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Rule of the Bone
In the tradition Huckleberry Finn and The Catcher in the Rye, Russell Banks’s quintessential novel of a disaffected homeless youth living on the edge of society “redefines the young modern anti-hero. . . . Rule of the Bone has its own culture and language, and Bone is sure to become a beloved character for generations” (San Francisco Chronicle). With a compelling, off-beat protagonist evocative of Holden Caulfield and Quentin Coldwater, and a narrative voice that masterfully and naturally captures the nuances of a modern vernacular, Banks’s haunting and powerful novel is an indisputable—and unforgettable—modern classic.
390 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1995
247 people are currently reading
5817 people want to read
About the author
Russell Banks
103 books1,012 followersRussell Banks was a member of the International Parliament of Writers and a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters. His work has been translated into twenty languages and has received numerous international prizes and awards. He has written fiction, and more recently, non-fiction, with Dreaming up America. His main works include the novels Continental Drift, Rule of the Bone, Cloudsplitter, The Sweet Hereafter, and Affliction. The latter two novels were each made into feature films in 1997.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 853 reviews
August 6, 2025
PRIMI FURTI, ULTIMI RITI
Si potrebbe dire che la mia vita ha cominciato a diventare interessante l’estate in cui ho compiuto quattordici anni e mi facevo di erba ma non avevo i soldi per comprarmela, e così passavo il tempo a cercare per la casa cose da vendere ma non ce n’erano molte…
Figlio di un dio minore, fratello degli adolescenti del primo McEwan, quello che cerco di richiamare nel mio titolo, e siccome Chappie-Bone (il soprannome arriva dopo quando si fa tatuare sul braccio due ossa incrociate) è made in USA, lo si potrebbe anche chiamare l’erede di Tom Sawyer e soprattutto Huck Finn.
Al contrario dei giovanissimi di McEwan, Chappie-Bone se ne va in giro per il mondo, non rimane chiuso nel confine di un giardino di cemento.
Quando i suoi genitori scoprono che per comprarsi l’erba da fumare Chappie-Bone si sta vendendo un pezzo alla volta la loro preziosa collezione di monete antiche, lo cacciano di casa: senza se e senza ma, incuranti della sua tenera età. Ma, appunto, siamo in US, non bisogna stupirsi più di tanto.
Bone non si perde d’animo: si fa ospitare dal suo amico Russ che condivide l’alloggio con una banda di motociclisti. Facile immaginare che dall’erba il viaggio nella droga avrà parecchie tappe.
Ma il viaggio di Bone è fisico e geografico, e arriverà fino in Giamaica alla ricerca del padre che non ha mai conosciuto.
Bone appartiene a un mondo che da qui sembra allucinato, composto da gente con scarsa o nulla istruzione, famiglie ben oltre il disfunzionale, lacerate, praticamente distrutte, un mondo dove le case sono spesso roulotte, ma i ragazzini per lo più vivono on the road e crescono sull’asfalto. Adolescenti già adulti e ancora bambini.
Un mondo di abusi, un mondo marcio, con bambini comprati per farne attori di video porno, patrigni falliti che scivolano la notte nella camera da letto di un bambino, e immigrati giamaicani in attesa di un segno da un dio rasta.
La legge di Bone, che non si perde d’animo, non interrompe il suo viaggio, è scritta nel cielo: unendo i punti luminosi delle stelle nascono le costellazioni. E anche le famiglie vanno assemblate così, si costruiscono, si guadagnano, non conta quella di partenza, quella di natura.
È stato un incontro felice questo con Russell Banks, dovrei tornare a frequentarlo.
Si potrebbe dire che la mia vita ha cominciato a diventare interessante l’estate in cui ho compiuto quattordici anni e mi facevo di erba ma non avevo i soldi per comprarmela, e così passavo il tempo a cercare per la casa cose da vendere ma non ce n’erano molte…
Figlio di un dio minore, fratello degli adolescenti del primo McEwan, quello che cerco di richiamare nel mio titolo, e siccome Chappie-Bone (il soprannome arriva dopo quando si fa tatuare sul braccio due ossa incrociate) è made in USA, lo si potrebbe anche chiamare l’erede di Tom Sawyer e soprattutto Huck Finn.
Al contrario dei giovanissimi di McEwan, Chappie-Bone se ne va in giro per il mondo, non rimane chiuso nel confine di un giardino di cemento.
Quando i suoi genitori scoprono che per comprarsi l’erba da fumare Chappie-Bone si sta vendendo un pezzo alla volta la loro preziosa collezione di monete antiche, lo cacciano di casa: senza se e senza ma, incuranti della sua tenera età. Ma, appunto, siamo in US, non bisogna stupirsi più di tanto.
Bone non si perde d’animo: si fa ospitare dal suo amico Russ che condivide l’alloggio con una banda di motociclisti. Facile immaginare che dall’erba il viaggio nella droga avrà parecchie tappe.
Ma il viaggio di Bone è fisico e geografico, e arriverà fino in Giamaica alla ricerca del padre che non ha mai conosciuto.
Bone appartiene a un mondo che da qui sembra allucinato, composto da gente con scarsa o nulla istruzione, famiglie ben oltre il disfunzionale, lacerate, praticamente distrutte, un mondo dove le case sono spesso roulotte, ma i ragazzini per lo più vivono on the road e crescono sull’asfalto. Adolescenti già adulti e ancora bambini.
