Sunday, November 25, 2007

What I'm reading

Well, I finally made it through Alice Sebold's novel The Lovely Bones. This was a hard one, even for me (in general, I like books that have more sadness in them than happiness). In the opening paragraph, we are introduced to Susie Salmon, a 14-year-old girl who has just been murdered. She spends the book watching her family from heaven as they try to deal with her loss. I couldn't read this book on the plane to Europe because it was just too emotional, and even in the privacy of my own apartment there were parts where I just had to put the book down for a while and have a cup of tea. Alice Sebold has a new book out called The Almost Moon, in which a woman who has been caring for her elderly mother who is in the advanced stages of dementia finally snaps and kills her. The writing in The Lovely Bones really is wonderful, but it's not a light read at all, and it's not happy.

Last Book: Ann Patchett's novel, Run.

Up Next: I've started in on another book with a happy subject, The House of Meetings by Martin Amis. It's about two brothers in a Russian slave camp in the 1950's.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Looks like a great book - will have to pick it up and read it. Ironically I'm just reading a book called, 'Bones' but it is more of the forensic science variety. Am looking forward to the next 'meaty' book which will be the one you've recommended here..! Hope that you're well! See you soon..! Heather xoxo