http://amysmarathonofbooks.ca/the-bon...

It was a very interesting book, but the conclusion was very confusing, hectic, and abrupt. I liked it, though.

The Intriguing Mystery: The Bone Collector’s Son
Paul Yee
Rating: ★★★★★
The Bone Collector’s Son by Paul Yee is a short read that may leave you on the edge of your seat. This mysterious book is set in Chinatown in Vancouver. 14 year old Bing comes from China and experiences the racism and hatred people have towards the Chinese. Bing helps his father, Ba, collect bones from graves while despising every minute of it. Throughout the book Bing experiences components of racism, religion and ghostly spirits, and the old tales and rhymes that unite Chinatown as a whole.
A huge component in the story is the racism that Bing inherits while living in Chinatown. They have many separations between the white people and the Chinese. “Get out, Chinaman, before I call the police.” (Yee 6) Bing and Ba are in the Chinese section of the cemetery that is already separated. They dig up graves for Ba’s job to ship them back to China to be laid to rest. A white man thinks that they are doing something bad. He threatens to call the police, calls him a name, all while standing on the white side of the cemetery. This shows the racism and discrimination that many faced, while not doing anything to him. “They took Ba downstairs, but the examining rooms are up here.” (Yee 152) This is another example of the separations and racism they faced in Vancouver. Ba was not receiving the same treatment nor respect as the white people. He was being discriminated against for being Chinese. Though he was in terrible shape, nothing was done and he was taken to an empty room in the basement because of his race.
The next component that the book contains is the relationships between ghostly spirits and religion. These go hand in hand because everybody in Chinatown believes in ghosts, and also in gods and religion. “That’s why Shum’s spirit refuses to lie still now. He’s making your father sick because he wants his help.” (Yee 121) Bing visits a fortune teller to receive a protective item. Bing and Ba have dug up an unfinished set of bones, missing the skull. After this event, Bing begins to experience strange things. He is a housekeeper in a house that is believed to be haunted. This and the bones makes him even more afraid of spirits and hauntings. It gives us insight and shows the relationship between his belief in ghosts, and the religion aspect. “Guan Gung is the most powerful of our gods. He is not for children!” (Yee 49) This shows that many believe in gods, and believe that they are protecting them. They are believed to be powerful, and some are more powerful than others.
A big aspect that is portrayed in the book is the ghost stories and tales that are told. Bing often recites old tales and rhymes his mother and grandmother would tell him. “Bing recalled another old Chinese ghost story.” (Yee 22) Bing will think of a ghost story he has heard and will often relate it to the events happening to him. Many people in Chinatown know ghost stories. This gives them a sense of unity and culture. Though many people have moved out of Asia, they still go back to their old roots and come together as a whole.
I recommend this five star book because it gives you insight into Chinese culture and history. The book contains so many aspects of mystery and ghosts. You will want to solve the mystery right alongside Bing. The book is fast paced and easy to understand. It will captivate you and you will begin to respect and understand the hardships that the Chinese people have faced, all while solving a mysterious ghost story.

I think this was supposed to be a historical fiction. I didn't like it at all. It was a weird ghost story, story telling, weird book.

I knew nothing about this custom of digging up someone's bones and sending them back to China for reburial until I read this book. It's also a good father/son conflict story.

Picked this up by accident, thinking it was a sequel to "The Bone Collector", LOL. It wasn't at all, but it was an immensely engaging story nonetheless.