Bones of the Moon

by Jonathan Carroll

Book Overview

Cullen James is a young woman whose life dictates her dreams-and whose dreams control her life.

In her first dream, she found the perfect man-and the same thing promptly happened in life. Now, she has begun to dream dreams set in Rondua, a fantasy world of high adventure, full of tests of her courage and strength. Slowly and quietly, her dream world is spilling over into her New York City reality and beginning to threaten everything she...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0312873123
• ISBN13: 9780312873127
• Release Date: May 2002
• Publisher: St. Martins Press-3PL
• Length: 224 Pages
• Weight: 0.30 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.5" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

If You Planted John Updike in Wonderland...

Bones of the Moon is a down-the-rabbit-hole sort of fantasy, one that begins in a wholly real Manhattan and ends up traveling through Rondua, a land strange and whimsical enough to rival Poictesme or the Dreamlands or Neverland. The intrusion of the strange in this novel is gradual, the kind of slow seepage one finds in Shirley Jackson or Robert Aickman, and readers will find themselves believing in the thoroughly real world of the protagonists as easily as they will the adventures set in the land of Rondua. It's difficult to talk in detail about the characters and the plot without giving the entire story away, but suffice it to say that everything in the book, however fantastic, develops from a major turning point in the life of Cullen James, Bones' protagonist. This short novel will appeal to readers who like both thoughtful fantasy and domestic tales. A great part of the story is concerned with the relationship between Cullen and her husband Danny, and the minutiae of their lives, albeit subtly influenced by the fantastic. Carroll, an American-born author residing in Vienna, has won notable literary awards in the U.S., Britain, France, and elsewhere. His skills are on fine display here, from his eerily apt descriptions of imaginary geographies to his nuanced descriptions of Cullen James' reactions to the events that overwhelm her life.

Fantastic!

This was my first exposure to Jonathon Carroll, and I must say that I'm impressed. I picked up the book because I'd heard or seen it mentioned in the same context as Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere and Lisa Goldstein's Dark Cities Underground. I loved both of those books and hoped to find similarities here. I wasn't dissapointed. Bones of the Moon managed to be funny, sad and scary, all in a little over 200 pages. It was a quick read, perfect for a weekend escape. I found myself really liking the main character despite her flaws. The land of Rondua, her dreamworld, was charming and remarkably well imagined. John Carroll has written quite a few books, and I imagine they will become one of my staples over the next few months.

Early masterpiece by a fantastic author

Jonathan Carroll is one of my favorite authors, and I spent years trying to track this down. I finally got a copy and it was worth all of the time and energy and waiting.This book is one of Carroll's earliest, and introduces a number of memorable characters: Cullen James, the main character, and Weber Gregston, who appears in some of Carroll's later books.This book tells the story of Cullen's vivid dream life, but more importantly it makes some keen observations on courage, love, and friendship. The real pleasure of reading Jonathan Carroll is in finding all of the little nuggets he includes--a vivid description of a street scene, or a sensation, or a new way of looking at something.Take the plunge & give this book a shot. You won't be sorry.

This book will teach you how to dream!!

A wonderful & fascinating friend recommended this book simply by saying "It will teach you how to dream!" By a stroke of luck I found it in a second hand book shop, immediately went to a cafe and began reading. 4 hours, and 4 cups of coffee later I emerged from a state of intense emotional and fantastical submersion. I felt like I had just been on an awsome adventure through a Salvador Dali painting and did not want the story to end. That night I had the most incredible, colorful and vivid dreams which I remembered with pure clarity. "Bones" has made my dreams make sense even though they make no sense. I finished the book the next day. I cried, I laughed, I was horrified. I was satisfied! Thankyou my dear friend Mark for you recommendation and thankyou Jonathan Carroll. I look forward to when we next meet....in my dreams!!

A thrilling dissolution of the line between fantasy/reality.

This is truly an incredible book. Have you ever wondered if what you dreamed was real in some other world? Can you imagine the thrilling possibilities -- and the danger? If you are fascinated by the dissolution of the line between fantasy and reality, this book is a must-read. Cullen James' wonderful-yet-ordinary life takes a turn for the strange when she starts having dreams about a fantastic land called Rondua and a young boy named Pepsi. As the dreams become more vivid and commanding, Cullen learns that Pepsi is the child she aborted years ago. From that point on, the dreams weave themselves tighter and tighter into Cullen's waking life, until the two cannot be separated and survival in "reality" absolutely depends on success in Rondua. Jonathan Carroll takes your weirdest mental flights of fancy and makes them real. Anything can happen, and nowhere is "safe".