Bag of Bones By Stephen King Book Review & Reaction | a Haunting Look at Moving on After a Tragedy

[@Michael_L_Morrison]

I bought the mass market paperback years ago, and it somehow ended up in the trunk of my car intact but never read. I decided to give it a go a couple of years ago, and I loved it! There was one part of the book that brought so much dread in me that I almost stopped reading. It wasn’t that I found it scary, but I knew what was coming, and I didn’t want it to happen. Nevertheless I finished it and I would comfortably say it’s in my top 20 of King’s books. Maybe top 15.

[@simonedwards9450]

First book by King I properly read and I loved it. Re-read it multiple times and listened to it on audio, read by King himself and it just keeps delivering. I also read it after losing my dad and it helped me with my grief. This book made me realise that King was the greatest and my favourite

[@williamboyette2374]

read the whole thing when it came out shredding paper at a Walmart distribution because I had an injury lol it’s funny the memories you have, but having to be at Walmart shredding paper I was able to read it in three days lol fantastic book and in my personal opinion, I believe the adaption was Pierce Brosnan was really not bad at allyou have a great day

[@RedFuryBooks]

This one actually made my King top 10, so glad to see some of my memory confirmed! I remember the ghost story very distinctly, but not much of the rest. We’ll see how it hits on a reread.

[@ADudeWhoReads]

Man, I love listening to you talk about King. Your passion is palpable. It always makes me WANT to love reading King. I swear, I WILL find that entry point that works for me.

[@greggchambers9716]

I had almost that exact same thought at first. Goodness, I'm as old as Mike was during the plot of Bag of Bones. And some of this book hits way different at forty than it did for me at fifteen when I read it for the first time. It used to be one of my favourite books. It'll always have a sweet, safe spot in my heart, and it's a good book, but it's not on that list of my best anymore. It's in King's upper half, for sure, though.

[@amyrose0913]

Bag of Bones is a King favorite, as well as Lisey’s Story and Duma Key.

[@stevehoran6011]

This is actually my most-read Stephen King book. I do like it. Thanks for the excellent review.

[@cristiankinzel9529]

This became my favorite King when I finished it. I has dropped down a couple of spots since then, but it's still up there in the top 5/top 10 I think. I read it when I was 18 yo, and I got to connect with the book despite not having the "best age" to relate to the themes there, but I think King is usually able to convey issues in a way every reader can understand and feel touched by them, no matter the age or gender, or social environment.

[@gracejacob6727]

A couple multiverse connections I found: Mentions Thad/George Stark, Alan Pangborn, Norris Ridgewick shows up. Dark Score Lake, where Sarah laughs is, is the same lake where Jessie is with her dad during the eclipse in Geralds Game

[@piousmutilator4513]

I agree! I liked this a lot more than I was expecting! Being 35, it was easier for me to grasp the concepts of this novel. 4/5 stars for me

[@williamboyette2374]

same here good age

[@williamboyette2374]

i meant 35 then lol

[@BioPhoenixReviews]

always happy to see more of your stephen king content. i cant get enough of them. when it comes to Bag of Bones when i was looking up the basic info when getting into kings work, i remember the description online sounded ok but nothing that grabbed me. but now hearing you talk about it. sounds much more interesting then i thought

[@donovanchilton5817]

Bag of bones is one of the more underrated books. No one talks about it much but when they do it tends to be positive

[@dragondrool]

Bag of Bones is in my top five, easily. Probably even in the top three. I also liked the miniseries.

[@MickGarrisRules]

Same here :)

[@paulorafael734]

I'm about to read this one and your video just came out on my timeline! Despite of being a constant reader, I have to say I wasn't expecting a lot and don't know exacly why. Maybe cause bag of bones is not as reminded as another books from Stephen, but the grief part you talked about got me. Hope to like it as well. I'm always watching your king videos, Mike! You are the best Regards from Brazil! 🇧🇷

[@gracejacob6727]

I just finished this one a couple days ago and I really liked it! This is the first book during my great King read that I was waiting for your review on it, I don't know how I feel about that. Love your videos Mike!

