Rating: 
Summary: Good Concept, Touching Plot
Review: "The Lovely Bones" has a rather unique concept--telling the story through the eyes of a dead young girl in Heaven. That concept alone made me decide to buy this book, and it was just as effective as I believed it would be. The murder of Susie Salmon, the aftermath on her family and friends, and the hunt for her killer...all of these events are more powerful in this book than they would be in one written from the point of view of a living person. The plot is intriging, with a good mix of characters to keep it exciting, but not too many that you lose the heart of the story. The book expertly unravels the complexities of Susie's family: The father who needs closure, the sister growing up as the "sister of the dead girl", the mother aching to flee, the baby brother trying to comprehend why his sister is gone. This is not a 'great' book, but it is certainly worth reading. It does not drag on; inner plot lines are explored but just to the right degree. Times flies by, and the characters live their lives. Give this one a try--it's a fairly easy read, even if it does make you cry...
Rating: 
Summary: Unforgettable book with no genre
Review: The words from Alice Sebolds' "The Lovely Bones" will be with me for eternity.
She richly blends the lyrics of Susie Salmon's requiem into a story that disturbs, haunts, yet draws you in. I was literally hooked by Susie Salmon's story before I even had my hands on the book. I had read an interview with the author, and thought that the book sounded unique. I then read some of it here at Amazon, and had to buy it.
This book is definitely worth purchasing. Susie is raped and murdered by creepy neighbor, George Harvey. Looking down from Heaven and into the family and friends left behind, she narrates the entire story.
Characters in the book are all drawn out so well. You feel as if you really know them.
This is a story about redemption. It is extremely well told. Sebold has a true talent for originality and prose.
I will never forget this book, and will probably read it again.
I will lend it out to everyone I know that would appreciate this innovative and moving story. My only complaint is that I think some words were too big for a 14 year old to pull off. I often thought: Would this girl really say that? I'm in my 30's and had to use a thesaurus to read this book. Sebold surely has an extensive vocabulary, but she needs to find more teenaged words to use.
I know it was the 1970's. Where teens more sophisticated with their words then? STILL HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!! Eileen Famiglietti
Rating: 
Summary: From a Different Perspective
Review: Six days from today will be the 9th anniversary of my mother's murder. Alice Sebold has shown a special insight on how this event initiates an entirely different "rest-of-your-life senario" for everyone close to the victim, especially the immediate family. Sebold's clean, well-written prose clearly communicates the angst of just such a personal loss. I was particularly moved by the the author's ability to empathize with the characters' pain (implied or indicated) of even considering the victim's fear and pain during the series of events leading to Suzie's death. Susie's acceptance of her family's actions and the needs that prompted them was insightful and, to some who need to believe it, helpful. At a time when certain books, movies, and newscasts still send my family and me unexpectedly reeling, this book was sometimes nostalgic, sometimes intensely painful, sometimes amusing and somehow comforting to my middle-aged soul.
Rating:
Summary: Decent Book
Review: Although this novel began a bit slow, I thoroughly enjoyed the outcome. Not very often does an author place the importance on the grieving family and town rather than the murderer. Once the book began to pick up and the suspicions towards the murdering neighbor increased, I could not put this book down. Overall, I suggest this reading. And if you are impressed, then pick up Wally Lamb's "She's Come Undone" and be prepared to be blown away.
Rating:
Summary: The Lovely Bones
Review: When we first meet Susie Salmon, she is already in heaven. As she looks down from this strange new place, she tells us, in the fresh and spirited voice of a fourteen-year-old girl, a tale that is both haunting and full of hope." "In the weeks following her death, Susie watches life continuing without her - her school friends trading rumors about her disappearance, her family holding out hope that she'll be found, her killer trying to cover his tracks. As months pass without leads, Susie sees her parents' marriage being contorted by loss, her sister hardening herself in an effort to stay strong, and her little brother trying to grasp the meaning of the word "gone."" "And she explores the place called heaven. It looks a lot like her school playground, with the good kind of swing sets. There are counselors to help newcomers adjust and friends to room with. Everything she ever wanted appears as soon as she thinks of it except the thing she wants most: to be back with the people she loved on Earth." "With compassion, longing, and a growing understanding, Susie sees her loved ones pass through grief and begin to mend. Her father embarks on a risky quest to ensnare her killer. Her sister undertakes a feat of remarkable daring. And the boy Susie cared for moves on, only to find himself at the center of a miraculous event.
Rating:
Summary: Great reading!
Review: I enjoyed this book very much. If you ever have lost a loved one in your family you can relate to anyone in the book about coming to terms with someone's death. I thought the narration from above was great watching each one in her family deal with death and get on with life. This is a great book to read. Don't pay attention to those other reviews that want you to get deeper. Just read it and enjoy!
Rating:
Summary: Understated Beauty
Review: This is the first book I've read in a long time that actually lived up to the hype and accolades being given to it. Sebold writes with simple grace and painful accuracy. With her no-nonsense prose, she reflects the fragility of life and the horror that one random incident can bring.
Don't even wait for paperback. This book is worth treating yourself to in hardcover.
Rating:
Summary: WHOA!
Review: I bought this book after it being placed on the independent booksellers bestseller list. I believe this story isn't about the who done it, why did he do it, ok, lets get this... child molesting murderer (we all get plenty of that in the news these days). This book is way beyond that (literally). The novel is about moving forward after tradegy: about suffering, healing, and forgiving. I've been reccomending the book to everyone. I've described it as bittersweet- you have to get through the bad stuff that happens to the main character, Susie Salmon in order to get to lots of the good, no,... great stuff. Sure there is a little fantasy involved,but don't we all need that a little? (especially in a world and era where one's life is often taken for granted by strangers). The story poses a thought about life after death and how we as living survivors muddle through until life becomes a place where we want to live again. I praise Seabold for treading lightly on such a tragic event that happens to Susie Salmon. Seabold states what happens and moves on...as does her characters. I cried both due to the sadness of it all as well as the happiness. I feel like I now have a manual in which I will use to help me move on after tradegy strikes in my own life. The book is now resting quietly on my dresser where all my favorite things are. After I reread it, it is going to be placed in a very special section on my bookshelf. Oh, and praise for the great cover as well. I now will be following Seabold's works the rest of my life.
Rating:
Summary: Amazing!
Review: This book was absolutely amazing. The narration of little Susie from heaven made the book so much more believable. The story was one that any reader could relate to: a family looses a loved one violently and they are trying their best to cope. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I would recommend it to anyone.
Rating:
Summary: a gorgeous book
Review: I read the first two chapters of this book while waiting in line at the DMV. I was actually frustrated when they called me and I had to put it down. How often does THAT happen? Alice Sebold is an enormously talented writer. Her characters are alive, the story is great, and her words are beautiful. I think the reviewers who thought it should have focused on finding the killer and were disappointed that he didn't receive justice, were looking for a different kind of book. This was never meant to be a mystery or a thriller, but a look at how one event shaped the lives of the people affected by it. There was one section, toward the end, that I wasn't thrilled with, but it didn't ruin the book for me. I just thought it might have been better without it.
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