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The Lovely Bones Paperback – 6 Jun. 2003

by Alice Sebold (Author)

4.4 13,253 ratings

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The Lovely Bones: the inspiration for the blockbuster film starring Saoirse Ronan: 13 (Picador Classic)
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The internationally bestselling novel that inspired the acclaimed film directed by Peter Jackson.

My name was Salmon, like the fish; first name, Susie. I was fourteen when I was murdered on December 6, 1973.

In heaven, Susie Salmon can have whatever she wishes for - except what she most wants, which is to be back with the people she loved on earth. In the wake of her murder, Susie watches as her happy suburban family is torn apart by grief; as her friends grow up, fall in love, and do all the things she never had the chance to do herself. But as Susie will come to realize, even in death, life is not quite out of reach . . .

A luminous, astonishing novel about life and death, memory and forgetting, and finding light in the darkest places, Alice Sebold's The Lovely Bones became an instant classic when it was first published in 2002. It inspired the film starring Mark Wahlberg, Rachel Weisz, Susan Sarandon and Saoirse Ronan.

Product description

Amazon Review

On her way home from school on a snowy December day, 14-year-old Susie Salmon is lured into a cornfield and brutally raped and murdered, the latest victim of a serial killer. The Lovely Bones, Alice Sebold's haunting and heartbreaking debut novel, unfolds from heaven, where "life is a perpetual yesterday" and where Susie narrates and keeps watch over her grieving family and friends, as well as her brazen killer and the sad detective working on her case.

As Sebold fashions it, everyone has his or her own version of heaven. Susie's resembles the athletic fields and landscape of a suburban high school: a heaven of her "simplest dreams", where "there were no teachers... We never had to go inside except for art class... The boys did not pinch our backsides or tell us we smelled; our textbooks were Seventeen and Glamour and Vogue".

The Lovely Bones works as an odd yet affecting coming-of-age story. Susie struggles to accept her death while still clinging to the lost world of the living, following her family's dramas over the years. Her family disintegrates in their grief: her father becomes determined to find her killer, her mother withdraws, her little brother Buckley attempts to make sense of the new hole in his family and her younger sister Lindsey moves through the milestone events of her teenage and young adult years with Susie riding spiritual shotgun. Random acts and missed opportunities run throughout the book--Susie recalls her sole kiss with a boy on earth as "like an accident--a beautiful gasoline rainbow".

Though sentimental at times, The Lovely Bones is a moving exploration of loss and mourning that ultimately puts its faith in the living and that is made even more powerful by a cast of convincing characters. Sebold orchestrates a big finish and though things tend to wrap up a little too well for everyone in the end, one can only imagine (or hope) that heaven is indeed a place filled with such happy endings. --Brad Thomas Parsons, Amazon.com

Review

Spare, beautiful and brutal prose . . . The Lovely Bones is compulsive enough to read in a single sitting, brilliantly intelligent, elegantly constructed and ultimately intriguing., The Times

Moving and compelling . . . It will put an imperceptible but stealthily insistent hold on you. I sat down in the morning to read the first couple of pages; five hours later, I was still there, book in hand, transfixed. -- Maggie O'Farrell, Sunday Telegraph

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Picador; Reprints edition (6 Jun. 2003)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 328 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0330485385
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0330485388
Reading age ‏ : ‎ 18 years and up
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 13 x 1.9 x 19.6 cm

Best Sellers Rank: 187,580 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- 7,915 in Science Fiction Crime & Mystery
- 22,857 in Literary Fiction (Books)
- 27,021 in Contemporary Fiction (Books)

Customer reviews:
4.4 13,254 ratings

About the author

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Alice Sebold

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Alice Sebold is the author of three #1 bestselling books, including Lucky, and the novels The Lovely Bones and The Almost Moon. Her work has been translated into more than fifty languages and has appeared in The New York Times and The Guardian, among other publications. She is a member of the National Leadership Council for RAINN.org (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network). She lives in California.

