Rating: 
Summary: The Lovely Bones
Review: This book is powerful, gripping and opens your eyes to what one could see through the eyes of being dead, suspended away from others, especially loved ones. It was a book that had moments in it that were very tender. It makes one think.
Rating:
Summary: A Wowie
Review: This was a beautiful read. It was much better than I anticipated. This book is emotional and graphic, and it could upset people who have survived sexual assault or rape. However, if the reader is willing to get through the gritty parts of the book, beauty awaits, even in the "life" of this poor narrator.
Rating:
Summary: BELIEVE THE HYPE
Review: Alice Sebold's "The Lovely Bones" is one of the best modern novels of recent years. Simple and beautifully written, the book lives up to all the hype you've been reading, and then some.The premise DOES sound hokey -- brutally murdered 13 year old girl looks down from heaven and comments on the lives of her survivors and murderer. Sophisticated, self-proclaimed "serious" readers will holler "Drivel", and call it the "Jonathan Livingston Seagull" of the millenium. But to dismiss this novel would be to deny yourself the immense pleasure of reading emotionally charged prose that surprises in every chapter. The last time I felt so stirred by fiction was when I first read "David Copperfield" -- it has that much depth of feeling and insight into what we expose ourselves to when we care for other people. You can believe the hype this time, and should confirm for yourself just how good this book is.
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Summary: The Lovely Bones Is Lovely
Review: I didn't write this book so I don't know the author's true intensions, but I think this book is missunderstood. When I read it and finished, I got the impression that it was about the grief process for the living and dead. A refreshing new point of view, not nessacarily a "belief" on how the after life truley is. The book is haunting and makes you think of any love ones you might have lost. Then there's warmth and hope. It made death feel not as final and tragic. I love how Susie lives vicariously through her sisters life. Helping her deal with being an ever-child with such wisdom. The charectors were so well rounded. There were points when you even began to understand the killer. I would love to see this book be interepted into a screen play. It would be interesting to see how they would put it together. This book is comforting like a warm blanket made for you by a grandparent. Alice Sebold's words are like poetry or art "painted" with vivid words. I'd love to see what comes next from her.
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Summary: Peace in both life and death
Review: What a fascinating journey between heaven and earth! The subject matter delivered from a 14-year old raped/murdered/dismembered narrator can be simultaneously disturbing, hopeful and insightful. The author manages to capture the victim's voice as she adjusts to her personal "heaven" while still watching her family, friends and murderer on earth. Will she be able to help her family catch her killer? How will her family heal? Can she reach out from the dead to contact them? How will she learn to "live" in heaven? These questions are answered but seem trivial to the author's chronicle of the journey for peace for both the living and the dead.
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Summary: Give me a break...
Review: this is so not the best book of the summer. The great writing is all that saves an overwise dreary and unbelievable tale. I liked Susie's view of heaven. I did not like the "body-snatching of a former friend so she could sleep with a boy" scene. That completely lost the book for me. It was compelling enough to read, but it is not compelling enough to be the must-read book of the summer!
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Summary: A Unique View of Lives After a Loved One's Death
Review: I usually don't read other people's reviews before writing my own, but I was curious as to other people's reaction and interpretation to "The Lovely Bones". Most people seem to focus on the novel being the story of Suzie Salmon's afterlife in her personal heaven. I saw that as a subplot mainly designed to allow fourteen year old Suzie to serve as the narrator of events before, during, and especially after her rape and murder. To me, the book was not about Suzie's life after death but rather the life of her family, her friends, and even her killer after Suzie's death, and how those lives were changed by Suzie's death. By using Suzie as the narrator, the novel does provide an amazingly unique point of view. Author Alice Sebold provides an extremely original vision of the afterlife and different insights into how the people "left behind" deal with tragedy and grief. Suzie is a very memorable and well-drawn character who is surrounded by characters that are equal to her in their literary worth. All in all, this is a well-written novel. If there is a misstep, it is in the shoddy police work that allows Suzie's killer to escape arrest, but then, this isn't a detective story. "The Lonely Bones" may not be for everyone, but then what novel is. However, it clearly has broad appeal by telling its story and providing it's message, that life is both for living and for the living.
Rating:
Summary: In My Top 3 Best Reads!!!
Review: This is one of the most beautiful, moving books I've read to date. Alice Sebold is an amazingly talented writer with a true gift. The story is not only gripping but it's laid out poetically. I highly recommend it!
Rating:
Summary: ho hum
Review: I was very disappointed - all the hype . . . best seller, good reviews . . . BORING. It worked better than a sleeping pill though, I'll give it that.
Rating: 
Summary: it was...pretty good
Review: There was so much hype surronding this book, and when I read it was expecting it to be one of the best books I've ever read, and I have to say it was pretty good, but not as good as I expected. But what makes me reccomend this to people is the originality, in both the story line and the author. I have never read a book remotely like it and it was very refreshing. And it's also neat how it's set where I live!
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