The Lovely Bones

When the book opens about Susie's fathers snow globe on his desk it seems like it's going to be slow, and indeed the first couple chapters are slow but, as time moves on earth Susie is stuck in the same body.

While things are going forward the book picks up a good pace to keep you interested, at times falling short, and not giving enough information to keep you really interested. Susie starts talking to the reader from her version of heaven. The author gives you the feeling that heaven is different for everyone and you get an intake counselor almost like high school.

Susie Salmon (like the fish) is 14 and was raped then murdered in a field a couple houses away from her home in December by a man her father knew but was very much a loner in their suburban neighborhood. Susie can't let go of her family so she spends her time watching them from her heaven, as she watches the family, friends and her murder she truly grows up even if she can't do it on Earth. She tells the story as she sees it and doesn't shy away from subjects that might seem too hard or inappropriate.

When Susie dies her family falls apart, her parents stop speaking, her mother sleeps with the lead detective in her case complicating the investigation, her younger sister becomes invisible to her family but finds the love of her life due to the pain brought on by being invisible and taking a chance. Her younger brother grows up and takes the position of man of the house, when her father gets injured trying to find out what happen to 'his' Susie.

With her friends and family growing up and her parents separating she is left feeling guilty for what happened to her. Wondering if she lived if things might have been different. You she what happens to her killer living in the same neighbor hood as his victim where rumors fly, and no one feels safe.

It gives an accurate feel of what suburbia life was like in 1973. The secrets, and love affairs, the pain the kids feel to be perfect, and the pain wife's feel when husbands refuse to come home. The emotion and writing sometimes feels fake, and the ending rushed. All and all it is a decent read, if you can get past the first couple chapters.