Discussion of The Lovely Bones

[Butterbescotch]

@Elizabeth

Easy there, tiger. :]

@adam

I digress. The film was as good as the book. Saoirse Ronan was great.

[adammarley]

[quote="adammarley"]The reason this caught my attention is that I heard there will be a movie made from this book and it would be very interesting to see the movie. I like to see the movie after I have read the book, of course, the movie is never a good comparison to the book as the book is always much better.[/quote]

[book_maniac_gotscold]

Im searching for this book but cant find it!!

[Daffodil]

I just finished it today and loved it. I had tears dropping out of my eyes at times and I often had to put it down until the lump in my throat had diminished. It is nice to think that if horrors like that happen to little ones - that they appear in Heaven relatively unscathed and able to cope. I would definitely recommend it. Has Alice Sebold written anything else? I'll have to search...

[Schmunzelmonster]

I just finished lovely bones and feel a bit unsettled. I loved it, though I do see it's weaknesses, but don't mind them. I even think it's flaws add to it's sentiment.

[allay]

I love this book.

[bookworm567]

I'm currently reading The Lovely Bones and so far so good. I had my doubts at first about it, but I stuck through it and what a suprise! I encourage anyone to read it. Great book!

[utilitygirl]

I read The Lovely Bones about a month ago, after watching the film. I liked the film better than the book though I'm not sure I'd say that if I'd read the book first. The film's scene of heaven/limbo were sumptuous and I thought Peter Jackson did very well with the suspense. Tucci and Ronan were good too.

I found the book fairly easy to read (a few books I'd read shortly it before had me looking words up from almost every page) and I finished it quickly. I like Sebold's very original idea of having the narrator tell the story after her death. But yes, the mother's affair didn't seem to fit in and I was slightly frustrated that the opportunity to show where the body was missed and that Mr Harvey's comeuppance was so mild. But maybe that was the point - that she learned let it all go.

[quarter450]

How does the book compare to the movie?

[Asherat by the Sea]

Review of "The Lovely Bones"

Apologies for the late review. I joined this book club in late March and was trying to finish a pre-bookclub book, read The Lovely Bones, and start on 11/22/63 as well. It proved to be something of a task! I also felt I should give The Lovely Bones time to percolate in my mind before I reviewed as I found the book to be an intense experience.

I loved the writing style used by Ms. Sebold; she obviously has talent. The idea of writing an account of a vicious attack and murder from the perspective of the victim is fascinating: a disturbing portrait from the point of view not only of a deceased victim, but a child victim with all their incumbent innocence.

As I read, I felt encouraged (but not led or forced) to draw comparisons between the actual Sink hole at the edge of town and the 'sink hole' created in Suzie's home as a result of her death. Watching Suzie's brother and sister mature within/despite the sort-of sadness vortex in their home was compelling. I was genuinely angry and frustrated when Suzie's mom, Abigail, chose to leave the family home in an attempt to heal on her own, essentially leaving her grieving children and shell-shocked husband to fend for themselves. This, for me, is the signature of an excellent writer. The ability to seduce a reader into feeling anger/sadness/joy as a result of a story is why I read. Not to be forgotten is the hatred of Mr. Harvey which I'm sure everyone felt. Having an evil presence such as he in suburbia is no-doubt every parent's nightmare. Honestly, when Lindsey leapt from the top floor window of Mr. Harvey's house with the drawing of the cornfield-trap clutched like a talisman in her hand, my heart was in my throat.

My only criticism of the book came with the event of Suzie's possession of Ruth's body and the interlude between Suzie (in Ruth's body) and Ray. It felt a little odd and out-of-place within the story. I asked myself what was actually being attempted here. Was Alice S. trying to give Suzie (and us readers) a piece of the future she would have had? Was this an attempt to create some closure to the story? What was the intent behind allowing Suzie a chance at having her only adult experience? I cannot say. I certainly thought it was heart-warming, but given the majority of the story which was pitiless in it's truth about the injustices of life, I felt this was a weird deviation.

As the story came to a close, I found myself satisfied with the ending, middle and beginning. It was a masterwork novel from which I am sure a great many people found reason to have feelings about life and death and love. Which is, essentially, the point.

Asher

[mrjerseys]

I really enjoyed this book

[Justine44]

How does the book compare to the movie?

I really enjoyed this book. I was hoping that the movie would do the book justice and it did.

She does not dissapoint in her other book also.

[Asherat by the Sea]

I really enjoyed this book. I was hoping that the movie would do the book justice and it did.
She does not dissapoint in her other book also.

What is her other book, if I may ask?

[PratMish44]

I'm not sure which book Justine44 was referring to, but another book of Alice Sebold's that I just couldn't put down was 'Lucky'. It was a retelling of how she was raped in her freshman year at university and it was an exceptional book.

[Mister Missouri]

I just read this one, enjoyed it quite a bit. Read quickly. It's always refreshing to hear someone's unique take on what heaven/paradise would be. The book wasn't near as depressing as I found the film. as far as characters go, I enjoyed Susie's father quite a lot and, although I didn't much care for him, I thought the character of Mr. Harvey was well done. Susie's mother I didn't much care for either, a wee bit too selfish.