“My name is Salmon…like the fish”
For some reason, those words from The Lovely Bones bring up a wide range of emotions. Most are sad, but all make me a better person.
If you have not read The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold than I suggest you leave your computer right now, grab a copy (and a box of tissues) and make up for lost time. Especially since the book was recently made into a movie.
Before the movie came out I was irrationally worried that it was going to be terrible. If you don’t know, the main character of The Lovely Bones is a 14-year-old girl (Susie Salmon) narrating the story of the aftermath of her murder. I think its very ambitious to make a movie about a book that takes place in the “in between” (the place, according to the book, between earth and heaven). Its hard to capture that in a visual way that really speaks to an audience. More importantly, in a believable way.
To my surprise, I believed Peter Jackson.
I loved the movie. Granted, I silently cried like a baby in my seat the whole time, but not because I was disappointed. I cried because the movie was able to speak to me almost as powerfully as the book did. It allows us to learn about life from the perspective of someone who had it taken from them.
Susie Salmon was murdered by her neighbor in a cornfield behind her house. Her death left her family broken and changed their lives forever. Susie, as she observed them from the “in between”, struggled to let go of her family as they struggled to let go of her.
I won’t go into much more detail in case you haven’t read the book (and if thats the case you should be on your way to the bookstore right now anyway). Just know that its a beautiful (and tragic) portrayal of how death impacts life.
Susie taught me the importance of letting go, even in extremely tough situations. Her family taught me to never give up and to remember the world (ie people) around me instead of just focusing on one negative situation. The story taught me that life goes on and to cherish it while its here.
Now you go read the book, or see the movie, while I go have another good cry. J/k….
But seriously.
My other half keeps telling me to read it. I guess the chorus of shouts, and nudges will eventually make me sit down with it.
I don’t read enough any more… there are so many books I would like to read, and have not.
It truly is an awesome book. I will say that at first its hard to get into. But give it some time…you’ll be glad you did!
I need to go back and read the rest of the book. I did like the movie. Mark Whalberg was even tolerable.