[@dpeady78]

I thought this book was genuinely creepy in parts. That bbq scene just comes crashing out of nowhere and then it’s all on right up to the ending - which is one of his better endings

[@ColinsCornerYT]

Great video, Mike! You’ve made me feel much more excited to get to this one now. I always planned on reading it, but had always heard mixed things but skewing towards not great. Thanks for the great video!

[@szalonyprofesor]

It's my first King's novel. I remember this day as if it was yesterday. The book stood on the shelf with other novelties, it caught my eyes and that was the beginning of a lifelong adventure :) I can't believe it was over twenty years ago!

[@raularaujo6339]

really liked this King book. don't know why it's not talked more often

[@SugarGliderTribe]

Remember reading this years ago, there were several parts that literally made the hairs on my neck and arms stand up.

[@dm6905]

This was one of the most popular King books in the King community for 2 decades. Interestingly enough, people started being negative on it in droves over the last 5 years. Maybe it's just a lot of newer fans?

[@simonpert2485]

Great video and one of my favourite books, might be time for a reread.

[@bjlowe85]

Great review Mike. This is one I still need to read will get to it soon now after this review.

[@patriciamorrison7671]

Bag of Bones is one of my favorite King books. Been a fan forever (I’m 75 years young) and I reread this book every couple of years. I enjoy it every time!

[@Br00klynsm0M20]

Reading books that captures some of my same traumas makes me feel scene. When you said it’s like therapy , I knew exactly what you meant. I read a lot of books that have alot of intense violence and mother daughter hate relationships.

[@VMSelvaggio]

Just picked this book up! Thank you Mike, for putting up this review, I like to trust your judgment on Stephen King, as a huge fan just like me. Really looking forward to diving into this book. Just found this book on a list of top 15 of someone else's Stephen King list.

[@joemacdonald7879]

Nice book shelf. I have a few hundred Stephen King some Clive Barker, Anne Rice,Peter Straub, Dean R. KOONTZ. All HC firsts. Some Autograghed.

[@akellerhouse83]

Steven King has a wild imagination and he's not afraid to put the craziest stuff in his books. I haven't read this book yet. My next King book will be Insomnia. I just finished rereading Dark Tower back in January, so it's about time for the next one.

[@danfarrik]

I had the exact same experience. I am of age with you and bought it when it came out. I thought it was okay but not very good. Now I reread the book when I was maybe 41 and definitely appreciated it more.

[@kylerieman221]

I haven't read this one since high school, but I remember enjoying it quite a bit.

[@TheDisturbedguy1989]

I bought this book and I'm reading Mr. Mercedes 1st. I'll pick this up for a read shortly.

[@TheDisturbedguy1989]

The only criticism I have is we didn't format it like into the multiverse. I love the quotes you put at the beginning for those books.

[@lesliepowell-mccarty7067]

I really enjoyed Bag of Bones. Heck, I even liked the adaptation with Pierce Brosnan as Mike. 😎

[@nsartin23]

Yeeeees! Finally some king content!

[@francissookraj3202]

Hi Mike good review on Bag of Bones, my wife bought a signed copy back in 1998 when Stephen King came to London to promote it. We went to see him at the Royal Festival Hall where he did his talk about writing, books. He was very entertaining and funny, and it was one of the best nights of my life to see my idol. I liked Bag of Bones, it dealt with grief, losing a wife very well, and the ghost that was haunting his cabin by the lake while he try to get over his writer's block. Yes, I too, saw the mini seris on youtube, it was pretty poor. Perhaps Blumhouse should make a big budget verstion of it.

[@MickGarrisRules]

While I personally really liked the mini-series, I wouldn't mind seeing a remake sometime in the future, possibly with a more gothic aesthetic. 🤔

[@samofWinterfell]

He referenced George stark on the sellers list

[@toddJM1015]

25 years you WHAT!?!?! I remember this being the first King book I got upon release in Jr High. It ain't right lol.

