# The Lovely Bones



## BlueEyedMum (Nov 26, 2009)

I just finsihed reading it (yes at work..sshh) and what a book. I cried in the beginning, a tiny bit in the middle and was touched at the end. Now I can go see the movie....


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## drenee (Nov 11, 2008)

Here's a thread that VegasAsian started about the movie.
http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,18391.msg352732/topicseen.html#new
deb


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## Labrynth (Dec 31, 2009)

I finished it last week and wasn't terribly impressed.  I expected it to be more about her murder and less about her family falling apart.  After a while I just wanted to smack both of her parents back into reality.  Not a horrible book, but it wasn't all it was cracked up to be IMO


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## Shapeshifter (Dec 22, 2009)

Labrynth, I'm about half way through and already want to do that, it's not what I thought it was going to be.  I think in this case I hope the movie is better than the book


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## KindleChickie (Oct 24, 2009)

I hated the movie.  Had already downloaded the book, but will not read it now.


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## cagnes (Oct 13, 2009)

Labrynth said:


> I finished it last week and wasn't terribly impressed. I expected it to be more about her murder and less about her family falling apart. After a while I just wanted to smack both of her parents back into reality. Not a horrible book, but it wasn't all it was cracked up to be IMO


I thought it was an okay read... I kept waiting for it to get better & it never did. I really wanted to pass the mom a slap!


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## Tris (Oct 30, 2008)

I liked the first oh...1/3 of the book.  I too thought it would be more about her murder and her family...  However it seems to have been WAY too bogged down with emotions.  Don't get me wrong losing a child/family memeber, especially I such a way the book has it, is really emotional.  It just seemed to have lost the plot and point.  Then the whole thing with Ruth left me going "WTF".  I also expected Ruth to fit in more instead of what actually happened...and the ending seemed "oh by the way".  I was disappointed, and unsure if I ever want to see the movie.

Tris


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## Labrynth (Dec 31, 2009)

Shapeshifter said:


> Labrynth, I'm about half way through and already want to do that, it's not what I thought it was going to be. I think in this case I hope the movie is better than the book


Yeah I had the same thought. I figured the movie would focus more on her murder and trying to prove who killed her.


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## breeza27 (Jan 22, 2010)

KindleChickie said:


> I hated the movie. Had already downloaded the book, but will not read it now.


I saw the movie last weekend and hated it too. The book was much, much better.


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## JCBeam (Feb 27, 2009)

I read The Lovely Bones so long ago, I can't remember if there was anything I didn't like about the book; I do recall I enjoyed it very much.  I think the whole point though was the murder/solving of it NOT being the focal point and that is what made it unique (from my perspective).  All crime/mysteries are about who did it, why and solving the crime.  I think the point of The Lovely Bones was the emotions that people go through after losing a loved one and the (deceased) loved one being privy to those emotions?


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## BlueEyedMum (Nov 26, 2009)

I'm with JCBeam. I felt alot of emotion for her and the family. I will still go see the movie and I'm sure I will still like the book more as most movies don't live up to the books.


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## ldidge (Dec 29, 2009)

I just finished the book today and agree that it wasn't what I expected.  It was a good read but I wanted more of the murder story.  I appreciate the comments about the movie, and I think I might wait for it on Netflix instead of going to the theatre now.


Linda


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## cjpatrick (Jan 4, 2009)

I agree with most here that I was unimpressed with the novel. I expected...oh I don't know really. It reminded me of The Shack. But The Shack was good.


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## earthlydelites (Dec 12, 2009)

Labrynth said:


> I finished it last week and wasn't terribly impressed. I expected it to be more about her murder and less about her family falling apart. After a while I just wanted to smack both of her parents back into reality. Not a horrible book, but it wasn't all it was cracked up to be IMO


I agree. The more I read, the less these types of books impress me unfortunately.


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## meljackson (Nov 19, 2008)

I started it today but not far enough along to really know if I'm going to like it or not. I'll read a few more chapters tonight and if it doesn't draw me in I'll move on to another book. I have too many books to read to waste time with ones I'm not enjoying.

Melissa


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## BlueEyedMum (Nov 26, 2009)

Well, I went ands saw the movie last weekend...didn't like it.


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## Blanche (Jan 4, 2010)

I loved the book...was bored with the movie.  Just watched the movie this past weekend and was very disappointed.

It has been years since I first read the book but what captured me was that the book started out in first-person as told by the murdered girl.  When I realized this, it made me literally set back and go, "wow."  I was expecting a murder mystery.  The story hit me pretty hard; it was narrated by the dead girl as she looked back on her life and her family and watching the pain of them struggle and eventually move on.  The book was very emotional and it had me locked in its grip for the entire time.  I could not put the book down... when it was over I felt hollowed out and drained.  The same way I feel after attending a funeral.  

