I tend to follow Swank-mo-tron’s Indie Books column fairly closely. I’ve gotten some good reads based on it. On Monday, he highlighted The Bonesaw Trail by Dorian Dalta. Reading that, you might think Dalta is a little weird, and the book more so. You’d be right. The first thing you’ll notice about this book is the length. It’s very short, more in the novella category. But that doesn’t stop Dalta from packing it with very intense imagery, taking you inside two characters as they complete two very different journeys.
The book’s format harkens back to one of my all-time favorites, John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath. They’re nothing alike in tone or tale, but they both shift perspectives between each chapter. Steinbeck told the reader about the Joad family, alternating with a stream of consciousness lunacy. Dalta’s shift is more subtle. His chapters flip back and forth between the first person perspective of a lone man on a nighttime road trip, and the third person limited perspective of the titular character, Bonesaw, on his journey home to the American midwest from the Caribbean. Bonesaw’s Eden has been tainted by a seemingly thankless job as a bartender and a growing restlessness with his girlfriend, Jenna. After two years, it’s time to head home for a surprise visit with his friend, Johnny. Although it’s never made 100% clear in the story, Johnny also appears to be the first person driver in the other sequence.
Dorian Dalta’s format may be reminiscent of Steinbeck’s, but the story itself couldn’t be further. If the book were five to six times longer and took place in Japan, I might have believed I was reading an early work by Haruki Murakami. This is compounded by the strong and recurring appearance of various animals, particularly a large, wolf-like dog. The dog, in fact, led to one my favorite moments in the story. Very early on, Johnny is clearly affected by the beast’s presence, blaming the animal for his own misfortunes – something that may not be as far from the truth as you’d expect. The imagery created is highly impactful. If you’ve ever driven a long distance at night, by yourself, you’ll sympathize with Johnny immediately. The introspective thoughts on life and existence seem a little overused at times, but they also seem to come at appropriate moments. I would expect a double major in psychology to have a little more subtle approach to the heavier themes, but this is also a first novel. Which is both a criticism and compliment. Dalta definitely has a way with language, but it also feels a little rough. As much as I enjoyed reading The Bonesaw Trail, it actually just excited me to see what he can do with a little more practice, and perhaps a longer format. Then again, maybe keeping it short and simple was part of the charm.
I’d recommend this story to anyone looking for a short, character driven tale with psychological over- and undertones. If you like your stories with a weird twist, but handled better than M. Night Shyamalan, this one is right up your alley. I honestly expect to see more of Dalta’s work in the future, and I expect to see him grow as a writer. Your indie-hipster reputation requires you start reading him now, before he gets big. Someday you’ll see a short story collection with The Bonesaw Trail as the anchor and wish you’d been there from the start. The book is available now from Amazon or Barnes & Noble in paperback, hardcover, Kindle, and Nook editions.