The Bones Beneath My Skin by T.J. Klune is a 2025 Sci-Fi novel centered on Nate Cartwright, who, after a personal tragedy, discovers a man named Alex and a special, extraordinary young girl named Artemis hiding in his family’s cabin
Introduction
Bestselling author TJ Klune’s spine-tingling stand alone book is a supernatural road tirp thriller about an amazing little girl and her two unusual protectors who are fleeing the authorities and cults.
| Book Details | The Bones Beneath my Skin |
| Author | T. J Klune |
| Release date | 27 September 2018 |
| Genre | Science & Fantasy |
| Language | English |
| Amazon | Book Link |
About the Author
Award-winning American novelist Travis John Klune is well-known for his contributions to modern scifi and LGBT writing. Klune, who was born in 1982, has emerged as a key figure in LGBTQ+ narrative and is praised for fusing speculative fiction, romance, fantasy, and themes of identity and belonging. Klune, who worked as a examiner before becoming a full-time writer, frequently joked that he turned to writing as a means of escaping the routine of his day job.
His book Bear, Otter, and the Kid (2011), a poignant queer romance that immediately garnered him a devoted fanbase, launched his career. With The House in the Cerulean Sea (2020), a book that is sometimes referred to as a “warm hug in book form,” Klune achieved widespread international success. He received a lot of accolades such as GoodreadsChoiceAwardsforBest Science Fiction, a loyal following due to his thenes – futurism, finding family, acceptance, and love.
Read more – 5 Science Fiction Books: you must read
Brief Summary
Nathaniel Cartwright, a man retreating from the weight of grief and failure, isolates himself in a remote cabin in the Oregon wilderness. His solitary existence is disrupted when a man named Alex Korrea and an unusual child named Artemis arrive at his doorstep, seeking shelter. Artemis isn’t an ordinary child—she possesses mysterious, possibly otherworldly abilities that make her both extraordinary and vulnerable.
What begins as reluctant cohabitation slowly transforms into a fragile bond. Nathaniel, Alex, and Artemis form an unlikely family, bound together by love, fear, and the shared instinct to protect what matters most. But the world beyond the woods refuses to leave them in peace—there are forces determined to control Artemis and her powers, forcing the trio to confront danger and their own vulnerabilities.
Review
The novel merges speculative fiction with queer romance and themes of found family. What makes the story remarkable is how its characters—fragile, flawed, yet deeply human—carry the narrative more than the sci-fi premise.Nathaniel Cartwright is our reluctant narrator, a man who retreats to the wilderness after loss and failure strip his life of meaning.
He is, at first, resigned to loneliness: “I was a man who’d become a shadow of himself, content to disappear into the trees.” But his isolation cracks open when Alex Korrea, protective and fiery, enters his life alongside Artemis, the enigmatic young girl with impossible abilities.
Alex is Nathaniel’s opposite—angry, determined, unwilling to trust easily. His character anchors the tension of the story. His relationship with Nathaniel unfolds slowly, built on guarded exchanges that eventually soften into intimacy: “You make me want things I thought I’d buried a long time ago.”
Their romance is understated but powerful, rooted not in grand gestures but in the quiet recognition of each other’s wounds.And then there is Artemis, the heart of the novel. Gifted with abilities that set her apart, she embodies innocence, curiosity, and vulnerability. Through her, the novel asks what it means to love and protect someone who is different.
As Nathaniel reflects, “She wasn’t a burden. She was a miracle that had been asked to carry too much.”Klune’s prose shines in its balance of tenderness and tension. The wilderness setting mirrors the characters’ inner landscapes—vast, isolating, but also full of hidden beauty.
While the plot involves danger from those who wish to exploit Artemis, the emotional weight rests on the growing bonds between the three.Some readers may find the pacing deliberate, but that slowness allows the characters’ relationships to feel earned.
Ultimately, the book’s speculative elements fade into the background, leaving a meditation on grief, love, and the families we choose: “Bones break. Skin tears. But love—love remakes us, even when we think we’re beyond repair.” For readers who value intimacy, love, and the fragile magic of science and humanity, The Bones Beneath My Skin is a hauntingly beautiful read.