Un mondo di abusi, un mondo marcio, con bambini comprati per farne attori di video porno, patrigni falliti che scivolano la notte nella camera da letto di un bambino, e immigrati giamaicani in attesa di un segno da un dio rasta.
La legge di Bone, che non si perde d’animo, non interrompe il suo viaggio, è scritta nel cielo: unendo i punti luminosi delle stelle nascono le costellazioni. E anche le famiglie vanno assemblate così, si costruiscono, si guadagnano, non conta quella di partenza, quella di natura.
È stato un incontro felice questo con Russell Banks, dovrei tornare a frequentarlo.
September 3, 2021
this book has a lower average rating than "skinny bitch"? what is wrong with you guys? chappie is one of my favorite narrators of all time.
April 23, 2007
Rule of the Bone is a book about a fourteen year old kid who fails out of school, is already hooked on drugs, and is being secretly abused my his stepfather. I know this sounds dark, but Bone, the main character, is, perhaps, one of the most "together" narrators. He knows his flaws and the world's flaws, but this does not stop him from living the existence he chooses--to be homeless and kind of a mallrat. Have you ever met a complete druggie loser and have realized that he is smarter and more intelligent than most people? Well that is Bone.
I recommend this book for anyone who like Holden Caulfield's crass narrative, but thought that he was a privileged bitch. Bone is much more enjoyable and witty, and he stands up for himself, something Holden only thought he was capable of.
I recommend this book for anyone who like Holden Caulfield's crass narrative, but thought that he was a privileged bitch. Bone is much more enjoyable and witty, and he stands up for himself, something Holden only thought he was capable of.
August 19, 2014
The novel Rule of the Bone by Russel Banks was probably the best book I've read all summer. It's a decent sized book, about 400 pages, and yet I read it all in two sittings. The novel is truly gripping, and keeps the reader entertained as the main character Bone goes through different adventures. It smashes the typical idea that we have to have our lives figured out from the time we're children, or at all for that matter. Instead of being driven by a plan, or by a future, Bone is driven by the primal need of staying alive. I also feel connected with this book because most of it takes place in upstate New York (Plattsburgh area) which just makes it all the more relatable to me personally. The main idea that Banks shares with this novel is that the only thing that will every be permanent in life is you. Things change day by day, and in the end you can only come to rely on yourself for answers. Bone learns this through a series of different living conditions, friends, and disappointments. There wasn't a page in this novel that bored me, and even though it was written almost 20 years ago, it feels fresh and not outdated at all. I would recommend this to anyone looking for an entertaining read, that still has a good message.
June 21, 2007
eh... the main character is compelling but... but... I don't know. There is something surface about the whole thing. I kind of hate that the healing balm for the kid's smothered soul comes in the guise of a jamaican rasta dude -- a gimmick to give the story a little exotic flavoring??? and if the whole point is for the kid to know himself, i don't think the book teaches anything. He never stops looking outside himself for his sense of self.
January 29, 2016
A cross between Holden Caulfield, Christopher McCandless, and Henry Fielding for the 90's..., a picaresque Bildungsroman..., Chappie (the Bone) is a young abused mall rat/homeless fuck'd-up kid who comes of age by traveling between sin and the stars. Banks is a masterful writer -- and this book's strength is that it is written entirely (in first person) in Chappie's voice -- and never waivers or has a false note...
March 6, 2020
This is a novel that has sat on my shelf for years. What drew me to it in the beginning was the synopsis that mentions good old Huckleberry Finn and The Catcher in the Rye themes.
With that said, I have no clue what I just read.
Bone is a 14 year old who leaves home and basically becomes a unique kind of homeless kid. Involved in drugs, stealing and a whole assortment of different scenarios that lead him to Jamaica. Bone endures sexual abuse from his alcoholic stepfather which seems to be the catalyst for some of his drug escapes and future school failings at the minimum. For some reason his "saving grace" comes in the guise of a Jamaican Rasta man who runs an underground drug ring. The ending isn't necessarily an ending and I'm not sure how this whole thing translates to a coming of age read.
I believe this book falls into you either love it or not. Unfortunately it lands on the lower spectrum for me.
With that said, I have no clue what I just read.
Bone is a 14 year old who leaves home and basically becomes a unique kind of homeless kid. Involved in drugs, stealing and a whole assortment of different scenarios that lead him to Jamaica. Bone endures sexual abuse from his alcoholic stepfather which seems to be the catalyst for some of his drug escapes and future school failings at the minimum. For some reason his "saving grace" comes in the guise of a Jamaican Rasta man who runs an underground drug ring. The ending isn't necessarily an ending and I'm not sure how this whole thing translates to a coming of age read.
I believe this book falls into you either love it or not. Unfortunately it lands on the lower spectrum for me.
May 16, 2008
(I'm reprinting this from my review of another edition, here w/in Goodreads) The finest accomplishment of a splendid contemporary's career. RULE OF THE BONE takes on the kind of lost child most of us would far prefer to ignore -- a mall rat with a fondness for weed, medicating the pain out of his own broken and abused home. The novel keens the tragedy of America's neglected young people like no other I know, lashing brilliantly into the commercial forces that turn a seven- or eleven-year-old into an item of barter, a piece of property to be used and discarded. And Banks pulls off his admonishings without sacrificing drama, with brio, humor, surprise, and above all great sensitivity to details of heart and nerve.
