The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of The Lovely Bones
Book Review: Gravity and unearthly thoughtful
Summary: 5 Stars
I cracked the cover and could not put it down- except to cry. The writing is superior, the thinking is very powerful! As a sibling of a recently murdered brother, I was overwhelmed by the raw grief that this author so well-depicts in this family - how there is no experience to draw on in order to communicate and express with other family members. Sebold's story brings us inside a family struggling to process a horrific tragedy from an uexpected point of view - that of the dead victom- a fourteen yr old girl who is very much alive in the two worlds that she straddles. This "living" of the victom is very healing for those of us faced with such a tragedy. For those who thought this book was sad, I felt it lifted 50lbs off my chest.
I was comforted and captivated to float with the murdered girl through her processing of her own tragedy and loss - eventually able to shift her "weight" from worldly watching, hopes and dreams to exploring an interesting new heaven. Even if conjecture on the author's part, the vivid portrayal was believable and I like to think my brother has this ability and is coping far better than his family.
Best about this book is Sebolds' exquisite writing. She masterfully takes us on a linear journey that moves us about in unpredictably new ways - just as a ghost should be able to move about. She also does not spare us the gravity of a gruesome murder... because it is what happens... and because it's this very horribleness and it's disturbing latent details that makes up the course texture of not being able to grieve "properly" in the family.
I'd love to thank the author for this new perspective. It is difficult to shake the details of a violent death, but I did so with ease in this book. As I think of my brother everyday, I can and am much happier to imagine him "living" in his new world with the same enthusiasm and curiosity that he had in his earthly life. We can project this perspective for all of our loved ones who have ever left us. This booked has forever moved me.
Book Review: Haunting
Summary: 5 Stars
I have recommended this book to many friends and teens. I recieved my first copy from my sons girlfriend.I liked the book so much that I loaned it to my daughter, but, before she had a chance to read it, her friends had asked if they could borrow it and so it started its journey into the unknown. I bought the book again so I could let other friends read it and now have purchased it again so my daughter can finally read it. Everyone that I have given the book to then gives it to someone else to read. I do not want to give anything away about the book but it is being told by a spirit and one can only wonder. Absolutly gripping.Book Review: Haunting
Summary: 4 Stars
This is the story of a terrible tragedy. Susie is raped and murdered by Mr. Harvey. She tells this story from heaven, and through following the implosion and reconstruction of her own family, she finally finds her own peace.
Most of the loose ends are tied very neatly in this book, though justice is never really dealt. There are some very spooky supernatural type scenes; anyone who is strictly judeo-christian may be slightly offended by some of the ideas here.
But for the most part, it is a story that will simply strike at your heart and break it. For it can't have a happy ending. Susie is dead, and there's no fixing that.
(*)>
Book Review: Haunting and Believable
Summary: 5 Stars
The premise of "The Lovely Bones" is that a Susie, a young 15-year-old girl (or is she 14...?) is brutally raped murdered in a field near her house. The book is narrated by this girl, who, after her death, looks down from heaven on her family and lovingly but sadly watches them change and grow and attempt to heal the hole she has left behind.
As with any piece of fiction involving supernatural elements, it is necessary to suspend any disbelief you may have regarding the plot in order to enjoy this beautiful and intricate piece of literature. It is hard to believe that a book which begins its first chapter with brutal violence can be so well-written, but it is! Although the rape/murder jars you when the book begins, if you continue to read, you will find yourself coming to grips with the painful truth along with the rest of Susie's family, as well as healing from its harsh reality.
Throughout the book, Alice Sebold's raw, honest, and haunting style of writing captures you from the first page, drawing you into an entirely believable American suburb and into Susie's personal version of heaven.
I loved being able to watch Susie's family change after her death, as well as experiencing her frustration at loving them but continuing on apart from them (something which Sebold writes particularly well).
This is a stunning first novel, and one that bears many resemblances to Sebold's memoir "Lucky", which details her personal experience with rape and its aftermath (and which I also highly recommend!!)
Book Review: Haunting, and wondefully written
Summary: 4 Stars
When I first hear of the Lovely Bones then, the plot (young girl narrates her life and murder from heaven) seemed to just too hokey for me. But, after it was recommended to me a half dozen times, I decided to give it a go. I am really glad I did. Seabold walks a fine line between cheesy and brilliant here. Dead child narrators are not an easy trick, and at times the book is a little maudlin and contrived. But, the scene where the child narrates her own murder gave me chills. Definitely worth a look.