N.T. McQueen brings us a tense, heartwarming, and suspensefully intriguing coming of age thriller with The Cry of Dry Bones! Young Tesfahun’s tribe is nestled in the Omo Valley of Africa, cut off from the modern world. Here, he encounters many violent practices, and when he discovers a dark secret, he flees into the territory of his tribe’s enemies. It is here that he meets his greatest challenges, and a path to grow. McQueen highlights a mythology that has very rarely been explored, but it’s his attention and focus on Tesfahun’s character in addition to this greater plot that powers this novel. I felt for Tesfahun and tensely read as the boy struggled through some hard things. There is beauty in this world of McQueen’s, beauty amongst the danger and violence, which stuck with me long after reading. If you love coming of age tales, exploring Africa, or delving into mythology, definitely come heed The Cry of Dry Bones!