February 19, 2015
Rule of the Bone is an intriguing field study into the human coping mechanism. Chappy, also known as Bone is a damaged young man. He is the product of a broken family, sexual abuse, drugs, and parental apathy. His story is one of self discovery, maturation, and the loss of innocence. With that said, I found Rule of the Bone a fairly engaging read, not without its difficulties. It is told from the perspective of an under educated, drug using 14 year old boy, so naturally the language itself is going to be a bit touchy. Rendered in a lengthy, run-on stream of consciousness style of writing, Rule of the Bone may lose you from time to time, and force you to stop, backtrack and reread to gain the proper understanding. It is not perfect, then again, it is not intended to be. Complain all you want about the style of writing, but Banks delivers the story how he intends to. He gets you into the head of Chappy/Bone, and thus give you the closest possible vantage. Was this the easiest book to get through? No. Do I think it provides us some important lessons about human growth, maturation, and the loss of innocence? Definitely. With that said, I recommend you give Rule of the Bone a read.
February 13, 2024
The voice here, that of a struggling 14 year old boy, at first grabs and engages. However, over time the narrative lost its grip on this reader.
The plot depends heavily on incredible coincidences, and this novel also provides almost a textbook example of the stereotypical “magical negro”. Banks doubles down on this character, which does depart from the stereotype, but we still only see this person through the eyes of the white boy (the whole novel is from his POV, with mixed results).
Gritty, spacey, fantastic, trippy, edgy, fanciful, ridiculous, moving. The book was a lot of things — but I’m sure it read better in 1995 than it does today.
The plot depends heavily on incredible coincidences, and this novel also provides almost a textbook example of the stereotypical “magical negro”. Banks doubles down on this character, which does depart from the stereotype, but we still only see this person through the eyes of the white boy (the whole novel is from his POV, with mixed results).
Gritty, spacey, fantastic, trippy, edgy, fanciful, ridiculous, moving. The book was a lot of things — but I’m sure it read better in 1995 than it does today.
July 31, 2014
If I could give it a zero, I would. Coming of age??? Really? This 14 year old child is heavy into weed, alcohol, and crime. Readers are supposed to understand his plight because of his horrible childhood. His choices, understandable. Should I be ok with them? NO!! And nothing changes by the end. I can handle books that make one think or that touch on hard subjects. This one crosses a line, and I don't understand how it is called a great American novel.
November 16, 2010
After reading The Sweet Hereafter I expected to be on a Russell Banks kick. I LOVED The Sweet Hereafter - it is such an amazing book. I loved the form of interviews that Banks used to tell the story. And then I read this. Rule of the Bone was a real let down for me. I'd even call it a disappointment. It felt so false, so contrived.
Prior to reading this book, I saw the film adaptation of The Sweet Hereafter and listened to Banks speak after. He said he felt Rule of the Bone and T.S.H., if he had his way, would be paired together, to be read as one book. R.O.T.B. being a sequel, if you will, to T.S.H. That they shared similar themes of not caring for our (America's) children, and characters. I was so excited. I couldn't wait. But alas, ROTB was just awful. The narrator, which Banks also referred to as his Holden Caulfield, was completely unreliable, and not in a good way. I believed nothing that this character did, or said. I believe none of things that happened to him could ever, or would ever, happen. The voice? Awful. It just didn't ring true. It felt forced. As a reader, I merely envisioned Banks sitting at his desk saying "Yes! Brilliant! This is EXACTLY the way a teen boy thinks. The way he speaks. What a genius I am."
On to plot. Bad. Very. Bad. It was as though Banks made all the easy choices. I couldn't figure out if Banks was trying this as a device, if he was purposefully setting this character up as a kind of "everyman" - getting into every imaginable nook and cranny, every hardship - to make a point. But as the book went on, I realized that I think Banks just wanted to wrap it all up in a neat package. The character actually went to Jamaica, where low and behold, he found his....long lost father! What???? Up until this point I was hanging on, willing Banks to not go this route. I just couldn't believe it.
I could go on, but I'll choose to stop here. I stand by TSH - it is such a wonderful book. It made such an impact on me. Read that one, but please, leave ROTB on the shelf.
Prior to reading this book, I saw the film adaptation of The Sweet Hereafter and listened to Banks speak after. He said he felt Rule of the Bone and T.S.H., if he had his way, would be paired together, to be read as one book. R.O.T.B. being a sequel, if you will, to T.S.H. That they shared similar themes of not caring for our (America's) children, and characters. I was so excited. I couldn't wait. But alas, ROTB was just awful. The narrator, which Banks also referred to as his Holden Caulfield, was completely unreliable, and not in a good way. I believed nothing that this character did, or said. I believe none of things that happened to him could ever, or would ever, happen. The voice? Awful. It just didn't ring true. It felt forced. As a reader, I merely envisioned Banks sitting at his desk saying "Yes! Brilliant! This is EXACTLY the way a teen boy thinks. The way he speaks. What a genius I am."
