58 pages • 1 hour read
David MitchellThe Bone Clocks
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2014A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Before You Read
Super Short Summary
The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell spans nearly six decades and follows Holly Sykes, a young woman from Kent, England, as she becomes entangled in a clandestine conflict between two factions of immortal beings called the Horologists and the Anchorites. Through multiple narrators, the novel explores themes of individual actions in history, morality, and the role of literature in preserving memory. This story includes portrayals of racist and anti-gay behavior, offensive actions against unhoused and elderly individuals, and depictions of addiction, suicide, mental illness stereotypes, and a sexual relationship between an adult and a minor.
Reviews & Readership
Review Roundup
The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell showcases his masterful storytelling, weaving complex narratives across decades. Reviewers praise its rich character development and intricate world-building. However, some find the plot meandering and the blending of genres disjointed. Overall, it’s hailed as an ambitious, imaginative work that challenges and rewards its readers.
Who Should Read The Bone Clocks?
The ideal reader for David Mitchell's The Bone Clocks appreciates intricate narratives and genre-blending fiction. Fans of Haruki Murakami's surrealist tales in 1Q84 and the interconnected stories in Mitchell's own Cloud Atlas will enjoy the rich, multi-layered plot and the exploration of metaphysical themes.
RecommendedReading Age
18+yearsLexile Level
880L