Journal Entry 1 by sharalsbooks from Chandler, Arizona USA on Wednesday, August 04, 2004

When we first meet Susie Salmon, she is already in heaven. As she looks down from this strange new place, she tells us, in the fresh and spirited voice of a fourteen year old girl, a tale that is both haunting and full of hope.

In the weeks following her death, Susie watches life continuing without her --- her school friends trading rumors about her disappearance, her family holding out hope that she'll be found, her killer trying to cover his tracks. As months pass without leads, Susie sees her parents' marriage being contorted by loss, her sister hardening herself in an effort to stay strong, and her little brother trying to grasp the meaning of the word "gone."

And she explores the place called heaven. It looks a lot like her school playground, with the good kind of swing sets. There are counselors to help newcomers adjust and friends to room with. Everything she ever wanted appears as soon as she thinks of it --- except the thing she wants most: to be back with the people she loved on Earth.

With compassion, longing, and a growing understanding, Susie sees her loved ones pass through grief and begin to mend. Her father embarks on a risky quest to find her killer. Her sister undertakes a feat of remarkable daring. And the boy Susie cared for moves on, only to find himself at the center of a miraculous event. 

Journal Entry 2 by sharalsbooks from Chandler, Arizona USA on Thursday, August 05, 2004

Journal Entry 3 by sharalsbooks at on Saturday, August 21, 2004

Journal Entry 4 by antsnax from Austin, Texas USA on Sunday, September 05, 2004

My apologies- journalling a little late! Received this book last week, and already finished!

Excellent book, and despite the tragedies of the book, overall uplifting. Helped me to understand how differently death can affect people, and how to deal with grief. Highly recommended!

 

Journal Entry 5 by antsnax from Austin, Texas USA on Tuesday, October 05, 2004

Sent to next reader. Great book! 

Journal Entry 6 by KiwiWonder from Auckland, Auckland Province New Zealand on Monday, December 20, 2004

Arrived in the mail today... but won't be able to get to it until I get back in NZ. Will update on my progress! 

Journal Entry 7 by KiwiWonder from Auckland, Auckland Province New Zealand on Friday, January 14, 2005

Originally I was quite captivated by the book, but this wore off. I found the constant, outsider status of Susie's very depressing, and on the whole it is a really sad book. I also thought that it should have ended after the first cornfield ceremony -- it just seemed like the perfect ending. I did read the rest of the book from there, but a lot of it seemed like fluff... more of the same, watching and longing, watching and longing.... the last bit with Ruth was a nice touch, but it wasn't really worth the 100 extra pages it took to get there, in my opinion.

On the whole, it's an original idea, and well written, with some really poignant moments. But the book goes on for too long, and is really very sad... tho maybe I'm just the type that likes fluffy happy endings.

Will be passed on to Liltricks as soon as we meet up.... 

Journal Entry 8 by liltricks on Saturday, January 22, 2005

sorry i haven't made a comment earlier (seeing as i've posessed the book for some 5 days now) but i have finished the book so this is two entries in one!

so, i liked the book it was quite novel (get it? silly pun) and circumstances fun to read about, and being set where/when its set makes it more believeable... however.... i thought there were two many "main" chracters and in the same situations i would have done much more different things (trying not to spoil it for other people) the plot kind of waffles a little from where it first began and it never really "finished" for me per se like theres not a helovalotof closure you know?... anyways all and all good read... i hope Alice Sebold's next book will be better


right now passing it on 

Journal Entry 9 by liltricks on Thursday, February 10, 2005

sorry i didn't post this earlier.... (ops, my bad)

i have sent this out quite some time ago... some three weeks ago now.
so it should arrive at its next destination in the next few days
 

Journal Entry 10 by lisabb2 from Grimes, Iowa USA on Saturday, February 19, 2005

Got this book in the mail a week or so ago. Just finished it and am ready to send on to the next person. I've heard alot about this book but don't believe it lived up to all the hype in my opinion. It was a good read but maybe just not my normal type of book. I liked the idea of loved ones looking down on you from heaven and watching/cheering you on. Suzie sees how her tragic death affects lots of people and how they deal with trying to move on in live...nice touching story. 

Journal Entry 11 by Foucault from Edison, New Jersey USA on Friday, March 04, 2005

It just arrived safely. However (as I mentioned to sharalsbooks), I am going to be away for two weeks and unable to start reading it until my return. 

Journal Entry 12 by Foucault from Edison, New Jersey USA on Tuesday, March 22, 2005

Back from my travels in England - I've just started this book. 

Journal Entry 13 by Foucault from Edison, New Jersey USA on Tuesday, April 05, 2005

I've just contacted Ramya for her address. 

Journal Entry 14 by Foucault from Edison, New Jersey USA on Friday, April 15, 2005

As I didn't get a response from Ramya, I've just contacted trevo for a mailing address. 

Journal Entry 15 by Foucault from Edison, New Jersey USA on Wednesday, April 20, 2005

Finally, this book is out of the house, and on its way to trevo (via surface mail)! I still owe a journal entry, and I'll do that when I have a moment. 

Journal Entry 16 by Foucault from Edison, New Jersey USA on Thursday, April 21, 2005

I went into this book prepared not to like it, since I'd heard a few BC'ers talk about how disappointed they were in this book, but I really enjoyed it. I think it's suffered from "Hyped Book Syndrome", where because it's garnered so much attention, it automatically puts some people off.

POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING

While the narrator is (and much of the attention is on) poor Susie Salmon, victim of a terrible violent murder by a creepy serial killer obsessed with buildings, the story really isn't about Susie. Rather it is about how people cope with such a heinous act, and how the shared sorrow can bring people together.

Susie is really left as a helpless fourteen year old spectator , as her family and friends deal in their own way with the tragedy, some better than others. Susie's Mother runs away from home, only to return years later. Her Father becomes obsessed with finding the murderer. Susie's sister becomes stronger. Somebody who Susie only vaguely knew in passing, becomes fixated with her, and develops some kind of sensitivity to all the watching dead.

There is a large cast of well-developed characters, all intermingling in some way.

Of course, the killer is also still at large. He starts making mistakes unforgivable for such a meticulous serial murderer, and I thought that was going to lead to his downfall. I think that might have been a better way to deal with him than how he was eventually disposed of - that was really my only disappointment with the book.

I found Sebold's imaginative description of one idea of Heaven and how it works to be an interesting alternative to Mitch Albom's "The Five People You Meet In Heaven", which I also recently read. Of course you also have the invisible network connecting people associated with the dead person (the "Lovely Bones" of the book's title), which was one of the main threads of "Five People". 

Journal Entry 17 by trevo from Almada, not specified not specified on Thursday, June 16, 2005

Received the book today. Thanks Foucault. 

Journal Entry 18 by trevo from Almada, not specified not specified on Friday, July 29, 2005

Sorry for the delay.
Just finished reading it. An original idea, very well-written but not the type of literature that I really like.
I am going to contact Orange for her address. 

Journal Entry 19 by trevo from Almada, not specified not specified on Monday, August 08, 2005

The book is on its way to vikki, since I didn't get any response from boryha. 

Journal Entry 20 by Vikki from Hirosaki / 弘前市, Aomori-ken Japan on Wednesday, September 28, 2005

I loved this book - it's one of the most beautiful stories I've read in a while and one of the most moving; I was in tears once or twice, not a common occurrence I can assure you.