Customer reviews

13,254 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book easy to read and engaging. They describe the story as thought-provoking, interesting, and meaningful. Readers care about the characters and find them likable. Opinions differ on the sadness level, with some finding it heartbreaking and life-affirming while others feel the ending is dull.

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Readability Story quality Written quality Thought provoking Character development Sadness Pacing Value for money

281 customers mention ‘Readability’281 positive0 negative

Customers find the book easy to read and engaging. They describe it as a good light read with an appealing plot that keeps them hooked.

"...It carries much of the same hope, poise and ambition as Philip Pullman’s work, but told in a very different way." Read more

"...This novel made me tick. I was thinking all the time, making links and imaginings all the way through. That's what I personally value in a good book...." Read more

"...A must read." Read more

"...Highly recommend it, and have been told by friends the book is superior to the film... So if you had previously watched and wanted a read, do it :)" Read more

169 customers mention ‘Story quality’129 positive40 negative

Customers find the story engaging and well-written. They appreciate the imaginative take on death and its impact on life. The ending is neatly resolved, allowing the writing style to tackle a range of emotions, both positive and negative. While the murder is mentioned, the focus is on understanding death and connections with others.

"...The book tells the story of the young teenager Suzanne Salmon – or Suzy, as she is known...." Read more

"...a bit more unusual about this book is that it's actually told from Susie's perspective, and not just before and during the murder but also after it..." Read more

"It’s thoughtful and gripping and although it’s sad it’s also uplifting. A must read." Read more

"...I hope that’s what we all experience when we pass Just a lovely story" Read more

126 customers mention ‘Written quality’102 positive24 negative

Customers find the book well-written and engaging. They describe the story vividly, making it a real page-turner. Readers find the story thought-provoking and connect with the characters.

"It’s thoughtful and gripping and although it’s sad it’s also uplifting. A must read." Read more

"...Although moving, there are for me though me better written books of this genre, so despite the subject matter, I would give it four stars." Read more

"...The writing, simple but still detailed and descriptive; the characters, who grow and change as the book progresses; the plot, or multiple mini-plots..." Read more

"...The writing was good, but some of it especially towards the last half of the book, was overly detailed to the point of being boring...." Read more

87 customers mention ‘Thought provoking’79 positive8 negative

Customers find the book thought-provoking and interesting. They appreciate the intriguing narrative that explores themes of life, relationships, and death. The story evokes emotional experiences and wraps you in its world. It is considered life affirming and a true tour de force of the imagination.

"...It touches on subjects that many more established writers know to leave alone, but does so with an amount of grace and respect that makes it all..." Read more

"...The opening chapters are gruesome, thought-provoking and frankly chilled me so much I started looking at fields in a completely different way..." Read more

"...It is a true tour de force of the imagination." Read more

"...I can see that for many this would be a remarkable and ground breaking book...." Read more

22 customers mention ‘Character development’18 positive4 negative

Customers find the characters interesting and likable. They feel emotions along with the main character, including positive and negative ones.

"...But as I got on with this book, I found myself fully engaged with the characters and plot. It is a true tour de force of the imagination." Read more

"...One of the more interesting characters is Ruth, a girl she hardly knew. but one who has a gift for sensing and also a gift for writing...." Read more

"...The writing, simple but still detailed and descriptive; the characters, who grow and change as the book progresses; the plot, or multiple mini-plots..." Read more

"...range of emotions, both positive and negative, across a very diverse group of characters and yet skilfully leaving one or two quite undeveloped to..." Read more

69 customers mention ‘Sadness’29 positive40 negative

Customers have different views on the book's sadness. Some find it heartbreaking and comforting, making them cry while reading. Others feel the ending is dull and the middle part is boring.

"...I'm sorry to criticise a book that has sold so well but I found it dull, very flawed, unbelievable and I can only think that there are a lot of..." Read more

"How to describe The Lovely Bones... Poignant, emotive, different. I read this book in one sitting...." Read more

"...It's a sad book to read but some great characters who you really get to know...." Read more

"...And I am glad I did read it, it made me smile, laugh, cry and feel intense...." Read more

34 customers mention ‘Pacing’19 positive15 negative

Customers have different views on the pacing of the book. Some find it riveting and spellbinding, keeping them turning the pages. Others find it slow and hard to keep going. The pacing can be upsetting or sad at times, but overall the experience is enjoyable.

