The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold

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Description

On her way home from school on a snowy December day in 1973, 14-year-old Susie Salmon ("like the fish") is lured into a makeshift underground den in a cornfield and brutally raped and murdered, the latest victim of a serial killer--the man she knew as her neighbor, Mr. Harvey. Alice Sebold's... read more

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Summary

Susie Salmon is a 14-year-old girl who dies by the hands of a lonely man living in her neighborhood. She then goes to Heaven and for the most part is just left to watching her family and friends. Her death surprisingly brings everybody closer together along with tearing them apart, two... read more (warning: may contain spoilers)

Cast of Characters/Important People

Susie Salmon: 14-year-old murder victim, died on December 6, 1973. Lived in Philadelphia.
Jack Salmon: Susie's father, determined to find the killer of his daughter.
Abigail Salmon: Susie's mother
Lindsey Salmon: Susie's 13-year-old sister
Buckley Salmon: Susie's little brother
Ray Singh: Susie's friend
Ruth Connors: A loner at school
Len Fenerman: Detective investigating the murder of Susie Salmon.

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Memorable Quotes

“... the line between the living and the dead could be, it seemed, murky and blurred.”
Susie Salmon
“I don't mean la-la angel crap, but I do think there's a heaven.”
Ruthie Connors
“I had rescued the moment by using my camera and in that way had found a way to stop time and hold it. No one could take that image away from me because I owned it.”