When I started reading, I thought I'd made a mistake in my purchase because the life the 13 year old hero was leading was miserable and sordid, a topic I find very sad. As I read on, however, I realized what was going on. Even more than Holden Caulfield, who is himself, I think, out of touch with himself, Huckleberry Finn is the hero's ancestor. This isn't a shallow rehash of the original Huck story, though, but what Huck would be like in twenty-first century America, in a corrupt layer of it that is hard for a child to escape. Holden is sad, but Huck and Bone have a naive sterling core that forces you to understand why it may sometimes be good to do the wrong things and go to the wrong places.

Wow... this book is unbelievable. I really liked it. It was so easy to read. Written on a teenage level. It is bad. It is just hrd to belieave what this kid Chappie aka Bone does. His adolescent life is crazy and hectic. I dont know how anybody could survive that. it was really interesting and it made me feel really bad for Chappie. His life is so messed up. It is also interesting. This is one of these books that keeps you reading because you desperately want to see what happens next. It is amazing and everybody should read it

I found this book in my school library missorted and looking a little battered. I checked it out and since the first page I couldn't put it down!
It starts off well and doesn't lose momentum. Filled with a sad story of a runaway teen eventually finding his way to Jamaica to see his biological father after being kicked out of his home by his moms new boyfriend.
He gets caught up in drugs, stealing and everything imaginable! It's a book you wont be able to put down, so buy it and create some spare time. It wont let you down!

The character Chappie, better known as Bone, is a teenage boy that lives a precarious life for a fourteen year old. In a new and refreshing way Rule of the Bone, written by Russell Banks, is able to usher in a new wave of modern day novels. This story is set in the 90's which is closer to the current teenage faction and is written in such a way that it is much easier to read and understand than many other novels. Many novels that we read in English classes today are great, classic pieces of literature that contain some of the most important ideologies and stories known to mankind. These books must fit a basic criterion; the novel reveals a lesson, and implements points of view that are worthy of being studied. These novels must also make provocative statements and last but not least, these novels may or may not be applicable to oneself, society or world. Although this old criteria is mainly set for books written in the distant past, Rule of the Bone is able to meet these standards, but conveys more up to date thoughts on the old ideologies.
Throughout the novel Bone tells his own views on life, people, ideas and random little things that a teenage boy might think about or do. Some of Bone's thoughts are those of a typical teenage boy, but many of his thoughts are somewhat more complex. As one reads his words, one may forget that this character is merely fourteen years old. Bone's adventures lead him to make mistakes which he may or may not learn from. But whether or not Bone learns the lesson the reader is able to take away something from it. For example, as a fourteen year old boy, Bone has an uncanny ability to analyze situations, people, objects and ideas,

I didn't know what was happening at the time but suddenly it was like I'm
looking down this tunnel at the Canadian guy and the little girl, especially
the little girl who I was really worried about now, like some terrible thing
was about to happen to her and she couldn't see it coming but I could. I
wanted to tell her something important about people but I didn't want her
to have to know it yet, she was too young still (Banks 29).

When reading Rule of the Bone, the reader may find that Bone is only an immature kid that breaks the rules and lives vicariously, but the reader will also realize that Bone has a lot of maturity when it comes to certain things and situations. It seems that Bone has wisdom beyond his years which not many people around him can see.
A good novel for English class makes provocative statements and displays actions that make the reader think. There will probably be statements and actions that have no meaning behind them, but a good English class novel is able to put meaning behind the most inane ideas. Bone encounters many provocative events in the novel and does many intriguing thing as well,
"...holding the gun with two hands... I fired at the plate-glass window in
front of me...I fired again. The third shot was the one that did it, killed the
window so to speak and the whole thing shattered...it was beautiful to
see...I put the gun on the windowsill and cupped my hands around my
mouth and like I was a lone wolf howling at the moon I hollered..."
(Banks 133).

Killing the window and viewing its beauty is a disturbing image that may challenge the reader to think why Bone took these actions and viewed it the way he did. What else might he do next? What is Bone actually capable of doing with a gun?
A novel for an English class cannot be read without taking a part of it and applying it to ones life. Without application, a novel is useless in the class room. All readers will be able to take something away from Rule of the Bone. The realistic characters and comfortable pacing will allow the reader to become even more engaged in this novel than any other book. Whether it be selling or smoking weed or traveling to

A good novel for anyone to read is one that keeps the reader interested at all times. Constant suspense is a key feature, along with possible connections between the events, characters and the reader. In Russell Banks' Rule of the Bone, Banks writes in a unique style, formatting the main characters thoughts and expressions in ways that most readers do not get to experience. His unpredictable atmosphere creates a suspenseful and thrilling sequence of events that keeps the reader involved at all times. Rule of the Bone is an inimitable novel that no one should surpass their chance to read. Because of its exclusive writing style and many possible connections between the book and the reader, Rule of the Bone, is by far, one of the best novels that an English class or anyone is able to read.