The Lovely Bones

I started reading The Lovely Bones back in December, and I finished reading it last week. The reason for this isn't that I'm an incredibly slow reader, it's that I found it a chore to get through.

I would sit down to read the book, open to the page I was at and start reading. Ten minutes later I would realise that, despite having routinely turned the pages, I hadn't actually read anything. I found myself wondering what I would have for dinner, or why hadn't the vacuum picked up that tiny speck of fluff on the carpet?

It isn't a bad book. In fact I can't really put my finger on what the problem was, but I really struggled with it.

I think I can sum the book up fairly quickly without giving too much away. I'm going to use bullet points because... well, because I like bullet points.

• There's a horrific murder (I seriously debated whether to carry on or not. I found it very uncomfortable to read)
• Then there is 250 (circa) pages of mourning (understandable, but very drawn out)
• Then it's suddenly 20 years down the line
• Then the book ends.

The ending felt very rushed in comparison to the rest of the book. It seemed as though the author suddenly realised she had exceeded her word limit, and needed to bring it to an end quickly.

So the question is would I recommend this book? Yes, I think I would. Don't ask me why, but I actually think it's probably worth a read. Just don't expect too much from it.