The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold (9780330485388)

My name was Salmon, like the fish; first name, Susie. I was fourteen when I was murdered on December 6, 1973. My murderer was a man from our neighborhood. My mother liked his border flowers, and my father talked to him once about fertilizer. This is Susie Salmon. Watching from heaven, Susie sees her happy, suburban family devastated by her death, isolated even from one another as they each try to cope with their terrible loss alone. Over the years, her friends and siblings grow up, fall in love, do all the things she never had the chance to do herself. But life is not quite finished with Susie yet ... The Lovely Bones is a luminous and astonishing novel about life and death, forgiveness and vengeance, memory and forgetting - but, above all, about finding light in the darkest of places. 'Spare, beautiful and brutal prose ... The Lovely Bones is compulsive enough to read in a single sitting, brilliantly intelligent, elegantly constructed and ultimately intriguing.' - The Times . 'Moving and compelling ...It will put an imperceptible but stealthily insistent hold on you. I sat down in the morning to read the first couple of pages; five hours later, I was still there, book in hand, transfixed.' - Maggie O'Farrell, Sunday Telegraph .

Top reviews

Bookseller review

The most moving book I have ever read

Following the murder of Susie Salmon, we watch her family cope with their grief and loss. However this is no ordinary crime novel, we follow Susie's family over the years through her eyes as she views them from her heaven. The novel draws you into the characters' world and you feel yourself become part of the family and so feeling their loss and frustration as the murderer evades capture. I found this book to be very atmospheric and emotional.

Review by of the Warrington Borders on 2009-01-27 18:51:12
Bookseller review

A true modern classic

Quite simply the most beautiful book I have ever read. The only title I would honestly call a modern classic. Everyone should read this.

Review by Kevin U of the Inverness Borders on 2009-02-02 18:32:07
Prospective

A very tragic, bittersweet story about when to hold on and when its necessary to let go. The plot in this story, although have been heard before, was recreated with fine twists and the tale whispers of hope that seem once was taken. The Author lures you in with every sentence written; every line until that last page is turned. I recommend this book to anyone who has experienced such heartache as this, who are still looking for hope and meaning.

Review by Varel Mars on 20:54, 08 Jan 2009

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astounding

Susie Salmon is like any other fourteen year old girl until one day she decides to take an alternate road home from school. What happens to her is too hard to repeat in words but almost brilliant in the way its told. This story is told from her perspective, how she views the things that are occuring without her from her personal heaven. She watches as her family slowly falls apart and the man that had commited her murder getting away with it time and time again. Will justice never find its way or should she just believe that everything will work itself out without her, like it always have? She struggles with the desire to take revenge and another to just let go. The emotion and tone of this book is very strong like the narator, Susie. The plot in this story, although have been heard before, was recreated with fine twists and the tale whispers of hope was once taken from. The Author lures you in with every sentence written; every line until that last page is turned. I recommend this book to anyone who has experienced such heartache as this, who are still looking for hope and meaning.

Review by Varel Mars on 00:50, 11 Jan 2009

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wonderful book

On reading the back of the book i wasn't sure how much i would enjoy it, the content seemed like a heavy and sentimental read! However several of my few friends had thouroughy recommended it. And boy were they right this is a beautifully written book that takes you on an emotional rollercoaster sometimes upsetting and on other occasions happy and funny.
The story is narrated by teenager Susie Salmon, who is dead after being brutally raped and murdered. This turns her family upside down and she watches over her family and friends, as well as the killer and detective in charge of her case and sees the effect of her death on their grief, life and relationships.
A wonderful book that is beautifully written and well worth a read.

Review by irene allan on 08:52, 24 Jul 2009

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