"My name was Salmon, like the fish; first name, Susie. I was fourteen when I was murdered on December 6, 1973."
So begins the story of Susie Salmon, who is adjusting to her new home in heaven, a place that is not at all what she expected, even as she is watching life on earth continue without her — her friends trading rumors about her disappearance, her killer trying to cover his tracks, her grief-stricken family unraveling.
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First and foremost, I loved this book. I completely understand both its popularity among readers and the decision to make it into a full-length film (although I realize that doesn't say much considering Hollywood's never ending desire to turn everything into a movie). It makes you think. Granted...I'm not talking about some deep soul searching, where you come out changed for the better, when it's all over, but it's not mindless drivel either.
To avoid going into too much detail and potentially ruining the book for you, I'll just touch on a few of the things I liked about the book. First of all, I enjoyed the idea of missed opportunities and "what ifs". Susie narrates the entire book, while she watches from heaven as her family continues on without her. She has to watch her younger siblings go through things that she will never have the chance to experience. It makes you realize that tomorrow is not a guarantee. You can't always count on being able to "do it tomorrow", because you don't know what's just around the corner for you. You could drop dead right now and be stuck in eternity thinking "I should have done it."
I really enjoyed Sebold's writing. There was just something about the way she wrote the book that made me truly feel for the characters. I felt sorry for Jack Salmon, Susie's father. I wanted so badly for him to get his wish and catch Susie's killer. I loathed George Harvey and, at every turn, wanted him to be caught and punished for what he did to Susie. I hated, hated, hated Abigail Salmon, Susie's mother, for seemingly turning her back on the pain and suffering of her own children and husband for her own needs. It's rare that I find a book where I honestly empathize with characters. Normally, I just know what they're going through, but don't feel any real emotion about their ultimate fates. With The Lovely Bones, I wanted to climb into the book and just make everything better.
Finally, there was heaven. I liked that it wasn't overtly religious. In fact, it was, to me at least, completely void of religion. No obligatory angels. No floating on clouds. I appreciated (and actually agreed with) the idea that heaven is whatever you want it to be. It all comes down to what makes you happy.
Now, on to what I didn't like so much. To begin with, Abigail Salmon. More specifically, her portrayal. Now, I realize I was just commending Sebold on her ability to make you feel what she wants you to feel, but I didn't like how she made me feel about Abigail. I just didn't get why Susie's mother had to be so selfish. What was gained by Abigail's complete lack of caring about how her actions affected not only her husband, but her own children? She just seemed to be all about herself and I couldn't understand why. I'm sure someone can explain, but I'm at a loss.
Next, there's the characters. More specifically, some of the secondary characters. I realize not everything has to mean something, but there were a couple cases where it seemed like there was a big deal being made about a character that didn't seem to really bring anything significant to the story. One example would be Ruth Cooper. To me, it felt like the only reason she was in the story at all was for the one scene toward the end with Ray Singh (again...trying not to ruin things, so sorry for the vague reference). Hal Heckler kinda seemed pointless too. I kept expecting this big revelation about him that would explain his importance to the overall story, but it never came and it left me wondering why he needed to be there.
So...bottom line is that I would definitely recommend this book. Personally, I'd read it before seeing the movie, but that's just how I am, so don't feel obligated to follow my word on that part :), but do read the book. You won't regret it.
~Missy
P.S.
ONLY READ THE FOLLOWING IF: 1) YOU DON'T MIND HAVING PART OF THE ENDING RUINED OR 2) YOU'VE ALREADY READ THE BOOK.
Do you think Susie had a hand in knocking down the icicle that led to Mr. Harvey's demise?
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