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Crossed Bones
 
 

Crossed Bones (Hardcover)

by Jane Johnson (Author) "'There are only two or three human stories, and they go on repeating themselves as fiercely as if they have never happened before, like larks..." (more)
3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (66 customer reviews)
RRP: £12.99
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Crossed Bones + Sophia's Secret + Mariana
Price For All Three: £20.94

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  • This item: Crossed Bones by Jane Johnson

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Product details

  • Hardcover: 384 pages
  • Publisher: Viking (3 April 2008)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0670917311
  • ISBN-13: 978-0670917310
  • Product Dimensions: 23.6 x 15.2 x 3.8 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (66 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 73,167 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Product Description

Sainsbury's Magazine

'Fast-paced and exciting, Crossed Bones is the ultimate escapism'


Barbara Erskine

'I really couldn't put it down. Exciting and romantic (oh so romantic!) and there is so much suspense. The descriptions are fabulous'

Inside This Book (Learn More)
First Sentence
'There are only two or three human stories, and they go on repeating themselves as fiercely as if they have never happened before, like larks that have been singing the same five notes for thousands of years.' Read the first page
Browse Sample Pages
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
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What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

Crossed Bones
79% buy the item featured on this page:
Crossed Bones 3.7 out of 5 stars (66)
£9.09
Mariana
7% buy
Mariana 4.7 out of 5 stars (10)
£5.87
Sophia's Secret
6% buy
Sophia's Secret 4.8 out of 5 stars (10)
£5.98
The Aviary Gate
5% buy
The Aviary Gate 3.3 out of 5 stars (12)
£5.13

 

Customer Reviews

66 Reviews
5 star:
 (18)
4 star:
 (23)
3 star:
 (15)
2 star:
 (9)
1 star:
 (1)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
3.7 out of 5 stars (66 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Rip-roaring read, 15 April 2008
By kehs (Hertfordshire, England) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Programme (What's this?)
This book is a rip-roaring read crammed with history, romance, ghosts, love, heartbreak, white slavery, pirate raids and religion. It's a fictional account of a pirate raid led off of the Cornish coastline in the 1600s, but based on historical facts that have been meticulously researched. Johnson has a marvellous descriptive style of writing that makes the reader feel the fear and uncertainty of the 60 villagers as they are captured and stolen off to sea, heading to places they'd never even dreamed about. She sweeps you along with her story and vividly describes every step of the captives' journey. Their tale is told via the diary kept by Catherine Anne Tregenna, who recorded all of her thoughts in a small book of embroidery designs, squeezing her writing in amongst the patterns. Hundreds of years later this book lands up in the hands of Julia Lovat, and this seamlessly joins the two women's tales together. Julia sets off to discover if Catherine ever made it home to Cornwall and along the way embarks on her own adventures. My only criticism is that I felt the supernatural side of this story could have been developed further, but on the whole I found this to be a gripping read and will definitely look out for more by this author.

At the back of the book there is a list of further recommended reading for anyone who wants to know more about the topics covered in this tale.

The author Jane Johnson's own story is an intriguing one too, and I hope she writes the tale of her adventures one day.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Why aren't there more books like this?, 21 May 2008
By Read Me (West Midlands, UK) - See all my reviews
I was really looking forward to this book having been enticed by the cover blurb. I have to say it didn't disappoint. The story begins with the end of Julia's affiar with her friend's husband - his parting gift (accidentally) is a needlework book dating from the 1620s. Written in its margins is the story of Cat a nineteen year old girl living in Cornwall longing for excitement and a route away from a life married off to her cousin Rob. Cat gets her wish in the most unlikely fashion when Berber pirates kidnap her along with many other villagers and plan to sell them as slaves in Morocco. Cat's story is very much the tale of a girl struggling to find a place in the world, whether thats in Cornwall, Morocco or on a pirate ship.
Julia meanwhile is determined to keep this gift that her ex-lover Michael is desperate to get back. She travels to Morocco not only to get away from him but also to follow in Cat's footsteps.
The mirroring of both Cat and Julia with their different journeys was a nice way of building tension and keeping me guessing. As other reviewers have said they are both quite shallow characters - not always illiciting much sympathy from the reader. But the need to know what happened to Cat and find out how her story ends carries the book along at a great pace. My only criticism is that the slightly supernatural element right at the end of the book was unneccesary.
If you want something that has a dash of adventure mixed in with romance, and not too historcial then this could be the book for you.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Utterly captivating!, 18 April 2008
By P Turner (London) - See all my reviews
I was utterly captivated and gripped from the first page to the last. The characters, the historical detail, the amazingly well realised atmosphere of Morocco and Cornwall - I've never been to either yet I could feel the cool greenness of Cornwall, smell the salt in the air and the scent of the gorse, then when reading the chapters set in Morocco I could feel the heat of the sun on my face and smell the spice in the market and the roses in the courtyard even though outside it was grey and chilly in London. This book just carries you away.

The plot is just brilliant, the way the two stories weave together. Crossed Bones is both deliciously romantic and yet unflinchingly honest about relationships and love. And whoever would have thought that mixing embroidery and pirates would make for such a brilliantly page-turning novel? Better than Labyrinth, livelier than Philippa Gregory, better written than Diana Gabaldon. My mother has read and loved it, too, and my neighbour borrowed my copy: everyone agreed this is one of the best new writers they've read in ages.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars THE GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING...
This is an excellent, well-written debut novel. It is about two stories that eventually intertwine and come together as one. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Lawyeraau

5.0 out of 5 stars A must read!
This is an absolutely fantatic book, especially if you're a fan of Phillipa Gregory or Kate Mosse. The book has two main characters, Julia of modern times who is coming to the end... Read more
Published 3 months ago by J. Kilross

4.0 out of 5 stars A truly engrossing story
Jane Johnson's Crossed Bones has come at a great time - it seems there have never been so many good historical writers on our shelves and there is always room for one more. Read more
Published 3 months ago by D. Haw

4.0 out of 5 stars A truly engrossing story
Jane Johnson's Crossed Bones has come at a great time - it seems there have never been so many good historical writers on our shelves and there is always room for one more. Read more
Published 3 months ago

4.0 out of 5 stars A truly engrossing story
Jane Johnson's Crossed Bones has come at a great time - it seems there have never been so many good historical writers on our shelves and there is always room for one more. Read more
Published 3 months ago

3.0 out of 5 stars A coincidence too many
Perhaps this appeals to female readers more, but I found myself tutting about the number of coincidences needed to drive the twin plotlines along. Read more
Published 5 months ago by G. Brack

5.0 out of 5 stars a real treat - a beautiful story
This story is beautifully written and a delightful read. The journey set in the 17th century and in the present also describes two love stories leading from Cornwall to Morocco... Read more
Published 7 months ago by Jala sufian

2.0 out of 5 stars Not enough swash and buckle
I really wanted to like this book. The premise is pretty promising: Julia, a modern heroine, reads a self-penned account of a Cornish woman's life from 1625: Kidnapped by pirates,... Read more
Published 9 months ago by Nettlewine

2.0 out of 5 stars Must try harder
I ordered this book for a friend, who informs me that she was disappointed by the reliance on unbelievable co-incidence to form the plot - surely there was a better way to have... Read more
Published 9 months ago by George Rodger

4.0 out of 5 stars Unknown
I never received this from the vine programme so I am unable to comment. Giving 4 stars to not make it look unfairly bad.
Published 13 months ago by Mr. A. Sands

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Brilliant book! 0 February 2008
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