[@paulcain548]

Alcoholism? That’s easy for you to say. What’s in the coffee mug, Mike?😂😂😂👍🏻

[@jackkilman8726]

This is definitely a top ten King book for me. I love the characters and the classic ghost story vibe, but mostly I love the way it's almost a modern retelling of the very first Gothic horror novel, 1764s The Castle of Otranto by Horace Walpole. BOB is definitely King's love letter to Gothic horror. It also helps to be familiar with Daphne du Maurier's "Rebecca," which is often considered the greatest "modern" Gothic novel and is quoted many times in BOB.

[@mikesbookreviews]

It is highly underrated

[@amy_harboredinpages8272]

It almost seems blasphemous to admit as a child of Maine to say I am not a huge fan of Mr. King... 😮 That being confessed, I am always impressed by his success.

[@isaac_owens9110]

Bag of Bones was my very first Stephen King book and I actually cried so yeah it was a great intro

[@Nunya_Bidness_53]

I liked it and I thought bit all tied together well...the Maddie stuff is the "life goes on part" and the haunted stuff plays out nicely.

[@MickGarrisRules]

I'm afraid I must respectfully disagree about the A&E miniseries. Despite some of the changes it made, I personally thought it was a really great adaptation of the book. Pierce Brosnan was excellent as Mike Noonan even though he's way older than described in the novel. Still, great review as always Mike, keep it up.

[@brianrogers4344]

So interesting how subjective reading can be - how books can impact us differently based on where we are in life.

[@asfaloth12]

The intro really hit me where it hurts. I read this book way back in my late teens or early 20s. It’s amazing the way time flies. I recall enjoying it quite a bit (despite some very sad and disturbing things, which is pretty much typically for Stephen King to be fair). Definitely remember that it was creepy as hell. It’s funny…at that time, I was adamant about never getting married or having children, and now how things have changed! I really want to re-read this and see how my I feel about now that I am married with a child. Sorry to hear the miniseries is so bad! I will be sure to skip it. Thanks for sharing!

[@claytonhomer3096]

I remember picking this up when it came out, when I was in high school, and I remember liking not loving it. For me it was probably swayed a little because The Green Mile was very fresh and I kept rereading those books cause I loved them so much. All I remembered was he was widower-ed and ghost stuff and being a little slow. I am curious to give it a reread being older now I think I might appreciate it more. Final note I am one of those that remembered loving Desperation and I enjoyed it more on my reread last year than you did for sure. We both had same opinion on the disaster that is Regulators, hated it both times.

[@alynam82]

I can't believe I haven't read this one. I always considered myself a constant reader since before high school, but there's still the few King reads I've yet get to. But thanks for this review, I may choose this for my MAYhem (horror in May) selection

[@Jukebook_juliet]

I love bag of bones 👍🏼

[@Struggler12349]

Max Devory has to be one of the vilest villain in literature, motherfucker makes Dolores Umbridge seem kind in comparison

[@NamasteBbooktube]

My only issue with this book was that it's too slow. It took 100 pages before the protagonist went to the haunted place. That could have happened after 50/60 pages I think. I think King always captures grief, loss, melancholy exceptionally well, and they are captured well here too. I didn't have any issue with there being a generation gap between the romantic partners, as you said, such things are common in real life, and literature only reflects that. I also didn't mind the custody battle stuff involving the little girl, because children are thematically important in the main haunted house storyline as well. There's another multiverse connection, it's mentioned that the author from The Dark Half committed suicide (which I didn't like). I completely missed the Insomnia connection though 😮 or maybe I just forgot about it. Great review

[@oberstul1941]

Going off post here but kinda still tangential - when Mike said he's hoping he'd go first I remembered a local celebrity who once widowed stated that "my wife loved me so much that he always said he wanted me to die first, so I won't have to live without her". Dark, I know. And maybe somewhat assuming, but in that case, it was right on the money. And another point, speaking of the part in this novel when a certain someone ask a certain another one if one's person c^nt does suck - not being a native English speaker I've gone into some debates about the correct way to translate that phrase: was it reffering to the suction action? Or to the slang term to suck as in being bad at? Cheers!

