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sarahsbookss's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
Graphic: Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Violence, Blood, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual harassment, Stalking, Rape, Sexual violence, Grief, Murder, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Infidelity, and Kidnapping
espressoreader's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Author like the sound of Len, Lindsey, and Lynn, quite a lot.
Graphic: Sexual content, Kidnapping, Grief, Pedophilia, Torture, Sexual assault, Rape, Sexual violence, Murder, Alcohol, Abandonment, and Adult/minor relationship
Minor: Self harm and Stalking
james1star's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
From the get-go you are bombarded with the brutal and harrowing plot line that The Lovely Bones follows: a 14 year old girl in heaven is watching over her family and friends as they attempt to get to grips with her kidnap, rape, murder and dismemberment of her body by a neighbour. This graphic retelling is told and further alluded to throughout the book but the key themes penetrating the novel is how grief and the impact of Susie’s death has on those who knew her. The book is wholly from Susie’s POV up in heaven as she watched over all these people and how they get along with their lives without her. It is a rather slow-paced and character-focussed account as little happens but instead we try to understand people’s emotions and interactions. These all range from sad, depressing, tense, angry, harrowing, hopeful and many more. Obviously they are saddened by the loss of a daughter/sister/ love interest/acquaintance but we also are able to view this grief through each character’s lens. For example, Lindsey (Susie’s sister) is forced to take on more responsibility and is seen by many characters to be a replacement as such for her dead sister with the idea of having a ‘susie shadow’ which is referenced also in the father’s perspective. I believe this is done exceptionally well.
Sebold’s writing is very vivid and lifelike I’d say. She portrays very real characters and themes despite the central plot line being a girl in heaven (a contested place - if you can even call it that) and having some supernatural elements. I personally didn’t like this certain part in chapter 22 as was quite unexpected and unnecessary. However, I must admit the revelations Susie gains is a prominent message left to the reader. On this note of what we take from the book: before reading I was hoping to have a more ‘live in the moment’ attitude pronounced and to live every day to the fullest as we don’t know what will happen, but instead it didn’t give me this. I can’t quite articulate the impact of this book I guess it’s more a telling of the nuanced feelings and emotions that grief and loss of a loved one has on us. And for this, Sebold presents a hard to read account that eventually leads to a redemptive type of love. I really liked this part of the Daily Mail’s review that the authors “words are strung together like the most delicate of charm bracelets” which - if you read the book - are a returning message.
This was certainly a difficult book to read, wholly due to the content and graphic accounts of her murder and others committed by this man. But all in all it was written well, flawed but relatively loveable characters who do develop over time and a raw telling of the impact of grief. From not believing and hope she’ll come back through to acceptance and having to move on in a world without someone you love being there anymore. And likewise, from Susie’s viewpoint of letting your loved ones go no matter how much you want to come back to them and experience life again. Well written just with some personal ‘ehh’ moments. A solid 4 stars.
Graphic: Grief, Murder, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Child death, Death, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Violence, and Stalking
Moderate: Alcoholism, Mental illness, Infidelity, and Self harm
mallory10100's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Grief, Medical content, Child death, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Murder, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, and Violence
Moderate: Abandonment, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Body horror, Drug use, Gaslighting, and Stalking
Minor: Bullying, Chronic illness, Cursing, Pregnancy, and Self harm
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