Alice Sebold's "The Lovely Bones" is a book that is both well conceived and well written. I don't know how some of the reviewers can berate it for not holding the reader's attention. What does it take for them? I thought it was quite riveting. And I liked the way Alice Sebold presented the entire book within the framework of a fantasy, beginning in heaven. It reminds me of another book I have read, and by the way recommend you read also, by Norman Thomas Remick that is presented within the framework of a fantasy looking down from heaven titled "West Point..". Both that book and Alice Sebold's "The Lovely Bones" will be enjoyable to anyone who enjoys "heavenly" presentations such as "It's A Wonderful Life", "A Christmas Carol", etc. Believe the five star reviewers of this book. It really is quite wonderful.

Less than 2 years ago, our 13-year-old son Daniel died - very unexpectedly, of a massive asthma attack while on a school retreat. I purchased "The Lovely Bones", knowing the book's premise, for our 17-year old daughter to read. Not sure if the content of the book would be too close to our actual experience for Julia to handle, I decided to read it first (this is the first time I have done any pre-reading, as Julia is perfectly able to decide on her own whether or not to read a book, but still. . . ). I was very surprised to find myself riveted to the book, and unable to stop reading it until finished. While I, like many earlier reviewers, found the end a little too contrived, I certainly feel that the book's strengths far outweigh its weaknesses.
About 6 months after Daniel's death, I had a dream that portrayed a visit by my husband, daughter, and myself to Daniel in what was clearly "his heaven" - also containing a school in a residential neighborhood, a "foster family" which apparently served as his "home away from home", and - most positively - a large number of new friends. This was the best aspect of his Heaven, as far as I was concerned, as Daniel had been troubled for his entire life by an inability to make many friends, and here he was almost too busy to visit with his family because of wanting to get on with his activities with his buddies!
I have often offered the circumstances of Daniel's death - fast and probably painless (as a friend remarked, "Daniel doesn't know he's dead yet"), and that he was able to donate many of his organs - as probable explanations to those who find me so "upbeat" since he died. I contrast this situation with other, well-publicized child kidnappings, murders, and (worst, in my opinion) those events which are never resolved.
Nonetheless - some aspects of the narrative hit home, and I found myself tearing up more over this fictional account than our own all-too-real loss! I was forced to wonder what would Daniel think if he is able to follow our lives, as Susie followed those of her family and friends. Does he still pine for the girl he had a crush on? Is he sorry that he can't see the sequal to his beloved MIB movie? Is he able to eat his fill of cheese pizzas, now that he doesn't have to take at least one bite of his mother's sometimes too-exotic vegetarian experiments? Does he find it annoying that, after years of refusing to allow pets, we now have 3 crazy cats, as a result of Julia "needing" them? Is he bemused by the grief-stricken responses to his death by those same classmates he had sought as friends for so many years?
I am awaiting Julia's response to the book. In particular, I want to know how "genuine" the characterizations of Susie and Lindsay appear to her. I will suggest that she submit a review herself, so we will all know the answer.

The booklap promises a novel that is "luminous and astonishing." Guess what? That's not hyperbole. It IS.

By now, you must know that, at the outset, we meet Susie Salmon, a 14-year-old girl who -- on a cold, snowy December late afternoon -- is raped and murdered by a neighbor in a corn field on her way home from eighth grade. She goes to heaven. And from heaven -- which is Susie's own personal heaven -- she watches life on Earth unfold for her family and friends -- and murderer.

Initally, that did not sound like a story I wanted to read. Too dark, possibly too sentimental for this middle-aged, male reader. Plus, I thought, we know who did it right at the top, so how interesting could this story be? Regardless, I bought the book because (1) of the unanimously strong reviews I had read, and (2) I was delayed at an airport and was desperate for a book to read.

Well, surprise. From the first page, I couldn't put the book down. An absolute page-turner. It's a winning mixture of true crime, coming-of-age story, fantasy, family drama and ghost story. And, for me, it was spiritually provocative, giving me pause regarding my notions of life, death and afterlife.

And all exquisitely told by Sebold. One reviewer called this a "miraculous" book. I agree. Another reviewer advised that, "if you read only one book this summer, this is the one to read." I agree heartily with that, too. Buy it, read it, savor every word.

I LOVED this book! Unlike the previous reviewer, I didn't really pay attention to the pre-release publicity so I had no expectations going in. I thought this was one of the most cleverly written books I'd read in a very long time. I loved the narrator's perspective of her family and friends and the all-too-human characters, but I was truly blown away by Sebold's ability to convey the essence of a 14 year old girl. It was perfectly imperfect - at times whining, at others introspective, occasionally self-centered. The story is at once horrific and sad and humorous and tense; Susie's perspective of her parents' marriage, her sister's relationships and her own killer made me feel like I truly knew these people as she had. The fact that she is forever 14, physically and emotionally is emphasized so subtly by her voyer's view of those she left behind. The Lovely Bones is a winner.

Susie Salmon, a 14 year old victim of a serial killer narrates her tale from heaven in one of the most imaginative tales I ever read. She spends much of her time exploring the nature of heaven, though paradoxically, her true idea of heaven is just to be alive with her family and be able to grow up.

The dead girl is constantly trying to communicate with her family and friends and to monitor their progress through life. She also wants to lead them to her killer. Interestingly, only those who are outsiders in life are able to understand Susie's missives, which is perhaps not surprising, since Susie herself is the ultimate outsider.

To me, the most poignant chapter in the book describes a meeting of all the little girls currently in heaven who were murdered by this man, trying to heal themselves and each other. Ultimately they succeed, and the book ends Susie's invective to those on earth: "I wish you a long and happy life."