Recommended book: The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
Format: Kindle Edition- File Size: 509 KB
- Print Length: 348 pages
- Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0330511742
- Publisher: Picador (9 April 2008)
- Sold by: Amazon UK, Amazon US
Overview
Susie Salmon was fourteen years old when she was murdered by a man from her neighbourhood. Now in heaven, she can have whatever she wishes for – except the one thing she wants most: to be back with the people she loved on earth. Susie watches from above as her suburban family is torn apart by grief; as her friends grow up, fall in love, and do all the things she never had the chance to do herself. In time, Susie will realise that even in death, life is not quite out of reach . . .
My Rating: ★★★★ (4 out of 5)
My Review
After reading The Hunger Games and then watching the film, I thought it would be a useful exercise as a writer to take a film that I’d seen and read the book. Even though it has been a few years since I saw the Peter Jackson directed film, enough of what happens was still fresh in my mind.
Susie Salmon is an interesting character and her very interesting story unfolds with the bombshell on the opening page. The plot takes twists and turns as you would expect from the storyline.
The Lovely Bones is written in first person and all from the main protagonist’s point of view as she experiences her heaven and the struggles of her family back on earth. I found the second half of the novel read like a long epilogue at times. Well written, but had that sort of feel to it.
Having seen the film, reading the book was no less enjoyable. In a way, knowing what happened in the end was a good thing and with this story structured the way it is anyway, you know where it is going.
Anyway, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book (and watching the film for that matter) and recommend it.
This is the TENTH book review I’ve written for the Eclectic Reading Challenge 2012. Only TWO to go. Romance and Historical.
Filed under: E-Book, Reading, Recommended Books | 25 Comments
Tags: Alice Sebold, book review, Hunger Games, Lovely Bones, Reading, Susie Salmon
Hello and welcome to my blog!
My name is Pete and I decided to start blogging to track my progress as a writer. I recently completed a Diploma in Creative Writing and it's spurred me on to get my work published.
I write short stories, Flash Fiction and some scripts. My main focus at the moment is a Crime Fiction novel. More on that as we go on.
I hope you enjoy.
FREE e-book anthology: Just Get It Out There
Goodreads
No data found
Community
Blogging Awards List
Great review Pete. I actually avoided watching the film as I thought it had no appeal. I’ll have to re-think that now.
Thanks, David. It was one of those films that I didn’t intend watching. It was simply a film that was on after something I wanted to watch had finished and I kept watching. I like it when a film’s like that, sort of sneaks up on you and keeps you involved.
Excellent review. I also enjoyed this book, and Alice Sebold’s novels in general. I haven’t seen it, but will add it to my QuickFlicks queue.
Thank you
It’s one of those books I wondered about when it came out. When it was a 99p bargain on Amazon I just couldn’t resist. Glad it bought it.
If you watch the film I hope you enjoy it. And, have plenty of popcorn
because movies are so visual, and books force one to create the image in the mind, I usually find the movies beautiful but lacking the depth I found in the book. Thus, I almost always prefer the book.
You know, I’m starting to feel the same way. I’ve often not read a book thinking instead to watch the film, but the adaptations can take something away from the feel of the book.
When I did my Creative Writing studies and we did adaptations we were encouraged to change at least two things from the story we adapted. Many films do the same so the book is the only way to enjoy the writer’s version of the story in many ways.
Director’s cut – NO
Writer’s cut – YES
I like that – -writer’s cut — good term.
Thanks. It just came to me
I saw the film and thought it was very good, although I can’t really bear stories that involve youngsters dying! For that reason I probably wouldn’t read the book.
The story line is a bit bleak, but somehow it works in the same way the film did.
I usually read books before watching the film. I’ll even wait to see the film until I have read the book first. However, this one I couldn’t summon up the courage to read. I really didn’t think I could endure 300+ pages of that kind of terror. So, I chose to watch the film. It was so traumatic though, that I won’t ever read the book.
Good review, though.
Thanks
The terror parts are not too bad. At least I didn’t think so. It’s more a journey of her family as they struggle to move on with their lives. I can understand not wanting to read after seeing the film though.
Never mind the movie (I never watch movies…) – this sounds like a book for me! Think I will pick it up, once I’m finished with my current read. Thanks for the tip
No problem, Linda. I hope you enjoy reading it.
I used to always read the book if I hadn’t done so before seeing a film. I quit doing that, though. There’s just too much to do to do things twice.
That’s a good point, Russel though I do like to see how the adaptation has been done from novel to film.
If I were to do it again, I would watch the movie first and then read the book. That’s because my imagination is much more vivid in reading the book than watching someone else’s imagination on the screen.
This is one of my favorite stories because it really seems to mix and meld genres. Her prose are so beautiful and the story was so heartbreaking. I loved every second of it.
I haven’t seen the movie yet.
Thanks, Kourtney. I did enjoy reading the book and the film was good too.
I found the genre categorizing very interesting on this book too. It usually sits with general fiction, but it has a very supernatural element of a spirit narrating the story. It deals with things beyond the ordinary, but doesn’t seem to fall nicely into any one genre.
A great review, I really enjoyed this book though I must admit I couldn’t stand the movie!
Thanks for sharing your review
Shelleyrae @ Book’d out
Thank you. This is probably another book I wouldn’t have read had it not been for your Eclectic Reading Challenge. Two more genres to go!