The Lovely Bones | Paperback

This book is amazing. I have read nothing like it before and don't think anything will ever top it. It's easily the most read book on my (very full) bookshelf. Can't wait for the film.

From her personal Heaven, which resembles the high school that she didn't live to attend, Susie Salmon narrates this beautiful and unique novel.
Susie is 14, when she is brutally raped and murdered by one of her neighbours, after taking a shortcut home from junior high. As time passes, from then on, Susie watches her family and friends, as they struggle to come to terms with her death.
As the years go by, at times angry and at times upset, trapped in her 'perfect world', Susie remains forever 14, unable to have what she desires most, for her to be alive and her murderer dead. Little does she know, that life still has one more surprise in store for her.
This novel is incredibly well written and Alice Sebold's breathtaking prose will linger in your mind, long after you turn the last page.

This book simply has to be read to be believed. When I heard aout this book I found it hard to believe it would be any good, but how wrong I turned out to be.

Susie, as a narrator, is so matter of fact about her death its hard not to find her a delightful character. Being written from the perspective of a 14 year old only enhances the ideas of this book and gives such a believable idea of heaven you become happy she is there. As you follow her frustrations and happy memories the reader is drawn to be in Susie's place and urge the people on earth to catch her killer as much as Susie does.

An addictive read and a story that can be cherished by many ages.

This book leapt out at me from the book shelf, once started it was not put down until the last page. The subject matter could have been disturbing and dark but i discovered that it had a great feelgood atmosphere and it lifted my spirits to read of triumph over dispair. I recommended it to all of my friends to read, and eerily at the time of reading it, many of my family and acquaintances were reading it at the same time, before we had even discussed it, and we all thought it was an exceptional and rivetting read. Really unusual and unique take on a murder mystery.

A beautifully written novel, which is gripping and can easily leave you reading large chunks in one sitting. At times it does lose its flow and I often found myself having to re-read the page before to find my place in the book. So not a classic but still a great book- I would recommend this to others but would not go as far as reading another novel by the same author.