Alice Sebold’s debut novel, The Lovely Bones, is a very mysterious and captivating book. It is based on a young girl, Susie Salmon, who was raped and murdered by someone from her neighbourhood in 1973. Susie narrates the story, as she watches from her place in heaven, “the inbetween”, how her family and friends are coping without her. From happy and cheerful, to devastated and miserable, her family were struggling to cope with their terrible loss. Susie’s little brother, Buckley, has no idea where Susie is or what is going on… the word ‘gone’ is not understood by him yet.
Susie has to watch her killer walk around as if nothing is wrong, while her family are trying so hard to believe that she is still alive. When the detective comes home with evidence that they’ve found an elbow, they were well aware it was over from there. Her father and sister knew exactly who murdered Susie, but couldn’t do anything about it, as they had no proof. Susie was not the first person murdered by her killer, and in her heaven she makes friends with the other young girl that he’s murdered. Everything Susie wants appears as soon as she thinks of it, except for the one thing she wants most: to be back with the people she loved, back on earth.
The Lovely Bones is about a horrible and shocking tragedy, yet Alice Sebold is able to turn it into something hopeful and positive. This novel grabs the attention of its audience, and is most suited for ages 15 and up. When reading this, it feels as if you are there with the characters in the book. It feels so real and I highly recommend it.
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