On to plot. Bad. Very. Bad. It was as though Banks made all the easy choices. I couldn't figure out if Banks was trying this as a device, if he was purposefully setting this character up as a kind of "everyman" - getting into every imaginable nook and cranny, every hardship - to make a point. But as the book went on, I realized that I think Banks just wanted to wrap it all up in a neat package. The character actually went to Jamaica, where low and behold, he found his....long lost father! What???? Up until this point I was hanging on, willing Banks to not go this route. I just couldn't believe it.
I could go on, but I'll choose to stop here. I stand by TSH - it is such a wonderful book. It made such an impact on me. Read that one, but please, leave ROTB on the shelf.
Read
June 17, 2020This came so close to being a great novel. I always sympathize with picaresque alienated loners (that sounds awfully like it could be an ethnic slur, couldn't it?), but Bone is no Huck Finn or Holden Caulfield, and I can't say I was smitten with the Jamaican setting, which just felt tacked on. Somehow if the story had just focused on desolate-ass Upstate New York, I think that it could have been tighter and more interesting – as it is, the novel sprawls more than it should, to minimal effect.
Read
March 8, 2023Read this again recently as homage to Russell Banks, requiescat in pace. Opening is so powerful. Gets to a place that feels like satire and find myself resisting. But I also feel pretty humble about trying to second guess Russell Banks. Saw him read and speak for years at Skidmore summer workshops and the guy was really a genius.
August 24, 2019
Um… holy cow! Where to begin? A friend recommended this book to me, warning that it’s a bit edgy and there are some cringe-y moments—however, this gritty subject matter only made the character more lifelike. So. Damn. Good.
Once I got hooked on the narrator’s voice, I couldn’t stop reading. I literally cancelled all my plans, stayed off social media, and didn’t watch any Netflix—don’t judge me. I had to know what happened to this kid. Russell captures the teenager personality, to an enviable degree—warts and all. There are times I wanted to strangle the narrator, and other times I cheered him on. We follow him through abuse, low self-esteem, self-medication, and violence, watching him learn from it all. It’s been awhile since I’ve read a character so messed up, yet so lovable at the same time. His innocence and self-reflection are endearing. And, the other characters in the book? So colorful and so distinct. By the end, I literally had tears in my eyes, thinking it’s over?
Is this a perfect novel? No, you can pick things apart. It takes some getting used to that there is minimal punctuation, long sentences, and no quotation marks for dialogue. But there’s a rhythm to the language. It worked for me. There are also some plot points where I was like: What? Really? They seemed almost too coincidental at times. Here’s the thing: I didn’t care. The twists and turns are so strange it reminded me that sometimes life can really be that crazy. Events and people do seem to fall out of the sky. And we don’t always know how we’re going to react. I was willing to buy it all: hook, line, and sinker.
I will definitely pick up more books from this author. His prose is hypnotic, and his characters captivating. And there is something literary about his observations, symbols, and metaphors. Russell doesn’t throw these in our face; instead, he lets us pick them out for ourselves as we tread through the pages. I highly recommend this read, especially if you enjoy a heart-felt coming of age story.
Once I got hooked on the narrator’s voice, I couldn’t stop reading. I literally cancelled all my plans, stayed off social media, and didn’t watch any Netflix—don’t judge me. I had to know what happened to this kid. Russell captures the teenager personality, to an enviable degree—warts and all. There are times I wanted to strangle the narrator, and other times I cheered him on. We follow him through abuse, low self-esteem, self-medication, and violence, watching him learn from it all. It’s been awhile since I’ve read a character so messed up, yet so lovable at the same time. His innocence and self-reflection are endearing. And, the other characters in the book? So colorful and so distinct. By the end, I literally had tears in my eyes, thinking it’s over?
Is this a perfect novel? No, you can pick things apart. It takes some getting used to that there is minimal punctuation, long sentences, and no quotation marks for dialogue. But there’s a rhythm to the language. It worked for me. There are also some plot points where I was like: What? Really? They seemed almost too coincidental at times. Here’s the thing: I didn’t care. The twists and turns are so strange it reminded me that sometimes life can really be that crazy. Events and people do seem to fall out of the sky. And we don’t always know how we’re going to react. I was willing to buy it all: hook, line, and sinker.
I will definitely pick up more books from this author. His prose is hypnotic, and his characters captivating. And there is something literary about his observations, symbols, and metaphors. Russell doesn’t throw these in our face; instead, he lets us pick them out for ourselves as we tread through the pages. I highly recommend this read, especially if you enjoy a heart-felt coming of age story.
March 28, 2017
Excellent coming of age novel for modern readers. The Bone is Huck Finn in the 20th Century under different pressures but with same clear voice, lizard-brained logic, and internal desire to achieve moral correctness, however stilted.
September 5, 2021
Utterly unconvincing story/character.
