The Lovely Bones

This is a beautiful, thought provoking story. The first few pages depict a young girl's brutal rape and murder, so this can be overwhelming for some readers. As a mother, I found it hard to read, but the character stays "alive" since the story is told from her perspective in heaven. It actually turns out to be very reassuring because she is still able to see and influence her loved ones. The best part of this book for me was the author's imagined heaven, which made for an interesting conversation starter. Great book club choice.

I'm kind of torn becuase I hate rating books below a 4. But this book wasn't as good as I was anticipating given how popular it is. I was sucked in at first but that wore off by the time I got to page 40. I almost quite reading becuase it was hard for me to have straight writing and no dialogue between characters. There were so many times and chapters in this book when it was just Susie watching earth and recalling past memories. And there were parts where I was totally into the story and then it would switch to being boring again. I thought the author's writing style was good and she is a good writer. I just didn't love the book. It could have been a little bit more engaging.

After I finished "Lovely Bones" I recommended it to everyone I knew. The story is so unique - horribly horribly tragic in one sense, yet completely uplifting on a whole other level. I absolutely loved this book. I cannot fathom losing a child, but Ms. Sebold's depiction of heaven puts forth an idea of comfort to a grieving family that is palpable and real.

"The Lovely Bones" is a creative, complex book deftly handled by Alice Sebold. Already a Sebold fan from her memoir "Lucky" she didn't disappoint me with Susie's story. It examines the impact a rape and murder of a young girl has on her family as the years go on after this horrible event. It's not pretty. It sends each member into a long, horrible tailspin. Will any of them recover? Is this time on earth all we have? Does love transcend death? Susie Salmon (like the fish) is an intriguing, multi-dimensional look at life, death and what goes on beyond the two. The first person account makes the story even more personal and intimate. The re-release of the book ties in with next month's movie directed by Peter Jackson (Rings Trilogy). If you have enjoyed Lisa See's bookPeony in Love: A Novel this one is a must read.

The Lovely Bones starts out like an emotional freight train, then mellows as it progresses, and ends on a relatively nice note. As a parent of young kids, I had a hard time with the first few chapters; Not because of their graphic nature, but rather being forced to imagine what it would be like to lose a child. In fact, this whole book is difficult from that perspective. There is a certain beauty and melancholy as the survivors slowly accept their loss and move on with their lives; and it is nicely balanced with the place in their hearts this young murdered girl will always hold.

There are a number of reviews that are critical of how Susie's mother handled her death, or how unrealistic several elements of the story are. Reading between the lines, those reviewers seemed more upset the story didn't go the way they wanted it to. This is a book that you need to just go with; and when you do, you become immersed in the characters. Some have commented that Susie's intimate experience late in the novel felt forced or out of context. You have to be kidding; The author spent the better part of the book setting it up. I saw it coming a mile away.

I would have liked a stronger revenge angle, but only because I despised the murderer and wanted to see him suffer; but it really wouldn't have fit in the context of the plot development.

In summary, The Lovely Bones is a very engaging book. No, it is not one of the great literary works of all time, but in an age of throw-away paperbacks you can't remember a week later, this book has some staying power.