Book Review of The Lovely Bones

The story of a 14-year-old teenager who was mercilessly raped, murdered, and dismembered is narrated by Susie Salmon herself. While walking home from school, Mr. Harvey, her neighbor, persuades Salmon to take a look at the secret room he had built in the field, rapes her, and kills her. Susie arrives in heaven and discovers that the heaven is different, she observes the aftermath of her murder on her family as they try to deal with their loss. She keeps an eye on them and also watches her murderer while he goes about his crime unpunished. Ultimately, Susie then concludes that she must let her family go because they have eventually let her go and forgotten her. With longing, sympathy, and growing understanding, Susie watches her loved ones go through sorrow and continue to recover. But, when she does, she witnesses her killer's death in an accident and the souls of the girls he has murdered rejoice.