January 13, 2010 ~ I am so pleased I took up another book recommendation, The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold. I was nervous to read this book thinking it would be too sad for my sensibilities. While it takes you on an emotional journey, the story is one I could easily connect with even though the premise is chilling. Susie Salmon is raped and murdered at age fourteen. You care for Susie and ache with her as she deals with this and watches her family struggle in the wake of her death. In the wave that follows, her dad is pulled under and becomes obsessed with finding her killer, her mom runs from the wave and withdraws from the family, her sister Lindsay swims desperately with the wave - growing up quickly, and little brother treads water - just trying to understand the changes in his family. Susie watches them from her heaven, which is usually a high school, and she even reaches through to her family and friends at times. She sees them grow and change as the "Susie-fest" on Earth diminishes. I have 5 chapters to go...
The Lovely Bones at Amazon.com
January 14, 2010 ~ It is an amazing book. I absolutely loved it. It was nicely paced and beautifully written. I thought it would be more of a murder mystery but instead it is more about the mystery of living with something so difficult - the murder of a loved one, a child. And, in Susie's case, it is they mystery of letting go of life when all she wants to do to do is really, truly live. Susie watches her sister, friend, and would-be boyfriend experience things she knows she never will. There is a surprise near the end that I did not expect at all. 5 of 5 stars.
P.S. (do people post-script on a blog?) I was worried that I wouldn't have satisfaction at the end...I did. Thank you Sharon for the recommendation.
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