The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
Charity Shop: St Oswald's, Byker/Heaton, Newcastle
Charity: The mission of St Oswald's is to provide 'hospice care' and act as a resourcing organisation in the development of hospice and palliative care in the North East of England. www.stoswaldsuk.org
Price: 50p
Book Blurb: My Name is Salmon, like the fish; first name, Susie. I was fourteen when I was murdered on December 6, 1973. My murderer was a man from our neighbourhood. My mother liked his border flowers, and my father talked to him once about fertilizer. // This is Susie Salmon, speaking from heaven - which looks a lot like her school playground, with the good kind of swing sets, counsellors to help the newcomers adjust, and friends to room with. Everything Susie wants appears as soon as she thinks of it - except the one thing she wants most; to be back with the people she loved on earth. // Watching from her place in heaven, Susie sees her happy, suburban family devastated by her death, isolated even from one another as they each try to cope with their terrible loss alone. Over the years, her friends and siblings grow up, fall in love, do all the things she never had the chance to do herself. But life is not quite finished with Susie yet...
Expectation: A twist on a murder mystery.
Reality: Absolutely heart wrenching. As the blurb says its a story of a family devastated by the death of their daughter. The point of view is a bit wierd, as it's written from the perspective of Susie in 'heaven' who can't influence earth, but kind of can. 'Heaven' is never really explained why it's there, and very little of the book is dedicated to Susie's life in heaven. IMO the book could be better without that dimension. The family's pain was very real, but the whole interacting with dead people thing was a bit surreal. I read the book in one sitting because it was just so sad, and it just compelled me to keep reading until the sadness was less overwhelming. The murder mystery aspect only played a tiny role, with certain people 'knowing' who'd done it for no real reason. The reader knows from the beginning whodunnit as the first chapter is a rather graphic description of her murder.
Overall Rating
It was a struggle 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Gripping page
to make it turner
It was a gripping story, as I said I read it all at once, however for a story that deals with real world pain it was just a little too bizarre for me.
It was a gripping story, as I said I read it all at once, however for a story that deals with real world pain it was just a little too bizarre for me.
Twist Scale:
Knew the beginning, As twisty as the
middle and end 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 bendy wendy road
from the first line
I couldn't tell from the beginning exactly what was going to happen, but you could tell this would be a story of a family falling apart each in their own way, and ending with them coming to terms with what happened and starting to get on with their lives. There is one entirely bizarre chapter that in retrospect was hinted at, but took me by surprise.
I couldn't tell from the beginning exactly what was going to happen, but you could tell this would be a story of a family falling apart each in their own way, and ending with them coming to terms with what happened and starting to get on with their lives. There is one entirely bizarre chapter that in retrospect was hinted at, but took me by surprise.
Tear-jerker Scale:
As dry as a house 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Cried an ocean
throughout
For all its faults, this book delievered on one thing, it was very very sad. Because it was so sad, I distanced myself emotionally from the story so never actually shed a full tear, but my heart ached with sadness.
Moral of the Story: Don't murder people, it ruins lives. Also, dead people are watching youuuuuu...
***
Coming up: Marley & me by John Grogan. I watched the film, so when I saw it in book form, thought why not? Bit of light-hearted relief.
Update on my life: The days are getting longer, and whilst it's grim down South, here up North there's been enough sun to warrant me shutting the blind most days, and to be able to get out to the countryside. I went for an incredibly windy and muddy walk via Northumbria's attempt at the Devil's punchbowl. There was some cool rock formations, but size wise Surrey's offering is far superior. We made it back without being blown away and drove down possibly the world's longest drive to find a tea room at a nearby English Heritage place.
For all its faults, this book delievered on one thing, it was very very sad. Because it was so sad, I distanced myself emotionally from the story so never actually shed a full tear, but my heart ached with sadness.
Moral of the Story: Don't murder people, it ruins lives. Also, dead people are watching youuuuuu...
***
Coming up: Marley & me by John Grogan. I watched the film, so when I saw it in book form, thought why not? Bit of light-hearted relief.
Update on my life: The days are getting longer, and whilst it's grim down South, here up North there's been enough sun to warrant me shutting the blind most days, and to be able to get out to the countryside. I went for an incredibly windy and muddy walk via Northumbria's attempt at the Devil's punchbowl. There was some cool rock formations, but size wise Surrey's offering is far superior. We made it back without being blown away and drove down possibly the world's longest drive to find a tea room at a nearby English Heritage place.
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