The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold, 328 pages

"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." -Inside flap of front cover

It's a wonderful thing to be moved by a book in some way, to think about it long after you've finished it and to feel like you're different for having read it. It happens every now and then and it's one of the reasons I love to read.

The Lovely Bones moved me.

As a mother you watch the stories on the news about children disappearing and parents never knowing their fate, or learning years later, and you wonder how you would live in that reality, how you would live with the unknown. I'm not sure I could. After reading this book I'm even more sure that I'm not sure! Yet that is the task Susie's family is faced with in this book as Susie watches and narrates from her heaven. The tragedy and triumph of this book is in how they do it. Alice Sebold has created a story that is so well-written you feel like you have stepped into something absolutely, horrifically real.

The way the family members deal with Susie's disappearance is what makes this story so heart-wrenching and emotional. The father becomes vigilant in his pursuit of his suspected killer until it leads to an accident. The mother retreats inward and deals with her grief in ways that are both understandable and despicable. The younger brother is too young to fully understand until he's older. The younger sister becomes the visual reminder of what is missing and the grandma becomes the glue that tries to hold them all together. Other characters are woven throughout and equally lovable.

It is a suspenseful novel as well. You want Susie's killer to be caught so badly. You cheer for Susie's dad and her sister as they become suspicious of her killer and even break into his house. You want justice for Susie and all of the other girls.

The very first chapter is incredibly hard to read. It's the chapter in which Susie describes her death. I felt myself screaming "Don't go!" as I read it and crying when she went. The rest isn't much easier reading, emotionally speaking, but it's worth it in my opinion. I found myself exhausted at the end, yet hopeful as well. Life really does go on in messy, complicated ways.

There is a little language in this book including two F-words and content related to a serial killer but neither is graphic or excessive. Chapter 22 took a slightly strange turn reminiscent of the movie Ghost.

If you read this have a box of tissue handy. You'll need it.