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January 26, 2009Rule of the Bone by Russell Banks is a story about a young boy named Chappie. Chappie lives with his mom and step dad in a small town in upstate New York in the Lake Placid area. Chappie, just 13 at the time grows a fondness for marijuana and hangs out with a tough crowd that is all very much older than him. As time goes on Chappie becomes more and more addicted to weed and alcohol. This addiction eventually leads him to stealing from his mother to buy drugs and he gets kicked out of the house because of it. This is where his journey really begins. He takes off with a friend of his named Russ and they begin their lives on the road as homeless teenagers. With no car, no shelter and little to no money the boys spend their money on food and drugs. Through a strange turn of events Chappie gets the nick name Bone and from that point on is always referred to as that. Bone and Russ eventually go their separate ways, they were best friends for a long time but the isolation they shared for so long while they were on the run eventually drove them to dislike and then to hate each other. Bone does not take this easy and feels like his best friend deserted him after contributing to getting him in the difficult situation. After Bone recovers from the loss he regroups and decides that nothing can be accomplished by just hoping things will get better. With this new proactive attitude Bone retraces his steps. After being turned away by his mother and again having nowhere to go Bone crashes in a bus with a Rastafarian man who called himself “I-man”. He preached finding “I-self” which is like finding what is really important to you. Following I-Man’s lead Bone then goes on a very strange and exciting journey that you definitely will not see coming.
Personally I liked this book for a few reasons. Rule of the Bone had a lot of things that the rest of the books I read this semester did not. In the book the main character was a younger boy who was a drug user. I thought that this was a nice change because at the very least I haven’t read too many books where the main character is a 13 year old druggy; it adds a different element to the story. Something I really liked also was that the book took place in the Adirondacks about 2 hours north of here. Having been in the area that the book describes made it really easy to imagine what was going or at least where the events were taking place. The other big thing that I liked was that the book was very unpredictable. The story will look like its going one way and all the sudden it’s going in a direction that you couldn’t imagine. The unpredictability of the book keeps you on your toes and definitely keeps you interested. These are a few reasons that I can think of why I liked the book and if any of that sounds interesting to you I would highly recommend this book for you.
Personally I liked this book for a few reasons. Rule of the Bone had a lot of things that the rest of the books I read this semester did not. In the book the main character was a younger boy who was a drug user. I thought that this was a nice change because at the very least I haven’t read too many books where the main character is a 13 year old druggy; it adds a different element to the story. Something I really liked also was that the book took place in the Adirondacks about 2 hours north of here. Having been in the area that the book describes made it really easy to imagine what was going or at least where the events were taking place. The other big thing that I liked was that the book was very unpredictable. The story will look like its going one way and all the sudden it’s going in a direction that you couldn’t imagine. The unpredictability of the book keeps you on your toes and definitely keeps you interested. These are a few reasons that I can think of why I liked the book and if any of that sounds interesting to you I would highly recommend this book for you.
May 29, 2017
This book was recommended to me by a bookstagrammer I follow on my Instagram with not much but an insistence that it would be up my street to go on.
I have to admit, he was right 😊
Rule of the Bone was written right in the grunge phase of my youth and I wish so much I'd known about it then as I think I probably would've read it a hundred times by now.
The protagonist of the story is a 14 year old named Chappie, who tells his tale at speed in its speach but slowly in its detail, almost as if the major events of his life were of no consequence or at least of no less importance than the little details he encountered every day.
The narrative doesn't have much structure, and you read as if you're listening to a typical teenager speak in one long ramble with barely a pause for breath which I have to admit, wasn't what I'm used to and took a couple of pages to get used to, but was perfect for building the character and getting a picture of the kind of guy Chappie is.
Russell Banks manges to brilliantly show the other side of life, the people that slide between the cracks and the way the world looks to those that live it in a very matter of fact way. It doesnt necessarily bring you out in sympathy for Chappie in particular, but just says 'this is the way it is' and merely asks you to come along for the ride cos really, this kid ain't all that bad.
And you do, and you find yourself witnessing the journey of Chappie's self discovery through his tenacity and resilience that even he doesn't know he had.
I wouldn't exactly say that the reader is rewarded with the full chrysalis-style transformation ending that you'd expect but that's not a bad thing, it wouldn't be in the style of the book to do that, but the fact that you know Chappie is gonna do just fine is enough. It's like feeling contentedly full rather than over stuffed.
On the whole I'd recommend Rule of the Bone as one of those cult classics that should be read at least once. You don't have to love it but it will definitely make you think.
I have to admit, he was right 😊
Rule of the Bone was written right in the grunge phase of my youth and I wish so much I'd known about it then as I think I probably would've read it a hundred times by now.
The protagonist of the story is a 14 year old named Chappie, who tells his tale at speed in its speach but slowly in its detail, almost as if the major events of his life were of no consequence or at least of no less importance than the little details he encountered every day.
The narrative doesn't have much structure, and you read as if you're listening to a typical teenager speak in one long ramble with barely a pause for breath which I have to admit, wasn't what I'm used to and took a couple of pages to get used to, but was perfect for building the character and getting a picture of the kind of guy Chappie is.
Russell Banks manges to brilliantly show the other side of life, the people that slide between the cracks and the way the world looks to those that live it in a very matter of fact way. It doesnt necessarily bring you out in sympathy for Chappie in particular, but just says 'this is the way it is' and merely asks you to come along for the ride cos really, this kid ain't all that bad.
And you do, and you find yourself witnessing the journey of Chappie's self discovery through his tenacity and resilience that even he doesn't know he had.
I wouldn't exactly say that the reader is rewarded with the full chrysalis-style transformation ending that you'd expect but that's not a bad thing, it wouldn't be in the style of the book to do that, but the fact that you know Chappie is gonna do just fine is enough. It's like feeling contentedly full rather than over stuffed.
On the whole I'd recommend Rule of the Bone as one of those cult classics that should be read at least once. You don't have to love it but it will definitely make you think.