"...Overall, this is a well rounded book, not necessarily easy going reading, but it will invoke a range of emotions in the reader...." Read more

"...told in the words and ideas of a teenage girl: Badly structured, strangely paced, and overall unusual...." Read more

"...Overall, this book makes for a well-rounded and compelling read." Read more

"Arrived loose but no damage" Read more

27 customers mention ‘Value for money’14 positive13 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the book's value for money. Some find it a good read and worth buying, while others feel it lacks excitement and fails to meet their expectations.

"...I will say no more, except pay the money for this one, it is worth every penny." Read more

"...a serious book, the ending just seemed so silly to me and unrealistic in this kind of book. Perhaps it works for some people though...." Read more

"Enjoyed the book immensely - definitely worth buying and having a go at...." Read more

"...badly written, but its not well written either - its just bland and uninspiring...." Read more

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Haje Jan Kamps
Heartwarming tale of death... And life
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 6 April 2014
Verified Purchase
The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold is a very strange, yet powerful book. It touches on subjects that many more established writers know to leave alone, but does so with an amount of grace and respect that makes it all worth while.

The book tells the story of the young teenager Suzanne Salmon – or Suzy, as she is known. Within the first ten pages of the book, we discover that little miss Salmon has been murdered. Before the first chapter is over, we learn how she was murdered, when, why, and who|by whom. Which makes it a rubbish detective story, of course, but that isn’t the point.

Suzy is telling her own story in the book – the story of her death, and then of her story of her own Heaven. How she keeps tabs on her friends and family, and how she struggles with the unsettled business in her life. Her desires for her first love. Her love and care for her sister. Her observations of how her family all take different ways in tackling her death.

Not hindered by the limitations of regular narration, Sebold lets her main character move between the worlds, instantly seeing anything she wants to – for good and for bad. In a charmingly half-nonchalant half-whimsical way, the story is told in the words and ideas of a teenage girl: Badly structured, strangely paced, and overall unusual. I can say that – I’ve never been a teenage girl.

The Lovely Bones has its flaws, of course: the editor ought to be fired for letting Sebold draw the book to a conclusion, then add another several mock-endings that add nothing to the book. But one thing can be said for the novel – It is one of the very few books that has made me cry. It carries much of the same hope, poise and ambition as Philip Pullman’s work, but told in a very different way.

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6 people found this helpful

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Bex
The Inner Workings of A Murderer.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 23 June 2011
Verified Purchase
'My name was 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 neighborhood. My mother liked his border flowers, and my father talked to him once about fertilizer.'

Every once in a while a story comes along and hooks you right from the first page. I'm one of those people that is constantly searching for that book. With The Lovely Bones, I thought I'd found it.

The greatest thing about this book is that, my God does it make you think. The opening chapters are gruesome, thought-provoking and frankly chilled me so much I started looking at fields in a completely different way searching for little booby traps and doors hidden in there! I'm not mad. Honestly. This will happen to you too.

I really enjoyed The Lovely Bones predominantly for "The Chase". For those of you unfamiliar with Sebold's Lovely Bones, we are dealing with Susie Salmon, a young girl murdered by her neighbour. We watch the murder. We watch the cover-ups. We watch her family and then we follow her family and her murderers journey desperately hoping that they will figure it all out. I loved the chase and was rooting for her dad especially to chop him into tiny little pieces!

What's a bit more unusual about this book is that it's actually told from Susie's perspective, and not just before and during the murder but also after it takes place from what we know as "Susie's Heaven". The portrayal of Heaven being unique to everyone was interesting. I'm not a religious person but I'd like to think that this might be pretty good if it were true. What was also particularly striking to me was the relationship between people's mental state whilst they're alive and their Heaven afterwards. To give you a small non-spoilery example, there's an old lady in the book who appears unstable and says a young girls name all the time. Sebold links this to her Heaven and how this name relates to a person in her Heaven when she will die. Honestly, it takes a while to get your head around and I think it's 50/50 as to whether you're going to like the concept.

