The Lovely Bones, Alice Sebold
Sat, 2003-06-14 14:01
#1
The Lovely Bones, Alice Sebold
I've just finished this, and I loved it. Loved it's language, loved its slow and measured pace, loved what is a fairly original idea... i told a friend that I thought he would like it, but he hrmmmed and said that he'd heard it was a bit Barbara Taylor Bradford... I drooped and felt very unbooky.
It's a debut novel, and apparently got good reviews (tho I hadnt heard of it before I picked it up in Oxfam)
Anyone else?
Rachel
I've got it but haven't read it - it's in hardback and I've got a bit of a thing about hardbacks. But interestingly we were discussing it at the weekend and two of my friends had read it and thought it was great. I shall start it as I sit in the garden at lunchtime. Have you read anything by Elizabeth Berg? I got sent four of her books by a friend and thought she was fab!
Liana
No i havent - any pointers? I have all summer to read and do bugger all else... *big grin*
Rachel
There were 4 and I've lent them all out but I think the best one was called Never Change about a woman who has a baby with her gay best friend. Not the most original storline but v. well written. Also I read Big Cherry Holler by Adriana Triganini which is great if you like mid-west usa novels which I do. I've got the most delicious task of going to buy my honeymoon books tomorrow. I'm so excited. Any suggestions...
*Greenly jealous*
Liana
hrm... do you like anne tyler? her stuff is just the sort of thing for the beach... not bonkbusters or anything like, but lovely pageturners with elegant writing... accidental tourist, ladder of years etc?
Rachel
Love it. Ladder of Years is my fave (is that the one where she walks down the beach and doesn't come back.) Back When We Were Grown Ups was the last I read and I wasn't quite as mad about it as the others. Still a good read though.
Liana
damn. i have Back when we were grown ups on my next to read pile. Not so good then? Grr. Took me ages and ages to read anything of hers, cos the covers put me off (yeah i know, but it DOES doesnt it?)
what abt maggie o farrel?
Rachel
It's not bad (sorry, carrying on last week's thread - I've been away). Just not quite as good as all the others. LOVE maggie o'farrell. Just reread After You'd Gone and cried my eyes out. Got My Lover's Lover and intend to read it on honeymoon although have already read most of my holiday books which is a bummer. My mum just sent me £40 book tokens which is just the best thing anyone could do!
Liana
ooohhhh... my lovers lovers is streets ahead of after youd gone.... you have a treat ahead of you :o))
Natalie
I really enjoyed the lovely bones but it was a bit tarnished for me by reading an article about it from the states where people were heralding it as the truth. I mean ok take comfort in whatever you can, but to imagine that an author has the truth and read it as gospel just seemed to take gullible a step too far.
Have either of you read "what I loved by Siri Hustvedt? I really think this is the best book I have read in years and it was up for the Orange prize with Lovely bones, stiff competition.