Helpful Score: 4
Russell Banks' incredibly powerful, vivid writing has been one of the great literary discoveries of my life. This novel has been compared favorably to other "coming of age" classics like "Catcher in the Rye" and "Huckleberry Finn" and I definitely agree that it holds it's own with those great books. This is the story of Bone and his tumultuous puberty as he struggles with parental abuse, drug addiction and homelessness. Sounds like a downer, no? Not at all. Bone's strength and character and quirky charm make you want to share every step of his journey with him. By the time you close this book, you'll be very glad you met Bone. You'll also never forget him.