I enjoyed reading about a murderer most of it. Not the graphic portrayal of the murder, although that was very well done, but moreover the inner workings of the murderer and how he thinks or what might have led him to do what he did.

The only issue I have with it has to be the ending. For such a serious book, the ending just seemed so silly to me and unrealistic in this kind of book. Perhaps it works for some people though.

This novel made me tick. I was thinking all the time, making links and imaginings all the way through. That's what I personally value in a good book. A gripping first few chapters too was just the cherry on the top. I recommend you give this a read. You might hate it, I can see it wouldn't be for everyone, but it's worth the risk!

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8 people found this helpful

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Amazon Customer
Love this book
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 31 August 2024
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It’s thoughtful and gripping and although it’s sad it’s also uplifting. A must read.

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One person found this helpful

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Madi
Hardly put it down.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 5 October 2013
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After opening this book on a Friday evening, I could barely put it down. I found the story compelling and interesting and finished it quickly, only putting it down to attend to errands on my weekend. It was finished in about 2 days. I loved the concept and the way in which such a story was presented.

This book has changed the way I consider "Heaven" and will probably stay with me forever because of that... I may not believe in it in the same way, but it did make me think a lot. Having read some reviews before reading I agree: The book does lose pace towards the end, but I think it's natural with how the story progressed and certainly wouldn't want it to have been different really. I found the story realistic and easy to imagine.. which left me feeling that good type of melancholy where you're sad and pensive but appreciative of the way in which the book makes you consider life.

So others may find flaws in the story telling from the young Susie Salmon, or the supernatural elements (spoiler alert: I found when Susie "possesses" Ruth I was dragged out of the story a little. Until that point I found it could literally be a real story of a poor girls family as she watches them and that made it more universal and sad for me... But I've grown to accept that part of the storyline as time goes on after reading it) but I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

Highly recommend it, and have been told by friends the book is superior to the film... So if you had previously watched and wanted a read, do it :)

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Kindle Customer
Glad to have read this book
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 30 October 2024
Verified Purchase
At first, I wondered what I had let myself in for. But as I got on with this book, I found myself fully engaged with the characters and plot. It is a true tour de force of the imagination.

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Lyn
Great book
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 2 August 2024
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Love this book ,

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TraceyLee
Excellent service and fast delivery.
Reviewed in Canada on 22 February 2024
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I'm very pleased with my purchase. Not only was it an easy and seamless purchase, but I received my book the very next day!!
Beyond pleased...😃 It's a great read. I absolutely loved the book.

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Paola C.
Che dire
Reviewed in Italy on 6 July 2024
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Libro in ottime condizioni .

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Sajid
Good Read
Reviewed in India on 28 July 2023
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Started reading, it's interesting

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Pauline
Precious is all I can say
Reviewed in Germany on 11 November 2022
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Beware, I am only at chapter four as I‘m writing this. Upon reading the first chapter I realised: I don‘t want to waste a single sentence of this book by careless or hasty reading. I‘m only just starting out, but I‘m already saddened by the fact that it has only 324 pages. The manner in which situations and people as well as their inner workings are described feels very real, precise, heartfelt and deeply touching. This is a piece I am sure I will reread, and then reread again later.

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Layna
Mi libro favorito de miles que me he leído
Reviewed in Spain on 15 September 2021
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Estoy súper contenta d e haber hecho caso a las recomendaciones acerca de este libro. Me ha. Encantado la manera en la que está escrito más que nada. Es un libro muy interesante y a la vez desgarrador. Siendo una persona de lagrima fácil he llorado con cada pagina imaginándome en la situación de cada uno de los personajes. ♥️♥️
Gracias a Alice sebold por esta increíble historia

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