March 16, 2025
Have been meaning to read this for two years at the behest of one of my professors that says its his favorite book — its so immediately the type of book he Would love (shoutout professor mcdonald!) but i didnt find myself similarly enamored. I think its an interesting story and the author does a fantastic job of capturing the protagonist’s perspective… im just not sure why we went to jamaica lol. The story changes majorly after that point and im not sure if its for the better or not?
Anyways, solid book but does have a major shift in the last third or so.
Anyways, solid book but does have a major shift in the last third or so.
November 25, 2019
This was a great book even though it wasn't what I was hoping for. I searched my local library's Overdrive for books with the highest "Lexile score." This book had the highest Lexile score in the library. I thought that meant it would be a linguistic masterpiece with challenging vocabulary and intricate wordplay. Not so. Any ten year old with an average IQ could understand and follow this book. But it was still very good.
June 30, 2025
This has been sitting on my shelf for over a decade but it was worth the wait. An amazingly strong and confident narrative voice, Bone just sweeps you into his story and doesn't let go. You might not like him but you're certainly not going to forget him either.
October 11, 2021
A real character for sure. The book reminds me a lot of Willy Vlautin. The same misery and out of hope storyline. But also a male version of Jojo Moyes, with coincidences way out of the normal. And the same question in my mind after reading them both. Why?! What's the meaning of following these people? I don't really get it. It's stories we all confront on weekly basis. Broken up lives with not very much mending possible. But I liked this kid....
November 3, 2025
What a trip mon. Probably closer to 3.5 stars because it was so dark in so many aspects and I was expecting more of a Tom Sawyer type thing. Wouldn't recommend this to very many people.
With that, I did enjoy learning some Rasta histories.
With that, I did enjoy learning some Rasta histories.
October 12, 2011
Max Klein
Rich
English 10
31 August 2011
Book Review C
Banks, Russel. Rule of the Bone; “A Novel”. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, Inc., 1995.
Rule of the Bone by Russel Banks is a fantastic read because of the experiences, and memories of the main character, Chappie (or Bone later in the book). Russel Banks does a great job of incorporating the crazy experiences of a rebel teen into a book that sounds believable. The description that Banks puts into certain scenes really makes the book fun, and enjoyable to read start to finish.
Some of the experiences that Chappie goes through at the young age of 15 are amazing. Even though it is a fiction book Russel Banks does a great job of making it sound believable. The situations that the 15 year old are in are crazy “it looked like the whole room was burning. It was a combination of beautiful and scary probably like war. The room went up like one of those smart bombs’d hit it and when me and Russ reached the ground we turned and stood there and looked up amazed at the sight” (Banks 80). The language that Russel Banks uses through out the novel makes it more believable. By writing the way a teenager thinks, Russel makes it feel as though you were Chappie in the scenarios. The amount of description that Banks adds to the book also makes it way more believable, and interesting.
Rule of the Bone is my favorite book at the moment because of the description that is so vivid through out the book. “I was slumped over sitting on one of the pillows watching the candle flame when suddenly this spider came drifting down from the ceiling and hovered over the flame for a minute and then like it’d gotten too hot the spider started trying to climb back up on its web. It struggled and fought but it was too late, the web turned into a gold wire and the spider lost it and dropped onto the flame where it got instantly crisped and its tiny ashy body floated up on the heat a ways and then it disappeared into thin air” (Banks 260). Banks takes an entire paragraph describing an action as simple as a spider being burnt by a candle. These small, seemingly insignificant additions make all the difference in a book to me. This is what takes Rule of the Bone from being an OK book to being a great book.
Banks does a fantastic job of portraying a rebellious teen’s journey through the United States and Jamaca. Through out the whole book Russel Banks keeps the novel interesting and fun to read. After my 3rd time reading Rule of the Bone I still enjoy every page and would recommend it to a friend.
Rich
English 10
31 August 2011
Book Review C
Banks, Russel. Rule of the Bone; “A Novel”. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, Inc., 1995.
Rule of the Bone by Russel Banks is a fantastic read because of the experiences, and memories of the main character, Chappie (or Bone later in the book). Russel Banks does a great job of incorporating the crazy experiences of a rebel teen into a book that sounds believable. The description that Banks puts into certain scenes really makes the book fun, and enjoyable to read start to finish.
Some of the experiences that Chappie goes through at the young age of 15 are amazing. Even though it is a fiction book Russel Banks does a great job of making it sound believable. The situations that the 15 year old are in are crazy “it looked like the whole room was burning. It was a combination of beautiful and scary probably like war. The room went up like one of those smart bombs’d hit it and when me and Russ reached the ground we turned and stood there and looked up amazed at the sight” (Banks 80). The language that Russel Banks uses through out the novel makes it more believable. By writing the way a teenager thinks, Russel makes it feel as though you were Chappie in the scenarios. The amount of description that Banks adds to the book also makes it way more believable, and interesting.
Rule of the Bone is my favorite book at the moment because of the description that is so vivid through out the book. “I was slumped over sitting on one of the pillows watching the candle flame when suddenly this spider came drifting down from the ceiling and hovered over the flame for a minute and then like it’d gotten too hot the spider started trying to climb back up on its web. It struggled and fought but it was too late, the web turned into a gold wire and the spider lost it and dropped onto the flame where it got instantly crisped and its tiny ashy body floated up on the heat a ways and then it disappeared into thin air” (Banks 260). Banks takes an entire paragraph describing an action as simple as a spider being burnt by a candle. These small, seemingly insignificant additions make all the difference in a book to me. This is what takes Rule of the Bone from being an OK book to being a great book.
