Rule of the Bone

A Novel

By: Russell Banks

Narrated by: Kirby Heyborne

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).

When we first meet him, Chappie is a punked-out teenager living with his mother and abusive stepfather in an upstate New York trailer park. During this time, he slips into drugs and petty crime. Rejected by his parents, out of school and in trouble with the police, he claims for himself a new identity as a permanent outsider; he gets a crossed-bones tattoo on his arm, and takes the name ""Bone.""

He finds dangerous refuge with a group of biker-thieves, and then hides in the boarded-up summer house of a professor and his wife. He finally settles in an abandoned school bus with Rose, a child he rescues from a fast-talking pedophile. There Bone meets I-Man, an exiled Rastafarian, and together they begin a second adventure that takes the reader from Middle America to the ganja-growing mountains of Jamaica. It is an amazing journey of self-discovery through a world of magic, violence, betrayal and redemption.

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.

Banks does it again.

As always, I am drawn to the characters that Banks creates, and the storyline is captivating as well as realistic.

Out of the mouths of teenagers

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. I loved the voice he gave the Jamaican characters and his voice for Bone was so innocent while telling of far from innocent goings on, which made the whole story that much more poignant.

It’s a classic

A classic. Absolutely love this book. It’s a reread book for me. Can’t wait to read it again

First time Banks listener

How haveI never heard of Russell Banks???

This book was completely absorbing and helped me through a very stressful week at work. It is what got me up out of bed, and I would listen to snippets throughout the day so life seemed worth living.
GREAT narration. Possibly the best I have heard on Audible.
I loved the plot and plot twists and also felt like I learned a lot. Perfect book.

Better the Second Time Around!

I first read this book 20 years ago, I loved it then but hearing it read to me made it really come alive, the vocal inflections gave me a new empathy for the characters and I was able to gain a deeper understanding of myself and the authors beautifully relatable, yet unique characters. Praise to Russell Banks!