#43 – Bag of Bones

Plot

Set in the Maine territory King has made mythic, Bag of Bones recounts the plight of forty-year-old bestselling novelist Mike Noonan, who is unable to stop grieving following the sudden death of his wife Jo, and who can no longer bear to face the blank screen of his computer.

Review

An early lesson in any writer’s career is to “write what you know.” Stephen King abides by this as he often establishes his main character as an author. And while this holds true in Bag of Bones, it’s the only time I can remember King giving writer’s block to the main protagonist.

The original manuscript for Bag of Bones was more than a thousand pages but was edited nearly in half. Thank goodness as this novel benefitted enormously from the cutdown. The first half of this novel drags in places but picks up the pace at the midway point when the focus comes off Mike and is firmly placed on Kyra and Mattie.

This book – especially in the latter half – does an excellent job of mixing real emotions with a bountiful of fantastic horror. Bag of Bones is ultimately about a love lost and being able to move forward. It sprinkles in a child custody battle, a haunted house, and a town mystery for some added flavor.

Details

Pages: 544

Dates Read: September 2021 – February 2022

Quote: “I see things, that’s all. Write enough stories and every shadow on the floor looks like a footprint; every line in the dirt like a secret message.”

Best Part: Who knew senior citizens could be such excellent rock-throwers?!?

Hint for #42: Anyone who is on a diet is essentially trying to become this title.

 

Until next time, peace be the journey.