Banks does a fantastic job of portraying a rebellious teen’s journey through the United States and Jamaca. Through out the whole book Russel Banks keeps the novel interesting and fun to read. After my 3rd time reading Rule of the Bone I still enjoy every page and would recommend it to a friend.
Read
March 24, 2008Rule of the bone Russel Banks Harper Perennial,1996,400pp.,$13.95 ISBN 0060927240
“Life isn’t perfect”. As cliché as this may sound, it proves to be true in circumstances that involve individuals who are surrounded by negative influences. In Rule of The Bone, by Russell Banks, the protagonist Chappie is an example of an imperfect life due to others. The message in the novel is what raises its level of reality in the novel. The realism of the novel adds to its popularity and is what creates its “page-turner” quality.
Chappie is a fourteen year old with a chaotic life. The sequence of events in his life is interesting. His father left him when he was five and then his mother married an alcoholic. The reader eventually finds out that his stepfather abuses him, adding to the list of imperfection in Chappie’s life. Chappie and his best friend Russ are high school dropouts that run away, marking the downward spiral that his life takes. Later in his life he meets an illegal Jamaican immigrant, Iman, who becomes Chappie’s mentor. His philosophies are what lead Chappie to an improved life.
Rule of the Bone will be loved by anyone who reads it, due to its style and tone. These two literary techniques are responsible for the reality of Rule of The Bone. Teenagers could at least remotely relate to Chappie and his struggles. Russell Banks creates the “teen angst” element, which captures why the book is so relatable. Another factor that adds to the reality of the novel is Chappie’s stream of consciousness. Banks lets the reader into Chappie’s head by showing how quickly his thoughts jump around, just as any person does on a daily basis.
This is a great book with many many surprises that will sneak up on you like a fox and will leave you astonished. I recommended this phenomenal piece of writing to anyone looking for a good read. Thrilling and suprising, you will not be able to put the book down.
“Life isn’t perfect”. As cliché as this may sound, it proves to be true in circumstances that involve individuals who are surrounded by negative influences. In Rule of The Bone, by Russell Banks, the protagonist Chappie is an example of an imperfect life due to others. The message in the novel is what raises its level of reality in the novel. The realism of the novel adds to its popularity and is what creates its “page-turner” quality.
Chappie is a fourteen year old with a chaotic life. The sequence of events in his life is interesting. His father left him when he was five and then his mother married an alcoholic. The reader eventually finds out that his stepfather abuses him, adding to the list of imperfection in Chappie’s life. Chappie and his best friend Russ are high school dropouts that run away, marking the downward spiral that his life takes. Later in his life he meets an illegal Jamaican immigrant, Iman, who becomes Chappie’s mentor. His philosophies are what lead Chappie to an improved life.
Rule of the Bone will be loved by anyone who reads it, due to its style and tone. These two literary techniques are responsible for the reality of Rule of The Bone. Teenagers could at least remotely relate to Chappie and his struggles. Russell Banks creates the “teen angst” element, which captures why the book is so relatable. Another factor that adds to the reality of the novel is Chappie’s stream of consciousness. Banks lets the reader into Chappie’s head by showing how quickly his thoughts jump around, just as any person does on a daily basis.
This is a great book with many many surprises that will sneak up on you like a fox and will leave you astonished. I recommended this phenomenal piece of writing to anyone looking for a good read. Thrilling and suprising, you will not be able to put the book down.
March 19, 2014
This book was a serendipitous find. Having picked the book up off the counter of my parents house about 12 years ago (I believe my father was reading it) and reading a page or two, I made a mental note to read the book one day. All I could remember about it was a yellow cover and the word "bone" in the title, so I have been passively looking for the book for over a decade. Then one day while at work (I'm a librarian), it was returned by a patron. And so began my journey with Bone.
Bone's story is that of a lost teenage boy of fourteen who leaves his broken and dysfunctional home after enduring years of abuse at the hands of his stepfather. He drifts and gets by as well as possible, selling weed to and living with a group of unruly and violent Bikers in a rundown apartment. As he drifts through his homelessness, spending his days in a mall the next town over, he begins to question what it means to live as a criminal, all the while trying to maintain a sense of right from wrong. As time passes, he finds himself in a position to rescue a young girl around six-years-old who was sold by her mother to a sceevy and dangerous pedophile. The two find refuge in an abondoned bus in the middle a field, inhabited by I-Man, a Jamaican Rastafarian and illegal immigrant homesick for his own country. And so begins the second stage in Bone's journey to himself, which takes him to Jamaica and onward.
This book was incredibly hard to put down, and I found myself reading well past my bedtime. Bone's narrative is authentic and at times soars. His voice was well developed, as were the characters he described. It was an honor to watch Bone evolve from a scared fourteen-year-old boy unsure of himself and the future, into a young man who was ready to embrace his true self and the journey that lies ahead of him. Highly recommended.
