I have a confession to make. Sometimes when I feel a bit down I like to read passages from my favourite books. I know it's strange but sometimes it's so nice to get lost in the words, tone and meaning of a good stories. The Lovely Bones is one of those books I've read over and over again.
The story is narrated by Susie Salmon - a teenage girl who is brutally raped and murdered in the first chapter. Yes, that's right, it's narrated by the deceased. Susie watches over her family and friends - seeing them grow and change over the years following her death. She also describes her own personal journey - coming to grips with the fact that her life has ended so early.
Despite the morbid subject matter, I can only describe this as a beautifully written book. It doesn't paint the picture of a family that comes together to grieve a lost daughter/sister. Instead, it paints a picture of a family that falls apart over it, leaving individuals who must then put themselves back together with renewed life.
Sebold uses language that is both simple, haunting and surreal to create the tone of this book. I walked away feeling satisfied.
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