The Lovely Bones [Audiobook, Unabridged] [Audio CD]

Alice Sebold (Author), Author (Reader)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 2007

When we first meet 14-year-old Susie Salmon, she is already in heaven. This was before milk carton photos and public service announcements, she tells us; back in 1973, when Susie mysteriously disappeared, people still believed these things didn't happen.

In the sweet, untroubled voice of a precocious teenage girl, Susie relates the awful events of her death and her own adjustment to the strange new place she finds herself. It looks a lot like her school playground, with the good kind of swing sets.

With love, longing, and a growing understanding, Susie watches her family as they cope with their grief, her father embarks on a search for the killer, her sister undertakes a feat of amazing daring, her little brother builds a fort in her honor and begin the difficult process of healing.

In the hands of a brilliant novelist, the author narrates the THE LOVELY BONES through the eyes of her winning young heroine. This story of seemingly unbearable tragedy is transformed into a suspenseful and touching story about family, memory, love, heaven, and living.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Reading her breakout novel, Sebold's even, unemotional voice is a good match for both the drab setting of a Midwest town enduring the 1970s and for her matter-of-fact writing, which manages to seem grounded even as the protagonist narrates from heaven after her brutal murder. Sebold doesn't bother with voicing characters differently; the murdered girl, Susie Salmon, is the listener's window into the world she was forced to leave behind, and Sebold uses a flat, deliberate voice that manages to sound both weary and wistful. Snatches of melancholy chamber music close each track and provide more explicit emotion. What Sebold's voice lacks in stylistic flourish she makes up for with perfect pacing. In an introductory segment, Sebold recounts the novel's genesis and mentions that part of her working process involves reading everything back to herself, which explains her expert rhythm. On the final disc, Sebold reads the first chapter of her 2007 novel, The Almost Moon. While Sebold's fans will be eager for the chance to hear her read, the uninitiated may wish for a bit more passion in her presentation. A Back Bay Books paperback (Reviews, June 17, 2002).
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About the Author

Alice Sebold is also the author of LUCKY, a memoir, and the forthcoming novel THE ALMOST MOON. She lives in California with her husband, the novelist Glen David Gold.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Audio CD
• Publisher: Hachette Audio; Unabridged edition (August 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1600240682
• ISBN-13: 978-1600240683
• Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 1.5 x 5.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #730,162 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Rattling Bones, September 22, 2007

By 

Bennet Pomerantz "Bennet Pomerantz, AUDIOWORLD" (College Park, Maryland) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Lovely Bones (Audio CD)

The Lovely Bones is the story of a 14-year-old girl from suburban Pennsylvania who is murdered by her neighbor. She tells the story from Heaven, showing the lives of the people around her and how they have changed all while attempting to get someone to find her lost body

In the audio narrative hands of the author Alice Sebold, this audio production is slow and sluggish. Yes, the novel does end . . . but after disk five, the listener will get a "who cares" attitude. I will say this, I enjoyed reading Ms Sebold's novel. It has heart and spirit. I wish that would have transferred that way to the audio medium. To say Ms Sebold's oration is boring is an understatement to the facts.

Well we can hope this presentation will be re-recorded next year in time for the film adaptation of Bones, directed by Lord of The Rings Peter Jackson. May I suggest actor Stanley Tucci, who is part of the film cast and a wonderful narrator to boot, may be a good choice if Hachette audio is smart enough to redo this wonderful novel in audio.

I cannot say this production in its current narrative form is worth any time to listen. This is one time I suggest read the book, it's better!

Bennet Pomerantz AUDIOWORLD

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Great story, awful narrative, May 15, 2010

By 

D. WALLEN (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Lovely Bones (Audio CD)

Alice Sebold should not narrate her books. Her monotone and unemotional reading of her book was upsetting and lackluster. I found myself rewinding often because I would get lost or distracted during her boring read. The plot/story was great nonetheless.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Lovely Bones, January 26, 2010

By 

Erlayne M. Opel (Seattle, Wa) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Lovely Bones (Audio CD)

Alice Sebold, is the author of The Lovely Bones a book about an average 14-year-old girl, desperately falling for her first love. Before 1980 Alice grew up normally, in the suburbs of Philadelphia, where life was good. Sadly, 1980 wasn't so great. While walking to her dorm, during her first semester at Syracuse University Alice was brutally raped. The rapist who she later recognized was put in jail, and given the longest sentence possible. Seeing how being raped can traumatize you, Sebold got the inspiration for The Lovely Bones. Because of this inspiration she wrote a memoir for a college class, that she later turned into a fiction book.
Every character in this book plays an extreme role. Seeing how everyone is connected to this horrid murder. At the beginning you meet Susie Salmon, who is the main character. And dies in the first chapter. While the murder is taking place her dad Jack, mom Abigail, and her siblings are looking for her, because she never came home from school. George Harvey "Mr. Harvey" is known very early as the murderer, but there is no proof. Len Fenerman is the detective working on the case. Sadly, after a few months he fails at discovering the murderer, and gives up looking.
The conflict is plainly obvious. Susie is dead. And they cannot find the murderer, or the body. In the first chapter she is brutally killed, by a neighbor who tricks her into being alone with him. Since Susie was a daddy's girl, he can't get over her death. Desperately spending every waking moment trying to catch the criminal. Because of this, his wife leaves him and he had no idea where she went. Seeking some closure in the case was all he wanted.
Zeroing in on the murderer would definitely be the major climax in this story. Susie's sister, who knows it was Mr. Harvey, goes on an epic "run" to consume the proof needed. Proof is mandatory. Since Mr. Harvey lives alone, he knows someone is in his house, and because of this, the story gets crazy. After Mr. Harvey is a suspect to Jack, he makes excuses to go over that, to try to figure this guy out. Luckily they were neighbors.
Opinions are usually biased in some way, shape or form. Before reading this book, I would suggest reading a few reviews, because mine is just from a 15 year old gir. When reading this book, I was in shock on how greatly Sebold wrote. Sitting and reading this book for 3 hours at a time was a daily activity I was doing, which is very odd for me. It changed my ways. Greatly recommended, to anyone who like mysteries, murder books, or just a good story line. It's an amazing book. Hard to put into words.