Book Review: The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold

When I saw the trailer for the upcoming film, I figured that I must've missed the hype about The Lovely Bones, much as I did Lolita or The Virgin Suicides. Now that I've read it though, I wonder if there was a hype, or if Peter Jackson just knows how to pick a damn good story for his films.

Written by Alice Sebold, The Lovely Bones is about as beautiful, poignant, funny and heartbreaking as a book can get. The books follows the story of Susie Salmon as she watches her family and friends from heaven after she is murdered at age fourteen. Don't worry; no spoilers here, all these details come in the first sentence. What follows is a novel which seamlessly spans over a decade and follows the journeys of multiple characters with remarkable ease thanks Susie's narration.

"My name was Salmon, like the fish; first name, Susie. I was fourteen when I was murdered on December 6, 1973."

This novel is captivating and meaty and will challenge your expectations and beliefs on life, death and beyond. As usual, I reckon give it a read before seeing the film, though it too looks extraordinary.

Enjoy!

BuzzChild