ghosts

King latched onto a very tired idea, a haunted house, and turned this book into much more than it should have been but not all it could have been. Excellent character development allows the reader to care about the main character, his writer's block, and his deceased wife. It also allows us to care about those involved in the inheritance dispute and even those who take care of the author's house when he's not there. The history--and even some geography--involved lend an air of credibility to the events. The plot moves along at a nicely even pace, and the topic of racism makes for some introspective reading, as well. King does cross the line, though, by making the incredible and supernatural elements of the story completely unbelievable and almost silly. I had to stop reading a couple of times, shake my head, and wonder why he bothered with all of that. . . . He got a bit ahead of himself, trying to please his loyal core audience, and turned a really good novel into just a good one. The detailed history behind the house (and the title) and the surrounding town is more than enough to sustain this plot through to a very suspenseful and satisfying conclusion without going to such ridiculous extremes on the supernatural front. Even the unbelievable elements of a good story need to be at least credible, in context. King strains this, and, in my opinion, loses the balance.

Bottom Line: King's loyal fans were probably quite pleased. Casual fans, such as myself, were probably pleased to a lesser degree. First-time King readers (are there any?) might want to start with some of his older, more "classic" stuff. This was a good read that was occasionally interrupted by an eye-roll and shake of my head. Probably closer to 3 stars than 4, but I'll round up.

If your looking for a good ghost story, Bag of Bones is definately a good read. However, it is overly long. Stephen King gets too caught up in details at the beginning of the book and it takes nearly 1/3 of the book until you get to the real story. I've always found that Stephen King can be a bit winded, especially in this book where he'll use chapters upon chapters to describe a sceane that took place in less than 5 mintues.

After you make it through the part where Noonan loses his wife, reflects upon it, reflects upon it some more, and still can't seem to get past that piece of candy he found in her purse, he packs up for their house in Maine and the hauntings begin.

There is also an element of mystery about the book. It seems Noonan's deceased wife Jo was up to something at their Sara Smiles vacation home. Then there's the legal thriller he managed to stick in the story that really doesn't go anywhere but it does have an exciting climax. And of course there's the love interest element. It seems this book has everything. I'd have given it 5 stars if it hadn't been for King's long windedness.

In true King fashion, Bag of Bones is a literary masterpiece and a tale to scare you out of your wits. The cover jacket gives this description in the opening paragraph: "Stephen King's most gripping and unforgettable novel, Bag of Bones, is a story of grief and a lost love's enduring bonds, of a new love haunted by the secrets of the past, of an innocent child caught in a terrible crossfire." This book mixes the supernatural with reality and fate with coincidence, giving you a terrific ride and bringing you to a startling conclusion.

I am continually impressed with the way King's mind seems to work. Every page in each of his books is carefully and strategically planned out. It doesn't take much to write a book, but it takes a lot to write a good book. Without fail, King continually provides his audience with good books that are entertaining, moving, and fulfilling.