I just finished reading this book for the first time and I can't really even put into words how it made me feel. It's a heartfelt story told almost as a memoire by a murdered young girl as she looks down on earth from heaven. This book will tug at your heard strings as you follow her family (along with other people in her life) and watch them deal, each in their own way, with her death. It's beautifully written and will captivate you from the first page.

Honestly, there are no words. This is one of those novels that can't really be categorized--my favourite type. It's a mystery, but reads sort of like a memoir, and there's the whole fantastical element.... It's for young adults but it's not, it's for adults but it's narrated by a 14-year-old.... It's stunning. It's incredible. I can't believe I didn't read it sooner.

Lovely Bones is a wholly original story of a teenage girl murdered by a serial killer living in her neighborhood, her family's quest to find answers and pick up the broken pieces of their lives, and her efforts to solve her own case from beyond the grave. Outstanding and a must read for everyone!

This book is truly an incredible emotional rollercoaster you are left teary eyed, or smiling. There is more to this book then just its content. It's about the present and the afterlife.

The Lovely Bones is the story of a young girl named Susie Salmon whose life was taken when she was raped and murdered at the age of 14. From heaven she narrates her family and the murderers' life as they continue on life without her. Mrs. Salmon; Susie's mother, continues to push her family away as she tries to deal with the grief. Her father, Mr. Salmon; who is the most emotionally stable person in her family uses this stability to start off on his own investigation. He believes he knows who the murderer is but is unable to prove it. As Susie watches her family fracture over her death she finds herself living vicariously through her family she will never age physically but is growing up emotionally.

I picked up this book a few years back and have read it three times so far. I really enjoy it. It's a story told from the perspective of a dead girl watching over her family and friends. Different.

I'm giving it four stars instead of five because there is one part that I really didn't like and I skip over it every time I read it. Not to ruin anything from the book, but it was the only part I found to be unbelievable.

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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.
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. 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".

This book was soo difficult to put down.Although we know who Susie's killer is, one is constantly hoping her family and the police will figure it out. The novel alternates between the characters point of view and this helps to make a well rounded story. We are able to see/feel how everyone deals with Susie's death differently. You hurt right alone with the characters, only being able to imagine what they must all be going through.
Although Alice Sebold's novel has some difficult issues to deal with she gives us a very well written story!

A insightful read...if you can get past the first chapter, you're okay. I found it difficult to get past the fact that she was gone...she would never marry, have children. I have children so it absolutely hit a soft spot for me. This is a book that takes some personal tolerance. To tolerate the horrible event that kicks off the book and then you are hooked...hoping the attacker will get what he deserves...

I read this book probably about 4 years ago, it was a really good book and I did enjoy it. At times I felt a little grossed out, but that was just because of the story line. It makes you feel sad and if you have your own kids, or are close to a child you think "what would I do if this happened to me?"
None the less, it was a good book and I would recommend it to someone else who is able to read stories about children and murder.

It started off as though it was going to be very good, but I got very disappointed near the end when it took a turn on the weird side. Most of it was even quite boring and it dragged on and on...and the writers opinion of heaven is a VERY bland one. I hope the movie proves to be better than this.

Great book, great story, page turner from the start. I may have declared this the one of the best books I've ever read had it not been for the ending.

This was a book with good potential but failed in it's delivery. Althought alice is a good writer it fails to capture my attention. With a great opening chapter it starts to fade as I continue to read. I found that it was just a downward slope as it went to the end, it took a lot just to finish the book and a reader should not have to force himself to finish.

Where to begin?? This is an excellent read for those seeking a thriller, adventure and for an escape.
The story starts off with the main character Susie Salmon, she's 14 and has been murdered. The story is narrated by her and tells the story of how she was murdered as well as how she was able to leave a clue for her father to find out her killer. She looks down on her old life through "her heaven" as she calls it and is able to see how her family and friends cope with her loss as well as move on from her death.
I believe this book is not suitable for children under the age of 10 for some of the content it speaks about.

I read the book.
I saw the movie.
They are different, I recommend reading the book first obviously! The book is better and goes into more detail and more background on Susie.
WARNING: You will find it hard to put this book down, allow yourself time to read in one sitting...bring tissues!
2Thumbs Up!

