The Lovely Bones, Alice Sebold

This is one of my favorite books. Ever. Though it is by no means cheery. I think it's because of how humbled I feel reading it. I have never been hurt the way Susie was. Nor have I had any of my loved ones be hurt like that.

I remember the first time I read it, I had to put it down in the first chapter and walk away for a couple minutes. Susie recounting the tale of her murder was one thing. To read about a fourteen year old girl being raped by her neighbor, murdered, and then cut into pieces was another. Over time, I think it has effected me because I am a woman. I do not know if a man would react differently than I would to that portion of the book. I found that in reading it this time, I still had to put it down in places. The events with her family and friends feel quite raw, very "chewy." I took those opportunities to refill my coffee cup.

I think I feel worst for her father. I think his struggle with loosing his oldest child is the most painful. Knowing your daughter's killer is living two houses down from yourself is bad. Knowing he lives two houses down from your remaining two children has to be excruciating. I found myself feeling less sorry for her mother, but I suppose that everyone deals with their grief in different ways.

As far as Mr. Harvey goes, I recall being disappointed in his death the first time I read it. It was so insignificant. But this time around, I laughed. A serial killer, who psychologically probably wanted to get caught, dies because he was attempting another murder, but instead gets bonked on the head with an icicle and falls into the ravine that he was going to hide the body in. I love that kind of dramatic irony.

One of my favorite parts of the book is the last little blurb. Where a construction worker finds the rest of her bracelet and brings it home to his wife. They are completely unaware of little Susie Salmon and her brutal death. And he says that the little girl is probably all grown up by now. I think it was a phenomenal way to portray that time has moved on, as it should after the mess that happened in that neighborhood.

I think The Lovely Bones touches me in a way, on a very personal level. After loosing a loved one, I tend to brood a little. Wondering if they're with me. I like the idea that those I love can look after me once they are gone. I'm probably like Buckley in that sense. I like to think that when I speak to my grandparents that they listen. And that they're talking back to me. That they could create a miracle of a garden that is not neatly separated.