Reviews tagging 'Death'

The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold

108 reviews

carmeta's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.25

Extremely sad and graphic at times. Unforgettable.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Rape, Blood, Kidnapping, and Murder

bernie13's review against another edition

dark emotional 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? No

3.0

I’m not sure what tone I’m supposed to read this in. Like the way Mr Harvey is portrayed is confusing to me and the book is supposed to be from susie’s perspective but she doesn’t seem to be that disturbed by him? And why is she basically watching her family and friends have s*x?? I just found this book super weird and the end where she possesses Ruth and has s*x with Ray is so disturbing and weird. I don’t know what the author was thinking when she wrote this but I just feel like it could have gone in so many other directions. I found the tone to be off-putting and not what it should have been considering what the book is about. 

The way Susie’s POV is used is just weird like why is a 14 year old so interested in the s*x lives of her family and friends??

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Sexual violence

sarawildoosen's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Kidnapping, and Grief

serenityxnicole's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-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? It's complicated

4.0

Beautiful book! As an oldest sister, this made me cry twice! The only complaint is I hate the ending, but overall a good read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Death, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Murder, and Alcohol

greatexpectations77's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Okay, why the hell did I think this was a young adult book?? I swear that it was mis-shelved at my  library growing up because what was I doing reading this as a pre-teen??? I was just in love with this. It moved me and disgusted me and made me feel for these characters like entire whole people. Emotions are extremely complicated, as is grief. And there are so many beautiful lines in here. What a triumph of a novel about how survival is the most innate human urge. I wish I could speak in beautiful words like Ms. Sebold.
*bought at Bank Street Books, a used book store in Luray, VA, near Shenandoah National Park

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Grief, and Murder

Moderate: Bullying, Infidelity, Rape, Kidnapping, and Abandonment

Minor: Animal death, Sexual content, Blood, and Stalking

pumpkinmasterug's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Not the best novel I’ve read, but definitely not the worst. It presents grief through a range of perspectives and is definitely dark and uncomfortable at several points. I enjoyed majority of the book, however

the possession scene spoiled the tone of it all for me, especially since the argument for Susie sleeping with her crush instead of tracking down her killer is her reclaiming what was taken from her during her murder, but after she hopes her father dies to be in heaven with her TWICE she let’s her family suffer in grief when she could’ve caught her killer or unveiled the location of her body and helped them. Of course that would’ve been very cliche so I understand why Seabold avoided this, but it just made Susie come across very selfish and quite unlikeable.

It’s a bit corny in some places and I don’t think the writing style will suit everyone, and some of the characters are so flat and predictable they read more like AI trying to blend in than actual human beings, but I honestly didn’t mind that too much in this case. Overall though, it’s a good read with a hopeful message and I did enjoy it for the most part.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Death, Gore, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Cursing, Infidelity, and Abandonment

Minor: Alcoholism, Animal death, Body shaming, Mental illness, Death of parent, and Alcohol

deshanejt's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.5

The premise was dark, heartbreaking and sweet; The reality was, almost halfway thru the book, the plot seemed lost to me.

Painstakingly, you watch the family struggle to accept their grief while a community never stops moving forward. 

I guess the message the author wanted to leave us with would be life goes on. Remembering those you've lost along the way doesn't have to be painful... Lastly, it's a stark reminder, that justice isn't always served, but monsters still meet their end. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Death, Gore, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Alcohol

becks444's review against another edition

dark sad tense

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, and Sexual assault

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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Pedophilia, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Murder

Moderate: Racism

Minor: Grief

ltux's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal death, and Alcohol