The Lovely Bones follows a young girl named Susie Salmon who follows her family's lives after her murder at the age of 14. This story is incredibly heart breaking as the family member's lives gradually seem to fall apart trying to come to terms with Susie's death, and Susie in turn attempts to come to terms with the reality that her family will continue to live without her. The story takes the reader through an emotional roller coaster following the events of Susie's murder and its aftermath (including some insights into the murderer himself) and ends with a bittersweet heartfelt ending. An excellent read, I would definitely recommend it.

I thoguht this book was sooooo good.
It took me a while to get into it, but after the first couple of chapter, i really started to enjoy it. I'm guessing a lot of people know what the book is a about, so ill skip the summary. But the book was a cold hard truth of what happens after someone in your family is murdered! The pain and the anxiety of it all, changes peoples life drastically. I really enjoyed the book, and i thought it had a great plot and a great conclusion. Even though the book was very sad, it was still very good!

If you are expecting a warped mystery where the ghost-girl helps her family find the killer, don't. The story strays away from the cliche spiritual/gothic plotline to something with more heart. Susie captures the heart as easily as she watches her family from heaven go through their various problems as they cope with her death. It is amazing how the author is able to attach something like "and while I pulling pieces of myself back together" with "I knew that it should have been like that, the four of them together, my family" in the same novel bound by glue and ingraved in ink. However, Alice Sebold did a wonderful job and I definitely recommend reading this book....and BEFORE you see the movie, don't spoil it for yourself.

If you are planning to write me off on your list of crazy people, ignore the review and never look at The Lovely bones, do us both a favour and DON'T.

I found this book to be an amazing read. I love Susy Salmon and her personality. The author takes something so sad and makes the reader feel for all the characters and their loss and at the same time falling in love with Susy. You just need to keep reading to know what happens as well as waiting for justice for the neighbor. I thoroughly enjoyed the movie as well!!!

I bought the Lovely Bones because I had seen the trailer for the movie. It looked interesting enough to read and the idea was a new topic for me to read about. After having read past Suzie's rape and murder, the book never seemed to pick up after that. It felt as if the story went on about nothing and just when you think it is gonna good - it doesn't! Then it ends without any closure. Also, I thought the whole last bit at the end, where setting takes place in the future, seemed really pointless. Overall this book was a huge disappointment. I feel the author could have done so much more her main idea for the story.

If you can stomach through the first chapter of the book, that doesn't got into extreme detail but enough that it causes your stomach to churn, you'll be pulled into a beautiful tale. I've never read a book that held both hopeless and hope at the same time. You want revenge yet somehow through the journey that gets shuffled aside from the stories of how those left behind are dealing with the lose. Everything about this book felt real. The struggle the police had with finding clues and how without evidence a gut feeling isn't enough. How the family dealt with the absence of Susie and how the conviction of a father can at times be painful to watch.

Now, there are some books where you read them in super fast speed. These books are 'page-turners' and have a great flow where you keep reading faster and faster. Then there are books that you love-love but it seems to take you forever to read. This, is no fault of the author's rhythm or anything but rather the fear you may miss something. "The Lovely Bones" falls into this category and the one where it's just so brilliant that you don't want to race through it to the end, you want to slowly eat away at it.

During this book I never hit a point where I found the plot hit a dry spot or I'd lost interest. Every time that could have happened Sebold dropped details and facts where other authors may not have. This kept you constantly engaged, waiting for more information and reactions. Her details were so vital, she gave lots but she held back at the same time, baiting you in a way that never felt obvious.

Hands down the best book I've read in 2009. I am now eagerly anticipating the movie release. Jackson was brilliant with LoTR and I'm counting on him blowing my mind with the movie version.

Over the summer I was looking for a novel to have my advanced college students read in the fall. After reading many books, including The Lovely Bones, I made my choice. As the mother of a young daughter, I found the first chapter very difficult and troubling, although beautifully written; but upon finishing the novel I was left with a sense of hope and love. Finally, I have been getting some positive feedback on the novel from my students. I am pleased with my choice!