The Lovely Bones Audiobook By Alice Sebold cover art

The Lovely Bones

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The Lovely Bones

By: Alice Sebold
Narrated by: Alice Sebold
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Now read by the author, this edition also includes an interview with Alice Sebold and the first chapter of her new book, The Almost Moon.When we first meet 14-year-old Susie Salmon, she is already in heaven. This was before milk carton photos and public-service announcements, she tells us; back in 1973, when Susie mysteriously disappeared, people still believed things like that didn't happen.

In the sweet, untroubled voice of a precocious teenage girl, Susie relates the awful events of her death and her own adjustment to the strange new place where she finds herself. It looks a lot like her school playground, with the good kind of swing sets.

With love, longing, and a growing understanding, Susie watches her family as they cope with their grief: her father embarks on a search for the killer, her sister undertakes a feat of amazing daring, her little brother builds a fort in her honor, and they begin the difficult process of healing.

This story of seemingly unbearable tragedy is transformed into a suspenseful and touching narrative about family, memory, love, heaven, and living.

©2002 Alice Sebold (P)2007 Hachette Audio Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Psychological Suspense Thriller & Suspense Exciting Scary

Critic reviews

"A stunning achievement." ( The New Yorker)
"A keenly observed portrait of familial love...a deeply affecting meditation on the ways in which terrible pain...can be redeemed." ( The New York Times)
"A personal and artistic triumph." ( Time)

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The story is good, though hard to listen to at times due to the graphic detail.
The author's reading is toneless and flat though.

Good story, a little toneless

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Lovely Bones held my attention throughout. Recommend it and I am hard to please. Thanks.

Enjoyed this book.

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What did you love best about The Lovely Bones?

This book reminds me of the stories where we hear of horrible acts taking place with multiple by-standanders and no one taking action to stop the horror in front of their eyes.

You don't get closure from this story, you get more reality, and possibly a message of how it should be reather than how it is.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

The plot was consistantly changing and kept me interested the whole time. You ware watching the lives of all of the individuals that were in some way connected to the girl in this story. It all comes back to her. It has a strange connection to "It's A Wonderful Life" in that way. An opportunity to know what the world would be like if it had to continue without you.

Have you listened to any of Alice Sebold’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No this was the first.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

The heart of your family, no matter which memeber of the family fills that role, is the one who can be counted on to take in the truth, all of your pain, and help everyone else to heal.

Any additional comments?

I will be looking for more from both this author and this reader.

Call to action!

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If you could sum up The Lovely Bones in three words, what would they be?

Somber, timeless, and elegant.

What did you like best about this story?

The Lovely Bones ushers us into a world of loss, alienation, love, hope, and vigilance. Told from both sides of the grave, it is an unusual fictional experience.

Any additional comments?

The author has been criticized for reading her story instead of having it "professionally" read. I found the author's reading to be somber, elegant, and perfect for the story..

Author's reading has just right tempo

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im not sure how others will come away from the Salman family but for one am changed. I have been in a limbo of fear since my bout of cancer a few years ago and it's wierd how a book about a murdered 14 year old girl would help me navigate this difficult path. thank you Alice

it changes you

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I watched the movie years ago and was not prepared for the differences in the book's story line. Very thought provoking and emotional. I listened via Audiobook and I personally did not enjoy the narrator's voice (who also just so happens to be the author). I went through a plethora of emotions from sadness, anger, betrayal, vengeance, etc. This story really does make you wonder about violence against women and girls, how families handle grief, and the spiritual possibility of life after death. Overall it was a decent story.

An emotional roller coaster

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I found this performance a perfect reading of this story. So many reviews mention not appreciating the author's voice and reading style. I found it to be the perfect blend of a suspenseful voice, and yet sensitive telling. Thus delicate reading of the tragic and yet uplifting story of a murdered girl, her murderer and how her death impacted her family gripped my heart. The way she wrote and performed the viewpoint of the dead being able to watch and experience the living was fascinating to me. I am haunted by the story, and I find it pervading my thoughts. Thank you for having the courage to perform your own work!

Gripping, heart wrenching, could not put it down

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9/10 story

1/10 narration

Story is great, maybe you should just read it.

Story makes up for the monotone reading

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This book is amazing the movie is so good but the book gives you so much details and back stories I truly love it. It's such a roller coaster of emotions. The reading was so great when the author was reading I felt like I could see what she was saying due to how much detail she put into this beautiful creation that is a book. This will definitely be in my top 5 favorite books.

Amazing Book & Amazing Reading!

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overall, the story was good, but I wanted some justice for Suzy. I know others didn't like that the author read the story in a monotone, but for me, it gave me something. as the heaven wasn't heaven the way I know it to be this version made since.
I ached for things to happen that never did and I really wanted to know more about the other victims.
I wanted to know what happened to Ruth at the end I just wanted.

a little disappointed

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