Saturday, June 27, 2009

Guest Blogger...Here's Rhonda!

I am having technical difficulties with this post...it has now briefly disappeared...this is my attempt to recreate Rhonda's post and my earlier post...sorry!

My guest blogger for Bloggy Book Club is Rhonda from A Day in Rhonda's Life...she is one of my favorite bloggers...she is funny, witty and charming. This month's Bloggy Book Club choice was The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold.

The Lovely Bones is a story of young Susie Salmon, her tragic death, and how she is able to watch her family, and her murderer, from Heaven. It is a heavy, sad novel of tragedy, vengeance and ultimately of healing.

Stories of children in this context are never easy reads. It would not be a novel I would recommend for some light beach reading. It is, however, a story that makes you think.

I have often wondered what happens after you die. This viewpoint is how I like to think of it. No matter how I go, I want to be able to watch down on my family. I don’t want to miss graduations and weddings and babies being born. I like to think that this is possible.

Watching my family struggle, however, would be horrendous. Susie has a front row seat as her family copes with their loss. She sees her family fall apart. She watches her murderer live among them. Her friends. She witnesses horror and sadness, revenge and grief, and finally, acceptance, healing and love.

I’m not entirely certain whether or not I’m to assume you’ve read the novel and give away the ending. So I will anyway. It was a huge disappointment to me that there was no REAL ending. Yes, her family and friends were able to move on. We find out what comes of her murderer. But I needed them to find HER. I needed that closure. And that never happened. In life, yes, parents never find bodies of their children. People are left for years wondering. I know this is a real-life ending. But they were so close! I wanted to jump in and start screaming “She’s right there!! LOOK!”

I read for enjoyment. I read because I love a good story. I like a book with a beginning, a middle and an end. If you are like me, then you may want to avoid this book. It isn’t a happy read. It is difficult to get through at times, although it is well written. Sort of like The Shack in many ways. I think this stems from the real life experiences of the author, Alice Sebold. Her story, Lucky, is one you may want to read if you enjoyed The Lovely Bones.

I look forward to hearing other people’s thoughts on this novel! Thanks, Ronda, for letting me be your guest blogger today!


Thank you Rhonda, I agree with everything you wrote. I found this an interesting read and Alice Sebold is a great writer...it was interesting how she used the dead child's voice to tell the story. I found the author's idea of heaven intriguing. But, like you I wanted the child's body found and I wanted "the bad guy" caught and it was very unsettling for me that it did not happen in the context of the story. Perhaps, that is what she intended for her readers to feel...unsettled.

I do think a hallmark of a good book, for me at least is my willingness to pick up and reread a book through however, because of my feelings of this story...I wouldn't do it.

She does writes beautifully...it was her story I had issue with.


14 comments:

A New Yorker said...

I'm trying to read the post but the sentences are cut off on the right side.

Ronda's Rants said...

I am unsure what has happened...it looks fine to me...I mean at my end...I don't know what happened...sorry I might have to repost it! :)

Rhonda said...

It's coming through okay here too. It could probably use line breaks in between the paragraphs, though. That'll break it up a little bit so it is easier to read.

And you know what, Ronda?? Darn we're good together! lol

Ronda's Rants said...

Oh good...I couldn't figure out what happened! Sorry, Lauren...it does have funny gaps at my end...and I don't know how that happened but all the lines are thee.
Please check back!

A New Yorker said...

Still same.
"One of my favorite bloggers! My book" - just one example...is missing from the page. However if I copy and paste as I did here, viola. Kind of hard to read that way. Hmmm Oh wells. I still love your site and will be back always. You know why? Cuz...even tho we do not always share the same conclusions with our opinions, you respect me and that I respect and find so rare!

Betty said...

Your post looks fine to me. I can read it well.
Thanks for the review Rhonda. Sounds like an interesting read, but not my kind...

Claremont First Ward said...

Sounds really interesting. If it's been given two thumbs up by two favorites, I'll have to read it too.

Roshni said...

Ok, first off, I didn;t find anything wrong with the post in terms of page breaks etc.

The book seems extremely interesting but the question I ask myself after reading your review is whether I am brave enough to read it! It seems particularly heart-wrenching though with a fascinatingly unique perspective.

Ronda's Rants said...

It was interesting and well written...I just found it to be a difficult read. Many people...I mean many loved this book!
Thanks for the input on the blog...I have had difficulties!

Beth Ann said...

Hi Ronda!!

Hummm... that book sounds like it is worth looking into..I did read The Shack... and cried, but got through it.... and it too made me think...Boy that sure would be neat if the Trinity was really like that!
Great to hear from you!
Yes, we will get back around the 20th. What are your plans in PS? How long might you be there? Maybe meet for a glass of wine or ice tea? :)Ill be blogging from Idaho...

Brenda said...

It sounds like an interesting and well-written book - just too heavy of a topic for me to read right now.

Karyn said...

One of Roger's teachers-he is 15-reccommended this book with the caveat of "mature content." He was very upset with how Susie died. I read the death scene with him and told him that was probably as bad as it would get. I encouraged him to try to keep reading. Of course, the book had other "mature content" and I wished I had stopped him in the beginning. Roger said overall the book was okay.
I still want to read The Lovely Bones, I shall have to add it to my long list!

Jennifer said...

I read this quite awhile ago and I rmember thinking it was pretty good--but being disappointed by the ending!

honeypiehorse said...

Ahhhh - I couldn't stand that ending. I would need to know that all is discovered and the bad guy dies horribly to make it through the story. Not sure why that would help but there it is.