NAME Maddie Menke DATE 2/9/11 TITLE Lovely Bones TIME 2 HOURS
AUTHOR Alice Sebold PAGES 80-157
TOTAL PAGES THIS WEEK 77
What exciting events just happened? What do you think will happen next, and why?
A very recent event in this story was Susie's mother, Abigail cheats on Susie's dad with Len the police officer. She kisses him but at first he tries not to kiss her back but gives in. This really made me mad. How could Abigail cheat on her husband at a time like this? When they are grieving, when they need each other the most. I was upset that she could do that, that she would hurt her husband even more. But I knew what was going on. I didn't like it but I understood. She was in despair, her emotions filling with the loss of her dead daughter that she would do anything to push her daughter from her mind. She let her pain and sorrow take over her and she did what she knew was wrong, what Susie knew was wrong. Susie had to watch her family be split from each other as her death pulled them farther and farther apart. I think that Susie's death will continue to break apart the family and in time Abigail will leave. Abigail asked her mom if she could borrow a cabin to get away sometime if she needed and I think she might. Even if she leaves I know she will have to return. Susie's family is having problems, they are breaking apart. But they still need each other. No matter what happens they will need each other to get through this.
A very recent event in this story was Susie's mother, Abigail cheats on Susie's dad with Len the police officer. She kisses him but at first he tries not to kiss her back but gives in. This really made me mad. How could Abigail cheat on her husband at a time like this? When they are grieving, when they need each other the most. I was upset that she could do that, that she would hurt her husband even more. But I knew what was going on. I didn't like it but I understood. She was in despair, her emotions filling with the loss of her dead daughter that she would do anything to push her daughter from her mind. She let her pain and sorrow take over her and she did what she knew was wrong, what Susie knew was wrong. Susie had to watch her family be split from each other as her death pulled them farther and farther apart. I think that Susie's death will continue to break apart the family and in time Abigail will leave. Abigail asked her mom if she could borrow a cabin to get away sometime if she needed and I think she might. Even if she leaves I know she will have to return. Susie's family is having problems, they are breaking apart. But they still need each other. No matter what happens they will need each other to get through this.
How did what you read today make you feel?
I was still not over the initial shock of Susie's death. She was such a nice girl, she had a life ahead of her. A mother, father, brother, sister, and family who loved her. It's hard to believe that one day Susie could be happy with a long life stretching out in front of her, and the next it's all gone. It was shocking to me. Another thing that I felt in this reading was the family changing. They are still sad but they are growing, every moment is not consumed with sadness anymore. They are starting to live again. It will be slow but it is the beginning. If I were Susie I would be glad for this change. I wouldn't want my family to live their lives missing the dead. They need to live, because she can not. On the other hand, as Susie's family goes on with her life, she can not. She will never live again or be with her family down on Earth. She will have to watch them go through everything as they slowly move on from her death. They will never forget her but she will never live with them again. Her life is over and her family is starting to accept that, and maybe in time so will Susie so she can move on to the heaven away from Earth. I was upset but I realized that life must go on for everyone else.
Would you read another book by this author? Why?
I would definitely read another book by this author. It is a captivating, thrilling, and dramatic story of pain, death, and loss. It is realistic, life does not always go as planned. Bad things happen and are going to happen. Life is not a fairy tale, happy ever afters don't always happen. Things don't always work out. This book is about the pain of loss and the sense of revenge and justice. It is really descriptive it makes you feel how the characters feel. When I am reading I can not think about anything else. My mind is completely on the book, I can't focus on anything other thing. I can feel how the characters feel, their pain and hatred. I feel their sorrow and it makes me cry sometimes when I read it. This story makes you feel like you are really there. It makes you wonder. I always think for hours on end after reading a section. It raises very interesting questions and is impossible to put down. This is one of my favorite books I have read so far and I would love to read another.
Hi Maddie-
ReplyDeleteI was also apalled when I read and connected what was happening between Len and Abigail. I was ashamed and mad at her, but I was also understanding about it to a point. I mean, I do understand why she ran away from her family. I understand that she needed a way to funnel her thoughts away from Susie. But did she have to cheat on her husband? Did she have to choose that kind of option to get away from her dead daughter? I think that her father chose a much better outlet. He devoted his time to first find out who killed her, then once he knew it was Mr. Harvey, he devoted his time to convincing the police that it was him.
I also agree with your second paragraph- I don't think that throughout this whole book, I will be able to forget that Susie's dead. I will never get over the initial shock of her being murdered. I mean, I know that the whole book's story is based on her death, but I don't think there will ever be a time in the book where I will be able to think," Oh she is acting like Susie never died." Mainly because I think that they will never get over it. It is just a part of their life. Well, actually I think that they will get a lot better at going back to their lives then when it first happened, but it will always be a part of them.
Your third chapter I liked also because I wrote a paragraph kind of similar in my first post. I completely agree. I think I actually may read another book by this author after I finish this book. I really like it. It is sad, but it's a really well written book and I love how the author describes heaven. And the author was actually raped herself, so you know that even though it is a fictional story, you know there is a ring of truth to it all.