Friday, January 22, 2010

Review: The Lovely Bones...Book and Movie

The Lovely Bones is more than just a story of the tragedy of a murdered girl.  It is the story of a family and how the aftershocks of such a tragedy can rend and tear at the fragile threads that hold it together.  For anyone who has children, this is an especially difficult read because there are predators in this world and this story is something that could really happen--albeit without the fantastical elements.  I really liked the way Sebold had Susie in heaven and yet she was able to watch her family and almost make them feel her presence.  The story was really a parallel of a family that needed fixing and a girl who needed to move on to her afterlife.  Only after the family was able to heal (at the level that healing is possible when something like this happens), was Susie able to realize her peace.  The book is also very suspenseful and holds one of the most vial characters I have ever had the displeasure of reading.  I recommend this book for its beautiful writing and its cautionary tone...teach your children to keep their trust close.  There are monsters in this world and they can live right across the street.

The Lovely Bones--the movie

This was a very good movie.  Of course, what can we expect from Peter Jackson?! It stays relatively true to the book, with a few minor differences.  I have read critics complain that Jackson took too soft of a tone by not portraying that Susie is raped and murdered.  Depicting the rape, or even letting on that she was raped, was not necessary.  Anyone with a brain can figure out that this happens...clues are given in the obsessive behavior of the murderer.  It is beautifully acted.  Saoirse Ronan as Susie brings such luminosity to the role.  This girl has a very bright future in acting.  And Stanley Tucci...wow! I knew he was a good actor, but he really brings creepiness to a new level. 

Go see this movie, but read the book first (if possible).  I liked the movie, but I liked the book better (of course).

This book was read for these challenges:

Read the Book, See the Movie Challenge
Monthly Mixer Mele
Countdown Challenge 2010
New Authors Challenge




FTC Disclaimer:  This book came from my personal shelves and I did not receive any compensation for reading and reviewing it.

12 comments:

Thank you for visiting and taking the time to comment. It means so much.

I apologize for word verification, but as soon as I changed the settings from only users with Google accounts, I started receiving a ton of spam comments...within one hour of changing the settings. The bots are on high alert apparently.

  1. I actually liked the movie better than the book! I"m glad you liked both. :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Good review. I listened to this on audio and struggled with the monotone voice of the reader. I like the story line and still need to read the book and love that the movie sounds like it was good as well.

    ReplyDelete
  3. i read this book several years ago when on holiday in Egypt and made my tour guide think i was some kind of crazy tourist as i was SOBBING as i read the end! he kept saying to my friend 'but it isn't real right?' heh heh. i love this book and am really looking forward to seeing the movie. i watched an interview with Peter Jackson who said he was not interested in filming the murder of a young girl and i really applaud him for not sucumbing to the pressure and focusing instead on what the book is really about - the people and their relationships.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I read the book twice (loved it), and hope to see the movie too. Glad u enjoyed it.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I've had the book lying around forever waiting to be read, one of these days I will get to it. Promise.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I've been so worried about this movie not living up to my feelings about the book. Good to hear that they've done a good job with it.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I want to see the movie. It's been awhile since I have read the book, but I remember not liking it as much as everyone else did

    ReplyDelete
  8. Very nicely done!

    I have been avoiding this book and movie. I'm not real big on the plot of the book. It saddens me along with scares me.

    Glad to hear that the movie did well with comparison to the book. I always wonder this even on books I have not read.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Thanks everyone for stopping by and commenting!

    mummazappa--The book was very hard because it was so sad. The part that really got me, oddly enough, was when she was looking back to when her and her sister were little and were under the water holding their breath and looking at each other. I just cried and cried. It made me think of myself and my sister and how sad it would be to lose a sister (or any sibling for that matter).

    ReplyDelete
  10. Great review! I've read this book a few times and it is wonderful and beautifully written, but on such a sad subject.

    I just saw the movie recently, and I agree the book was better but Peter Jackson still did a good job.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I love this book and I also thought that the movie was well-done.

    ReplyDelete
  12. why was the book ever challenged or banned?

    ReplyDelete
- See more at: http://www.techtrickhome.com/2013/02/show-comment-box-above-comments-on.html#sthash.TjHz2Px9.dpuf
- See more at: http://www.techtrickhome.com/2013/02/show-comment-box-above-comments-on.html#sthash.TjHz2Px9.dpuf