Whew... just thinking about it makes me reach for the tissues again.


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## freelantzer (Apr 28, 2010)

Blanche said:


> I loved the book...was bored with the movie. Just watched the movie this past weekend and was very disappointed.
> 
> It has been years since I first read the book but what captured me was that the book started out in first-person as told by the murdered girl. When I realized this, it made me literally set back and go, "wow." I was expecting a murder mystery. The story hit me pretty hard; it was narrated by the dead girl as she looked back on her life and her family and watching the pain of them struggle and eventually move on. The book was very emotional and it had me locked in its grip for the entire time. I could not put the book down... when it was over I felt hollowed out and drained. The same way I feel after attending a funeral.
> 
> Whew... just thinking about it makes me reach for the tissues again.


I agree. I loved this book but was unimpressed by the movie. I had heard before picking it up that it was narrated by the murdered girl and that she got murdered in the first chapter, so I wasn't expecting something totally different. I thought it was a heart-breakingly beautiful book. The way the author handled all of the characters and their different ways of grieving really impressed me. I read it just this January shortly after my father passed away, so I cried throughout most of it. But it was very helpful to me at that time and felt very authentic as well.

The movie was okay but it didn't move me. The book was far superior.


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## Angela (Nov 2, 2008)

I read the book about 6 months ago and just saw the movie last week. The book was OK... didn't care for the movie at all.


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## Jeff (Oct 28, 2008)

My mother, my wife and my daughter all thought _The Lovely Bones_ was a wonderful book. I thought it was okay but not nearly good enough to get me to a movie.


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## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish (Feb 1, 2010)

I read the book after seeing the trailer for the Peter Jackson movie. I was thoroughly enamored with the first...oh...third maybe? An excellently written book, but I think many people going in expecting a murder/mystery are obviously going to be a bit disappointed. The writing was absolutely top notch. The problem is after halfway through or so, the book starts to meander and the story isn't as strong. I'd still recommend it to people, though.

David Dalglish


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## pawsplus (Mar 31, 2009)

I loved the book and REFUSE to see the movie.  Sounds like it messed w/ all that is good about the book.  Generally, movies made from books are mistakes anyway--unless the books were tacky bestsellers written w/ the movie in mind.


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## pawsplus (Mar 31, 2009)

Oh, and if you liked The Lovely Bones, you might be interested in LUCKY, the author's memoir about her being raped while in college. A bit depressing, yes, but well-written and thoughtful.


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## freelantzer (Apr 28, 2010)

pawsplus said:


> Oh, and if you liked The Lovely Bones, you might be interested in LUCKY, the author's memoir about her being raped while in college. A bit depressing, yes, but well-written and thoughtful.


I loved her writing style. I'll definitely look into this one. Thanks for posting.


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## padowd (Jan 14, 2010)

My husband and I watched the movie this weekend and really liked it. It is more about what happens to a family than a murder. We have not read the book but we both liked the movie alot. Everyone is different.


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## Tracey (Mar 18, 2010)

I read this earlier in the year and I loved it.  It has been one of the best books I have read so far this year.

I think if you go into the book not really knowing what it is about, then you will be disappointed, but if you know exactly what it is about then I don't think you will be disappointed.

I want to see the movie, but it sounds like it isn't a very good comparisson to the book......might have to d/l it....


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## BlueEyedMum (Nov 26, 2009)

padowd said:


> My husband and I watched the movie this weekend and really liked it. It is more about what happens to a family than a murder. We have not read the book but we both liked the movie alot. Everyone is different.


My friend who didn't read the book saw the movie with me and really liked it too. I'm thinking if I saw the movie I might have liked it better.


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## Meemo (Oct 27, 2008)

JCBeam said:


> I read The Lovely Bones so long ago, I can't remember if there was anything I didn't like about the book; I do recall I enjoyed it very much. I think the whole point though was the murder/solving of it NOT being the focal point and that is what made it unique (from my perspective). All crime/mysteries are about who did it, why and solving the crime. I think the point of The Lovely Bones was the emotions that people go through after losing a loved one and the (deceased) loved one being privy to those emotions?


Ditto. I loved this book - but I read it years ago when it was "new" so I didn't read it with the movie trailers in the back of my mind. I knew it wasn't a murder mystery. The book wasn't about solving her murder, it was what her murder did to her family. And I loved the author's version of heaven. I'm almost afraid to watch the movie, but it's on my Netflix list, if for nothing else to see Peter Jackson's visuals of that heaven.


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## vickir (Jan 14, 2009)

Liked the book. Disappointed in the movie.


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## Tabby (Oct 7, 2009)

I wish I had read the book instead of watching the movie. My DH and I ordered it on pay-per-view, and neither of us liked it. I'm sure the book was much better, as this is always the case.


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