19. Sebold, Alice. The Lovely Bones. 328 pages. 2.17.09.

I read The Lovely Bones for the first time when I was a sophomore in college, and rereading it all these years later has greatly altered my perception of Alice Sebold's novel. At first, I was charmed and delighted by Sebold's willingness to cover such gritty subjects as pedophilia, murder, adultery, and grief. However, now I find myself questioning her motives and techniques. Is The Lovely Bones an unflinching but sympathetic examination of suburban disasters and the bonds of family, or is it merely an exploitation of the gruesome, like an adolescent's macabre stories intended to do no more than unsettle the school counselor? Characters that seem sincere and grounded will become flat and unbelievable within the space of a few pages. Sebold transitions between the poignant and the trivial with an unsettling ease, making it difficult for me to speak to the novel's overall worth with confidence. While I am glad I read the novel - both times - I doubt I will return to it for a third (increasingly dissatisfied) examination.