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Lovely Bones was on the shelf for over two years
before I picked it up. And I cannot ignore the irony of
the timing in finally choosing to read it only three weeks
shy of the one-year anniversary of my father's death.
The narrator, 14-year-old Susie Salmon, was killed
in December 1973. We join her during her initial impressions
of heaven and follow her through the years as she observes
the breakdown and growth of her family and friends.
While clues are scant in the investigation of Susie's
death, her father (Jack) quickly identifies a suspect
and nearly as abruptly becomes obsessed to the point
of neglecting Susie's siblings, Buckley and Lindsey.
Meanwhile, Abbie, Susie's mother, does in fact shut
down and makes a decision that alters the family, permanently.
As Mitch Albom's character did in The Five People You
Meet in Heaven, Susie learns how she impacted her family
and friends in her fourteen years on earth. Unfortunately,
she can do very little to help them from her new vantage
point, instead only watching as each person battles
with questions, fears, and doubts. But, as the cliché
goes, time does heal and Susie gets to observe this
as well, which becomes much more of a focus for her
than the identification of her murderer.
I enjoyed this quick read very much with the exception
of its conclusion. The last 30 pages or so were such
letdowns. Sebold told a wonderfully touching story that
brought me to tears at points. Then she left me feeling
cheated out of a quality ending commensurate with the
rest of the book. Instead, it reeked of Sebold's loss
of creative stamina: of her failing to finish strong.
With the exception of that barely forgivable flaw, I
still recommend The Lovely Bones for its poignant
meandering through the delicacies of family, love, self-awareness,
and healing.
Suggested by friend - Angela
Wiggins, New York, New York
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