The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold

Just finished reading this book.  Very much not the kind of book I normally read, but really interesting.  A friend loved the movie and gave me the DVD to watch last week.  I have a rule where I HAVE to read the book before I watch the movie.  It drives Kyle crazy, because we will see a trailer for a movie he wants to see, and as soon as he sees the "Based on the novel by" he knows that he has to wait.  Sad for him.

It was a quick start, slow middle, then huge crazy ending.  For awhile in the middle of the story I got somewhat bored with the plot, since there was some character development but not a lot of overall drive to the story line.  Then something happened with about 20% to go in the book, and it was a roller coaster until the end.  The story itself makes you think a lot about death and dying, and what happens after.  I liked the idea that people that leave us aren't far away, and we can talk to them and they will hear us.  The main character plays a "guardian angel" type role, and it gives me comfort to think that someone somewhere could be watching over me.  Overall, good read, but you need patience to get through the slow parts.

<3, jacquie