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fkshg8465's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
I saw the movie years ago and remember it differently than the book. So some of the content was surprising to me. I’m undecided on how I feel about these differences.i think I liked the movie better than the book because the movie was more dramatic and had actual resolution. The book is satisfying in a different way, and in some ways, more realistic in that when people die, the rest of us still need to find a way to keep living.
I thought the writing was strong, but I’m conflicted on the story.
I thought the writing was strong, but I’m conflicted on the story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
tamzy6's review against another edition
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
3.5 stars. It's a beautiful story and I really liked the concept of the Inbetween. The story is filled with broken people but they didn't feel like caricatures. Each one of them had distinct and rich personalities. It was really bittersweet seeing them grow up and experience the things that Susie will never be able to do in human form.
UNTIL... The ending.What the fuck was that about? I really disliked how Sebold just HAD to give Susie that 'perfect' ending in human form, where Susie kind of possessed Ruth's body and then had sex with Ray? I'm all for fantasy and magical realism, we are reading about a ghost's thoughts after all, but romanticising this possession felt vulgar and weird. This could have been a 4 star read but meh, it felt weird after that.
Also, how did this book get published without a copyeditor because I found there were lots of weird phrases and spelling mistakes, e.g. using "reverted" instead of "riveted", and I had to re-read it to make sure I wasn't imagining things. You know, basic writing stuff.
UNTIL... The ending.
Also, how did this book get published without a copyeditor because I found there were lots of weird phrases and spelling mistakes, e.g. using "reverted" instead of "riveted", and I had to re-read it to make sure I wasn't imagining things. You know, basic writing stuff.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Infidelity, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Grief, and Murder
agosto111's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I love this book so much!! WARNING RAPE AND A LOT OF REALLY TRAUMATIZING THINGS.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, and Murder
This is an amazing book but please be careful this book is really triggering and sad so read with cautionsammispaniol's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
I was really excited to read this book but I couldn’t yawn harder. The first two chapters were on your toes and then after that, I was fully seated the rest of the book. Falling asleep thinking about it. Whoever wrote the review that this will be “a classic in vein of To Kill a Mockingbird,” what kind of drugs were you on? Cause no. I gave it two stars instead of one just because I like the idea of what the book COULD HAVE BEEN but it definitely wasn’t it. So glad to have it over with. Took way too long for me cause I was dreading picking it up.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Murder
michaelion's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
The only part I didn't like so much was her coming back to life to have sex. Like I get it I don't wanna die a virgin either but there's more life to live other than sex! I loved everything else though. No complaints!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Gore, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Grief, Stalking, Murder, and Abandonment
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Racism, and Sexual content
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Suicide, and Dementia
kassidypf13's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Pedophilia, Rape, and Sexual assault
una_klavina's review against another edition
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Pedophilia, Rape, and Murder
mika_thewriter's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Rape, and Murder
eleanor_18's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Honestly, just watch the movie. Although, that’s not entirely true…
The lovely bones starts off with quite a graphic scene in which the main character Susie is raped and murdered, which given the coming-of-age nature of the book feels unnecessarily descriptive.
It then depicts how Susie in heaven and her family on earth deal with the aftermath. This is where the book truly shines. It has beautiful depictions and ideas of heaven. From heaven, Susie recalls her teenage life and Alice Sebold perfectly captures these moments of what it means to grow up but to day-dream like a teenager. Sebold depicts Susie’s family’s struggle to reconcile her death and how each member copes with their grief in their own unique way, whilst struggling to keep the family together. Sebold does this by giving each character their own rich background and story in a way that allows the reader to sympathise with each one. The film also displays this well and is able to capture Sebold’s rich descriptive and emotive tapestry.
However, where the film ends, the book caries on. This is when Sebold loses her essence. The plot starts to become very drawn out with not much happening to keep interest, whilst the characters appear to stop developing and keep recycling the same emotional patterns. Finally, towards the end things begin to get wrapped up, albeit with one very weird sex scene.
Also throughout, despite the running theme that Susie’s killer took everything from her. Sebold continuously makes slightly weird and uncomfortable comments sexualising the pubescent girls in the book. These are purely added to the description and add quite literally nothing to the story. Given, what happened to Susie they seem especially bizarre and uncomfortable.
Therefore, as a book it’s mixed, the first 1/3 is very good but that’s where the book needs to end, just like the film does.
The lovely bones starts off with quite a graphic scene in which the main character Susie is raped and murdered, which given the coming-of-age nature of the book feels unnecessarily descriptive.
It then depicts how Susie in heaven and her family on earth deal with the aftermath. This is where the book truly shines. It has beautiful depictions and ideas of heaven. From heaven, Susie recalls her teenage life and Alice Sebold perfectly captures these moments of what it means to grow up but to day-dream like a teenager. Sebold depicts Susie’s family’s struggle to reconcile her death and how each member copes with their grief in their own unique way, whilst struggling to keep the family together. Sebold does this by giving each character their own rich background and story in a way that allows the reader to sympathise with each one. The film also displays this well and is able to capture Sebold’s rich descriptive and emotive tapestry.
However, where the film ends, the book caries on. This is when Sebold loses her essence. The plot starts to become very drawn out with not much happening to keep interest, whilst the characters appear to stop developing and keep recycling the same emotional patterns. Finally, towards the end things begin to get wrapped up, albeit with one very weird sex scene.
Also throughout, despite the running theme that Susie’s killer took everything from her. Sebold continuously makes slightly weird and uncomfortable comments sexualising the pubescent girls in the book. These are purely added to the description and add quite literally nothing to the story. Given, what happened to Susie they seem especially bizarre and uncomfortable.
Therefore, as a book it’s mixed, the first 1/3 is very good but that’s where the book needs to end, just like the film does.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse and Rape
Moderate: Child death and Murder
girlfawn's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Pedophilia, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Murder
Moderate: Racism
Minor: Grief