The Lovely Bones

Alice Sebold

12/13/2002

Susie Salmon was 14-year-old in 1973, she was kidnapped by a neighbor, raped, and murdered. Now she watches her family tells their story from heaven. She watches the search, the discovery of a part of her body, and the realization that she will not return.

Her parents don't want to accept her possible death, especially her father. Her younger sister lives with the stigma of being "the murdered girl's sister." Her younger brother is to young to understand much of the death other than that Susie is not coming back. The neighbor goes on his daily life as if nothing has happened involving him.

Susie narrates this story from her heavenly viewpoint. She describes her version of heaven. She watches as her family deals with the explained loss. Her father gets sadder. Her mother becomes more self absorbed. Lindsey tries to separate herself from her sister and family and find someone to be close to.

This is a best seller right now - one of those short term wonders, in my opinion. I like the narrative tone Susie uses. It is fairly calm and straightforward, not whiny or self pitying like I expected. But the book roams from point to point. I read this with a book club. We decided it has a "hook" that will suit every reader. It deals with numerous women's issues and family issues. Yet it never focuses on any one. And the author blows the end. She chooses a very strange scenario for Susie and leaves the family with unbelievable unresolution. The neighbor is often described but his mind and/or soul are hard to believe. I enjoyed the justice he received although others in my club felt it was too contrived.

This book has more reviews and excerpts at .

Notice: Violence and sexual situations