[@greggchambers9716]

No, it's not mechanical suction action. It's poor quality. And the way it's asked, it's very derogatory and unkind.

[@TheJesseGladSaget]

I thought Bag of Bones was pretty dope as well. As is so often the case with SK, the ending was kind of weak, but overall it's very entertaining. Definitely not bottom 1/3. I'd probably have it in my top-35 as far as his novels go. Definitely not as good as Insomnia tho. Especially if you've read the entire DT series. That elevates Insomnia tremendously

[@donovanchilton5817]

Stand and Deliver is a damn good movie.

[@michaelgreeley197]

I just finished the book. I see they made a miniseries with Pierce Bronson on A&E. Of course, Pierce Bronson was wrong for the role. He was too old too. I pictured John Cusack as Michael Noonan.

[@jubakala]

Bag of Bones is one of my favourite King novel :)

[@briteskin]

I preferred the 2nd half of the book to the 1st half. The grief and it's reveals play in to the latter part of the book but it was overly detailed and could have been edited down quite a bit. I just finished my reread today and I think picked the wrong time for a reread. I had forgotten how much this book is a mystery. I just read Peter Straub 'Mystery' and it had some similarities though no supernatural elements. Also in the end I can't stop making comparisons to the author the protagonist is compared to. Noonan as our narrator was hard to get that out of my head because that author wrote gothic books filled with family matters and inappropriate relationships. From what I remember their books didn't have supernatural stuff. So this kind of came off as a tribute to that author to me. I am not mentioning the author because don't want to cloud anyone's mind if they read this. All in all think I liked the reread better than my original read but like Lisey's Story they wallow a bit to much in their grief that detracts from my enjoyment.

[@erickmarrero4848]

Lol I’m still a huge fan of the stand though lol

[@billshears6062]

Hey Mike! I’m the guy who was obsessing over the Sam-eavesdropping-scene in LOTR. My OCD has gotten a LOT better since then. Idk why I feel the need to write an update but there it is lol.

[@arthur8013]

Congratulations, happy for you! I don't have OCD but I do have my own struggles which are getting better as well. May we both continue to live a better life!

[@marie-helenemartel7147]

I really like Bag of Bones, it felt different.

[@angelaholmes8888]

Wow I'm first I absolutely enjoyed bag of bones the book it's so underrated definitely worth a read ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[@aymane74]

The thing that made me not enjoy the book that much is that i had big expectations from it , i thought it was going to be really scary but in the end its not.. but nevertheless i really enjoyed the book its not what i was expecting but it was a fun read anyways.

[@timmeyer9191]

Hope you're feeling better now and not like a... bag of bones?

[@daveedmunds1109]

Definitely out on Desperation. Almost made me stop watching you that review. Then I realised we're all entitled to an opinion. Even if it's the wrong opinion 😉

[@stacyb7623]

I thought the last 100 pages were very very intense, if you think the dating between a 20 yo with a 40 yo widow is bad then this is not a book for you

[@Spirosbotos]

I’m gonna read this I just know it’s gonna depress me, I will always recommend IT to somebody trying to get into king though

[@PenntuckytheCrag]

Did this book end with a huge forest fire ??

[@MoonLightAmethyst_]

❤❤❤Rose Madder

[@angelaholmes8888]

I didn't enjoy the bag of bones adaptation I watched it a few years before reading the book 😬

[@danecobain]

This has probably been my least favourite Stephen King book to date, but I understand why other people like it

[@vivianworden]

Yeah. The age gap was a bit cringe. I don't see why SK couldn't have made the character a little older (25-30). Mike's a 40 year old famous author and she's from a small town a few years out of high school. If I was her mother the only benefit I see is his money. 😊

[@sricharancheeti509]

1st view

[@joenickell6323]

King has many lackluster novels. This is one of them