OUTSIDE READING #3

The Lovely Bones can be hard for me to relate to because I have never lost someone so close to me before. Susie’s family has to go through life, never truly understanding the reason for her death. They are always wondering if they could have done something to change Susie’s sad outcome. I never have had to deal with that kind of wondering.
The thing that keeps me reading and turning the pages is the author’s descriptions of the characters’ emotions—you can begin to comprehend and feel the pain and sorrow Susie’s family feels after her unexpected and unsolved murder. By the 100th page I could really see the differences in reactions from each character when it came to Susie’s death. Each family member has their own way of dealing with her death.
The author’s explanation on how Susie’s peers reacted to the news of her death, I thought, was interesting;

“…The story of my death began to travel through the halls of the school, receiving add-on nuances as all good horror stories do. They were hard-pressed to make the horror any more horrible than it was. But the details were still missing, the what and where and who became hollow bowls to fill with their conjectures. Devil. Worship. Midnight…” (38)

I thought the reaction from Susie’s classmates about her death was an interesting interpretation to the reactions many people have after they hear someone has died. They don’t know what the right thing to do is, so instead they do the wrong thing. In The Lovely Bones, the ‘right’ thing would be to comfort Susie’s family in their time of loss. But instead the young students do the ‘wrong’ thing; spread lies about Susie’s murder. In their attempts of grieving they ultimately end up blaming someone that isn’t to blame, Ray Singh. Ray Singh may be able to avoid the police’s questioning because of his air tight alibi. But he would never be able to avoid the accusing glances from his classmates no matter how innocent he may be. In real life people do the same thing. They, because of their bad judgment, end up making false stories to please themselves; not even thinking about who they may be hurting in the process.

OUTSIDE READING #2

This week I managed to read the first 47 pages of my book, The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold. So far, the book has been quite sorrowful and gruesome. The main character, Susie Salmon, is recognized in the first couple of pages. After her personality, family, friends and daily routine has been established, she begins telling the sad story of her death. While Susie is telling the tale of her life before death, she is also describing her life after death, in heaven. As she begins to understand her new life in heaven, she is also beginning to see how the death of a loved one can affect a person in weird ways. Susie begins to understand that heaven may be the ideal place, but the one thing she desires most is the one thing she can’t have; life. She would give anything to be able to comfort her family, tell the truth about her death and stop all the dumb lies about that horrible, terrible, cold night.

The book has been very good, so far. Its different from any book I have ever read before because of the combined description of the character’s life before death and after. I am very excited to read more.

For my next week of reading I predict that, as Susie’s family gets more pessimistic about her safe return home, she will try to give signs to her family members below. She will try to send them hints to how she got murdered and who her murderer is. But since heaven has certain ‘limitations’ and ‘rules’ about such things as conversing with the living, Susie will somehow get in trouble .

OUTSIDE READING #1

For this month’s outside reading assignment I have chosen the book, The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold. I have not started the book yet but from what I have read from the back cover, it seems to be a very promising read. The book is centered on a young girl by the name of Susie Salmon, who has been murdered at the age of 14. While Susie is adjusting to her new life in heaven, she must also come to terms with her death and the friends and family she has left behind.

I chose The Lovely Bones for a couple of reasons. One reason was because my mom, while we stood in the bookstore sifting through stacks of novels, told me it was supposed to be a good book. She has not read it yet but the women in her book club have recommended the book many tines. Another reason I chose this book was because right on the cover it says, “#1 NATIONAL BESTSELLER,” which always is a good indicator of the book’s quality. Finally, what made me buy The Lovely Bones instead of another book, was because of its cover. I like the cover! Its bright with big, bold lettering and has a pretty picture of a charm bracelet.

I look forward to writing about this book and its content next week! Bye.