Customer Reviews
Bag of Bones - By: Mr. J. C. Hull, 24 Nov 2008 
I was up until midnight last night finishing off this book, which has taken me ten years since it's original release - but unfortuneatly it was one of King's books that passed me by. However, I recently decided to go through all of King's work again, starting with Carrie, & Bag of Bones was nextin line. I think the reason I delayed reading this book, was because it wasn't King's typical early "horror" style of writing - but a more developed of late King style, where he incroporates more of a supernatural, psychadelic thriller atmosphere, rather than going for all out horror & gore. This, however, isn't a bad thing, & to be honest, after reading this book, I have come to realise that King's more developed style is his best--and Bag of Bones,in my oppinion, is also his best.
Never before have I felt so involved with the characters--not to the same degree as I did with this book. It follows the story of Mike Noonan, & Irish writer livingin Derry, America, who's mourning the sudden death of his wife Jo. So much so, that he encounters writers block--a writers worst nightmare. After confronting his fears of returning to his holiday home where they shared so many wonderful memories together, Mike encounters a young woman called Mattie, & her three year old daughter Kyra. Ironically enough, Mattie has problems of her own, after the death of her husband, now her extremely wealthy father-in-law is seeking custody of Kyra claiming that Mattie is not fit to be a mother. And so, the story unfolds as Mike gets involved with the case, & eventually finds the two girls irresistable.
Romance, horror, thriller, dark comedy--there's a lot of genres incorporated into one, & although my synopsis of the story makes it sound like a romance story, it's so much more than that. The story is well told, nicely paced, & the ending (although some have stated is a bit of an anti-climax) is superb. I really can't understand any of the complaints with this book, but I guess each to their own. The book leaves you satisfied, with everything that needed to be answered, answered, but leaving just enough questions to make you want to read it all again. I feel quite sadin a way to have finished this book, because the character are so real, that it's easy to get tied upin the problems that surround them. Amazingly enough, the book that surpassed me previously has ended up being possily my favourite book on my shelf. I really couldn't recommend this book enough.
Sorry to the fans! - By: H. Butler, 25 Sep 2008 
I found this book really hard to get into. I have been reading King ever since I was 13 & this was one of the few I've really struggled with. I just feel the protagonist is too shallow to last the the length of the novel. I found myself not really caring what happens to him & and as such I moved onto other novels. I have read worse from King, but unfortunately, I've also read infinately better.
Gripping page turner - By: brainleek007, 07 Aug 2008 
It's been some time since I read a Stephen King novel & this had been on the shelf unread for perhaps 3 or 4 years! I'd always enjoyed his stories & consider 'IT' to be one of the best books I've read. I wish I'd picked this up sooner!
Anyway, I finally picked this up & was very quickly gripped by the story. The plot is compelling & the details are revealed at a pace to keep interest levels high.
The plot revolves around an author who after the sudden loss of his wife suffers writers block. He moves into their other property, a house called Sara Laughs on the edge of a lakein rural Maine. Soon after, he begins to realise he is not alonein the house (he hears wailingin the night & his alphabet fridge magnets spell messages out to him) & begins to look into the circumstances surrounding his wifes death. She left a few things behind on the day she died that could maybe point to the fact she was having an affair & this plays on Mike Noonan's (the main protagonists') mind.
In town one day he unexpectedly 'rescues' a little girl, Kyra, walkingin the road. The youngster is unharmed & her mother, Mattie, is soon on the scene. Mattie is a beautiful young widow who is terrified that her daughter will be taken from her by her now dead husband's tyranical & mega-rich father. Mike Noonan sees the young family for what they are - a mother & child who love each other who are being bullied by the will & the black hearted intentions of the aforementioned father, Devore.
Due to this chance meeting & the reality that this event may lead to Devore gaining amunition against Mattie to prove she's a bad mother & take custody of Kyra, Noonan agrees to help the down on their luck duo by poviding a lawyer.
This sets the scene for what comes after. The secrets of the town & it's people, reaching back generations, are gradually unravelled, shedding light on the reason for the death Mike Noonan's wife & also illuminating the festering lies & cover-ups & a curse which is still yet to be fulfilled with the deaths of many more innocents.
This is a solid story very well told as the battle develops between Devore & his creepy assistant, all set against the background of Sara Laughs & the TR (the name of the townin the story) & it's ghostly inhabitants who may or may not be trying to help Mike Noonan. The climax is shocking & left me feeling quite cold - there's definitely no neat happy ending here although there is hope.
Allin all a good story & gripping page turner.
FRIDGE LETTERS - By: A. Girvan, 03 Apr 2008 I used to get all kings books but at some pointin the 1990s i stopped
i tried to get back into them but couldnt
THEN I FOUND AUDIO CDS AND STARTED TO LISTEN THIS WHEN DRIVING
BAG OF BONES IS UP THERE AND WITH KING READING IT HIMSELF I FOUND MYSELF JUST DRIVING NOWHERE JUST TO LISTEN.
Love and Vengeance from beyond the Grave - By: Faith Donovan, 28 Dec 2007 Michael Noonan is a forty-year-old novelist who can't get over the loss of his wife four years earlier. Not only is he alone, but it seems his abiltity to write passed away with his wife. Fortunately for him he's had several manuscripts hidden away & he has been putting them out year by year as if he'd just written them.
But eventually he runs out of manuscripts, then he begins having horrific nightmares about the summer home he shared with his wifein the woods of western Main on Dark Score lake. Hoping to overcome his writer's block & whatever's causing the bad dreams, he packs up & goes there.
Soon after his arrival he meets & is captivated by a three-year-old child named Kyra, who isin the middle of a custody battle between her widowed mother & her paternal grandfather, a malevolent millionaire. Mike gets involvedin the case & starts to fall for Kyra's mother. And now he can write again.
By the time things come to a head, Mike finds out just how far both love & evil can reach out from beyond the gravein this spooky love story.
In "Bag of Bones" Mr. King effectively plays on our fears of ghosts & things that go bumpin the night. But he also delves into what else can terrify you, like the fear of losing the one you lovein this different kind of love story that is also a story of redemption & of vengeance, vengeance of the dead. It is a Stephen King novel after all.
