Author: Alice Sebold
Genre: Fiction, Standalone
Published: 2002
Personal Rating: 2/5 (not enjoyable)
Yearly Count: 122
Fourteen-year-old Susie is brutally murdered on her way home from school. She tells the story of how her family and friends deal with her death from her heaven.
I started this book years ago and put it aside because I just wasn't in the mood for it at the time. Due to the movie coming out, I thought this would be the perfect time to pick it back up.
I think at the time it was written Susie may have had an interesting and unique perspective, but now it didn't seem like anything special to me. I actually found it to be a bit boring and lacking tension. The characters (and the story line) were unrealistic and frankly, a bit ridiculous. I do think that some of the emotions of some of the characters throughout the years were genuine, but there was just too much hokey stuff with Susie in heaven that I didn't care or connect with much of anything.
I read this a while ago after a friend of mine raved over it. It didn't do much for me either.
ReplyDeleteOh Joy, sorry this disappointed; i loved it, and am looking forward to reading it a 2nd time before the movie releases. See...we readers are all so different :)
ReplyDeleteBermudaonion ~ My friend loved it, too! I'm glad I'm not the only one who didn't think it was all that good. (I thought I was!)
ReplyDeleteDiane ~ I love that we are all different. We get new ideas and perspectives. It really would be so boring if we were all the same, wouldn't it? I just don't like being the only that doesn't like something.
Everyone seems to love this one, but I was so disappointed after reading it. I'm still going to see the movie - hopefully it will be better.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry you didn't like this one... I loved it when I read it a few years ago, although I doubt the movie is something I'd want to see...
ReplyDeleteA lot of people really like this one, but I also was a bit disappointed in it -- and I read it years ago, when it first came out. I do plan to see the movie, though.
ReplyDeleteSorry you didn't like this one! I just won this book, andwas hoping to read it before I got round to seeing the movie. "Hokey stuff in heaven" does have me wondering whether I'm going to like it. Ah well, we shall see!
ReplyDeleteSusan B. Evans ~ I'm not so sure I want to see it. However, the friend that loved the book may drag me there.
ReplyDeleteJoanna ~ I figure if I didn't like the book, the movie isn't going to be much better.
Cassie ~ Hope you like the movie. Let me know your thoughts after you see it, okay?
Nicola ~ I suppose it isn't all that hokey, but to me even a little bit of that is whacked. There is one part that was well beyond hokey, though. You have been forewarned. :)
I'm glad you said this. Every now and then I think about picking it up...now glad I haven't as we pretty much have the same tastes in books. I am reading Lost Symbol now ;)
ReplyDeleteIt's too bad it didn't work for you. I listened to this one and I loved it. I'm skipping the movie since I'm pretty sure it will end up hokey :)
ReplyDeleteI'm with you on this one Joy! I read this when it first came out with my book club and most of us didn't care for it. I found it very unrealistic, depressing and downright creepy! I know that several of the moms in my book club who had girls this age found it very disturbing. I have absolutely no desire to see the movie.
ReplyDeleteBummer! I read this one years ago and really liked it. I loaned it to a friend and never got it back (grrr), so I picked up another used copy. I've been meaning to re-read it, but it hasn't been calling my name.
ReplyDeleteSo, will you be skipping the movie?
Danielle ~ It certainly wasn't a winner for me. There are too many other books out there to pick up one that you are not really excited about.
ReplyDeleteStacybuckeye ~ Glad you liked it, Stacy - wish I did, too.
Bonnie ~ I shouldn't have picked it up again. It turned out to be a waste of time. However, it was hard not to when so many people like it and now there's a movie coming out. Oh well.
Trish ~ My plan is not to see the movie, but the friend that loved this book will probably want to see it and will drag me there. Hopefully that doesn't happen.