and personal installment. I do love when authors dig deep into their characters, and it sounds like this delivered in that respect. I hope to meet Harry Bosch myself one of these days!
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The series take a little while to get fully into its proverbial gear, but I’m seeing a marked progression with each book I read, and by now I’m totally committed to both series and character 🙂
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Powerful quotes there, and the second one, so true. I had to take a paleoanthropology class in college, can’t say I’m too surprised to learn how much violence and murder is represented in the archeological record
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When one thinks of it, humanity has not evolved much in that regard: we have exchanged animal skins and clubs with fancy dresses and weapons, but basically we’re still the same… 😦
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I know my father is a fan of Connelly’s writing – thank you for a lovely review of a tough man fighting the demons of his past, along with the present, Maddalena:). These are always the most satisfying sort of protagonists.
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I am surprised about how much I enjoy reading the journey of this rough-edged individual, but I have to admit that the author’s skills in depicting him have won me over 🙂
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Sounds like a good read. I don’t think I have read anything by Connelly before.
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I am indebted to the TV show for having introduced me to this author, indeed! 🙂
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Absolutely fantastic review, Maddalena. Your thoughts on his books continue to convince me that the whole universe he’s created is worth exploring. I’m a bit confused by why the show decided to start with this one though. Just because of the case? Do you think the previous books could ever be adapted now? 😮 Thanks for sharing!
P.S. I wanted to let you know that (for various and maybe obvious reasons) I’m transitioning to a new blog that would be mine alone as of today (later today actually, when I post my monthly wrap-up) and I wanted to let you know beforehand. Since I cherished our interactions for the past years, I’d love it if you’d follow me there going forward (blog isn’t up yet though). You can decide on remaining a follower of Bookidote but, on my end, for a couple of weeks, I might only cross-post my stuff until I’m ready to drop Bookidote completely. 😀
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First things first, I look forward to exploring your new blog and of course I will keep following you!
As for the Bosch series (books & tv), I have no idea of the reason why the TV production choose to start from here with season 1, but along the way they picked and mixed several narrative threads taken from the previous books, so that there is not a precise “temporal line” that parallels the books and the show. I’m now wondering if the next books will be “uncharted territory”, narratively speaking, but given Connelly’s writing skills I know for certain that they will prove just as intriguing 🙂
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This book was great and I am really glad that it was the same for you, too! And this is really an amazing review!
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Thank you! I’ve decided that Connelly is one of those writers who never disappoint me 🙂
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Wow, this series, well, I’d like to say it’s going from strength to strength but I feel that is an understatement.
Lynn 😀
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I just finished book 9 yesterday and I can safely say that the series is getting even better 🙂
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