Rule of the Bone by Russell Banks ★

When my friend Chris recommended this book to me he said that he had read it at least six times in his life so far.  Since I'm almost positive I've never read a book that many times I was a little wary.  Even more so when the critical acclaim on the back cover lauded the novel as a modern Catcher in the Rye.  Since I hated that book I thought I would probably hate this one too.  Plus there wasn't a single fairy or castle throughout.  :)  What there was, was a lot of sex, profanity, weed, theft and abuse in the life of a young, teenage dropout named Chappie.  And I loved it.  And I completely understand why Chris has read this book six times.  This book has so much to offer in terms of understanding our society and ourselves that I think any re-reading would give you something completely new to take away.  Chappie is the unlikeliest hero I've ever encountered in fiction, but for me he is a classic example of salvation, love and friendship.

" . . . so this one day I was standing alone dribbling water from a pail onto the plants like I-Man'd showed me and I flipped my head to chase off a mosquito and saw dreadlocks swirling through the air in my shadow.  Then I looked down at my arms and hands which were like coffee-colored and when I saw I didn't look like a regular white kid anymore I put down the bucket and did a little Rasta dance right there in the sunshine.  It's funny how when you change the way you look on the outside . . . you feel different on the inside.  I was learning that it's true what I-Man'd said, if you work at it long enough and are serious you can become a brand-new beggar . . . " (p. 313)

Disclaimer - I wasn't joking about the profanity and drug use etc . . . proceed with caution.