Book Clubs

The island of Key West—also known as Cayo Hueso, or “Island of Bones”—is both setting and symbolic guide in this collection. Rooted in Calusa history, Spanish exploration, and the slave trade, the island acts as a ship’s wheel steering readers through stories of loss, identity, and spiritual journey.

Key West’s coral limestone and diverse graveyards serve as a metaphorical foundation. In the final story, Intermediary, the theme of unity in death emerges—“where bones blend with coral rock”—uniting all lives, cultures, and identities in shared mortality.

A striking image from one story is a wall built from coral rock and liquor bottles, representing both literal construction and emotional resilience, echoing the island’s patchwork of lives and memories.

The book's white foil title evokes skeletal imagery, reinforcing the “bone island” theme. The tactile experience of the sand-colored linen cover and ocean-toned endpapers enhances the physical and emotional connection to the island.

Inside the book, vivid oil paintings blend realism and folk art, anchoring each story in visual history. Roseate spoonbills and vintage-style drop caps add texture and elegance, enhancing the storytelling with environmental and nostalgic cues.

Across twelve interconnected stories, readers explore universal human experiences: starting over after heartbreak, grieving and healing, environmental awareness, cultural respect, and the redemptive powers of love, pets, art, and home.