Book cover of The Bone Clocks

Book description

The dazzling novel from the bestselling author of CLOUD ATLAS.

Longlisted for the Man Booker Prize 2014

Run away, one drowsy summer's afternoon, with Holly Sykes: wayward teenager, broken-hearted rebel and unwitting pawn in a titanic, hidden conflict.

Over six decades, the consequences of a moment's impulse unfold, drawing an…

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

Why read it?

2 authors picked The Bone Clocks as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

It’s difficult to choose a single book by David Mitchell, since everything he writes is painfully poetic, but The Bone Clocks is a favorite. The title is a derogatory term immortals in the story use for humans flawed with mortality because of natural aging. Six unique first-person perspectives; six timelines spanning past, present, and future. If underlining inspiring passages, in awe of their creation, most of the book would need underlining. Nearly every sentence is breathtaking for readers and writers alike. Mitchell is as literary as they get, but this novel dips into science fiction the way his novel Slade…

From Michael's list on immersing readers through poetic prose.

David Mitchell is perhaps more famous for writing the book that inspired the Hollywood film Cloud Atlas. I prefer Bone Clocks though because it is really…creepy. It revolves around a timeless battle between two factions that can achieve immortality by murdering. It got under my skin in a way that made it a page-turner and a book that has always stayed with me. I usually hate horror but this was not gratuitous (though Stephen King did say it was one of the best books of its year of publication!). It was spiritually terrifying if that makes sense… another dose…

From Emma's list on escape from the darn kids.

If you love The Bone Clocks...

Book cover of No, You're Crazy

No, You're Crazy by Jeff Beamish,

When sixteen-year-old Ashlee Sutton's home life falls apart, she is beset by a rare mental illness that makes her believe she's clairvoyant. While most people scoff at her, she begins demonstrating an uncanny knack for sometimes predicting the future, using what could either be pure luck or something more remarkable.…

Want books like The Bone Clocks?

Our community of 12,000+ authors has personally recommended 93 books like The Bone Clocks.

Browse books like The Bone Clocks

Book cover of Kafka on the Shore
Book cover of Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin: An Autobiography and Other Recollections
Book cover of More Than a Woman

Share your top 3 reads of 2025!

And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.

1,340

readers submitted
so far, will you?

📚 If you like The Bone Clocks, you might also like...

Book cover of Forward

Forward by Iulia Dobre-Trifan,

A novel about becoming, healing and courage, which spans over 40 years, interweaving complex characters from different worlds, all gravitating around a common timeless axis: the desire for happiness.

Lia, a tenacious woman who has been working successfully on her own for many years, starts a new project, one that…

Book cover of The Map Colorist

The Map Colorist by Rebecca D'Harlingue,

In 1660, Amsterdam is the map-printing capital of the world. Anneke van Brug is a colorist, paid to enhance the black-and-white maps for the growing number of collectors. Her talent brings her to the attention of the great Joan Blaeu, owner of a prestigious publishing house. Not content to simply…

5 book lists we think you will like!