The Lovely Bones

I’m currently reading The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold. Usually I would wait until I’d completed a book to blog about it, but what fascinates me most about this book is not the story, but the way the story is told. Don’t get me wrong, the story is excellent also, but the writing is unlike any other book I’ve read. Sebold writes in first person, but as the heroine of the book is dead she knows the thoughts and feelings of all the other characters. Consequently the book feels as if it’s written in first person omniscient, yet the tone all belongs to the heroine. The story is interspersed with memories and is told in vignettes, but at the same time it’s told in a way that’s really easy to follow. I’m a little in awe and hope someday to be able to craft a story this well.

I picked up my copy of The Lovely Bones from the used books section of a Barnes and Noble. I didn’t know B&N stores had used books sections, but I’m thrilled. It’s taken me a while, but I’m becoming quite a fan of used books. If you’re an online shopper, check out B&N’s online network of used books from stores around the country.