Bone's story is that of a lost teenage boy of fourteen who leaves his broken and dysfunctional home after enduring years of abuse at the hands of his stepfather. He drifts and gets by as well as possible, selling weed to and living with a group of unruly and violent Bikers in a rundown apartment. As he drifts through his homelessness, spending his days in a mall the next town over, he begins to question what it means to live as a criminal, all the while trying to maintain a sense of right from wrong. As time passes, he finds himself in a position to rescue a young girl around six-years-old who was sold by her mother to a sceevy and dangerous pedophile. The two find refuge in an abondoned bus in the middle a field, inhabited by I-Man, a Jamaican Rastafarian and illegal immigrant homesick for his own country. And so begins the second stage in Bone's journey to himself, which takes him to Jamaica and onward.
This book was incredibly hard to put down, and I found myself reading well past my bedtime. Bone's narrative is authentic and at times soars. His voice was well developed, as were the characters he described. It was an honor to watch Bone evolve from a scared fourteen-year-old boy unsure of himself and the future, into a young man who was ready to embrace his true self and the journey that lies ahead of him. Highly recommended.
September 27, 2012
I started this book hoping that it will grab my interest, but it didn't worked out that much for me. The flatness of the voice and how the novel was written by Russell Banks -- no commas and conversationally distant sentence structure as if Chappie, the 14-year old lead character had really written it -- didn't appeal to me.
But this book is not just awfully written though. The plot was fantastic and Russell Banks really represented a strong voice for the youth. He provided a good point of view on teens of the new generation. But regardless of the plot, I don't think anyone would be going through this thick 390-page book without getting drowsy.
Rule of the Bone is a coming of age novel that tells how the world looks like through the eyes of an unwanted boy. Chappie narrates his own story of drugs, theft, abuse and sex. He details his experiences after he leaves home, away from his mother and his stepfather, to make a life of his own, and for his quest to find someone who cares. He encounters various individuals thoughout his journey such as a six-year-old girl who is a victim of child pornography, a group of crazy bikers, a spiritual and drug addict Jamaican Rastafarian, and of course, his real father.
Even though I didn't liked the book that much, it still presents real-life issues that young people deals within our society today. Chappie is a more complex Holden Caulfield of The Catcher in the Rye that represents a part of all the teens that were neglected by their own family or those who ran away from home.
In the end, you might find yourself hating and loving Rule of the Bone at the same time.
But this book is not just awfully written though. The plot was fantastic and Russell Banks really represented a strong voice for the youth. He provided a good point of view on teens of the new generation. But regardless of the plot, I don't think anyone would be going through this thick 390-page book without getting drowsy.
Rule of the Bone is a coming of age novel that tells how the world looks like through the eyes of an unwanted boy. Chappie narrates his own story of drugs, theft, abuse and sex. He details his experiences after he leaves home, away from his mother and his stepfather, to make a life of his own, and for his quest to find someone who cares. He encounters various individuals thoughout his journey such as a six-year-old girl who is a victim of child pornography, a group of crazy bikers, a spiritual and drug addict Jamaican Rastafarian, and of course, his real father.
Even though I didn't liked the book that much, it still presents real-life issues that young people deals within our society today. Chappie is a more complex Holden Caulfield of The Catcher in the Rye that represents a part of all the teens that were neglected by their own family or those who ran away from home.
In the end, you might find yourself hating and loving Rule of the Bone at the same time.
August 13, 2011
I'd give a mixed review for this book. As many others have alluded to, it is a tale that seems split into two unequal halves. The first part floats along and you begin to understand Bone's struggle and root for his emancipation from an obvious dysfunctional, abusive family situation. Likewise, his adventures with the bikers, the Bong Brothers and Buster Brown/Sister Rose are all interesting enough to make you keep the pages turning. However, I tend to agree with the bulk of other reviewers who feel the story goes downhill when Bone goes to Jamaica. His convoluted meeting with his biological dad seemed contrived at best, and strangely unsatisfying, leaving me with an unresolved feeling. I also felt let down when Bone learns of the death of Sister Rose. We never got to know her much... only her circumstances, and Bone's interactions with her seemed less important than the support she received from I-man. I wanted to know more about her, and what happened to her. I-man's death also seemed sudden and strange, unexpectedly ending the only relationship that seemed real in Bone's life, and in the whole story, for that matter. I did, however, like when Bone chose not to meet Russ when he saw him but was once again disappointed in the contrived storyline that led him to Evening Star... c'mon. The ending seemed trite and less than fulfilling. I would probably still lightly recommend this book, but not to everyone.
January 7, 2017
Audio version: This is the third Russell Banks book I've listened to now. While it is my least favorite of the three, it was still an enjoyable listen. This one tells the story of a couple of years in the life of teenager Chappie, soon to rename himself as Bone. He's had a tough life and it shows in his decisions. But it also shows how he keeps trying to make things better with his mother, but she just doesn't listen. It's sad when stories like this show just how easy it might be to turn things around, but the complexities of all the lives interacting with each other and the resistances the characters have built up around themselves just make it impossible for them to see beyond their own noses. I read to broaden my perspectives, but sometimes, what I read brings me right back to myself, and this one did that. It made me see where I've alienated people in my past because of my own inability to just stop for a minute and actively listen without letting my own agenda get in the way. And this one also provided a character who is an example of someone who knows how to listen. The narration was spot on.
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