The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold

Genre: Fiction

When I first saw a trailer a few years ago for the Lovely Bones, a story about a young teenager named Sallie watching her family and friends from above after she is murdered, I was skeptical of the plot. I’m not usually one for dark and dreary books.  Recently though, I decided to pick up the book and read it, because why not?

I was pleasantly surprised to find that the book, though very serious, was quite enjoyable. I like the book mainly because it goes about telling the story of the aftermath of the murder in a very interesting and unique way. It’s written in a first person omniscient point of view, which allows the reader to truly understand the characters in the story in a distinct way that isn’t used that often. You even understand the mind of the murderer.

Additionally, the book’s theme has an overall positive tone, despite centering on death and its aftermath. Its central message was to remember fallen loved ones while also learning to go on with life. And, the ending is so supernatural, almost magical—I was hooked the whole time.

Finally, I loved the way the author weaved sentences together. Though written in the voice of a young girl, there was a certain eloquence to the way everything was written. And through the eight plus years past her death, the reader can see how she herself grows in the afterlife, which is definitely interesting. This large expanse of time adds to the story overall.

My only complaints about the book are that it begins a little bit slowly and inferences have to be made at certain parts of the novel. For example, the whole first year after Sallie’s death becomes a tad bit repetitive, and the story line that makes the conclusion so interesting is a little bit unclear until the very end. Nevertheless, I truly enjoyed the book, especially the way it took a unique spin on the aftermath of a murder. If you are in the mood for a more serious book, I would definitely recommend it. And now, I definitely want to rent the film adaption.