The+Lovely+Bones+Book+Review

The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold

When I started to read the novel The Lovely Bones written by Alice Sebold, first I noticed that the narrator Susie Salmon is already in heaven. Murdered by a neighbor when she was only fourteen years old, Susie tells what it is like to be in her new place. When she first entered heaven she thought that everyone saw what she saw. Later she learned that heaven is whatever you truly want it to be. It sometimes happens that other people's version of heaven is the same like your own. As she looks down from heaven, she tells a story that is full of hope. Sebold's triumph is in making Susie's voice so immediately compelling that I don't want to let her go, even after she's dead. I wanted to know what happens next. In the weeks following her death, Susie watches life on Earth continuing without her; her school friends are rumoring about her disappearance; her family are holding out hope that she'll be found; her killer is trying to cover his tracks. As months pass without leads, Susie sees her parents' marriage very disoriented by her loss, her sister is trying to stay strong, and her little brother is trying to find the meaning of the word gone. Susie explores the place called heaven. It looks a lot like her school playground. There are counselors to help newcomers adjust with a room. Everything she ever wanted appears as soon as she thinks of it, except the thing she most wants: to be back with the people she loved on Earth. With compassion and a growing understanding, Susie sees her family passing through grief. Her father embarks on a risky quest to find her killer. Her sister Lindsay undertakes a feat of remarkable daring. The Lovely Bones has a fascinating plot that is not just about Susie's rape or murder but rather about her family as they cope with losing their daughter and sister. It is about Susie adjusting to her new home. Her father embarks on catching her killer, her mother strays from her family, her sister engrosses herself in sports, studies and her boyfriend, and her little brother Bucky just tries to stay out of the way. A novel is luminous and astonishing. In the hands of a good writer Alice Sebold, this story of the worst thing that family can face is transformed into a thrilling novel about love, memory, joy, heaven, and healing. If I could change one thing, I think I would have ended it differently. The fact that Susie came back to earth for a short time occupying Ruth's body and is able to fulfill her dream to have a final kiss from her boyfriend, Ray Singh, was to much for me.

Dear Student, Thanks for the great book review. You have made some insightful observations and comments and it seems that this book made some impression on you. Good job! It was a pleasure having you in class! See you soon, Prof. Wiseman