Lovely Bones - Spoilers Yo.

Hi all! Melissa here. And now that I'm finished my semester the book reading extravaganza is ON! First book that was on my list. Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold.




This book was AMAZING. Like cry your eyes out amazing. Its a rather tragic book. But the person I want to talk about is Susie Salmon's father. So the premise of the story. Susie Salmon is murdered. And is in the inbetween and able to watch the lives of the people she left behind.

The banging hot boy in this is actually a banging hot DAD.
Jack Salmon.
For me, it is his devotion that I find most inspiring. His daughter is murdered. Such an unspeakable event. And all they find of her is one elbow. And a lot of blood in the dirt of a corn field. But he never gives up on his family. Or on finding her killer.
He is devoted to his family. And instead of pulling away from his remaining children and into himself (like his wife does), he doesnt forget that the living need attention too. He searches for clues to his daughters murder. And he tries to not lose his two living children. He has an absolute adoration of his children. He never forgot about them - living or dead. And he didnt selfishly leave them alone, even though he was hurting and that might have been easiest. He knew that they needed him. And he needed them, even though they reminded him everyday of what he had lost. What they had lost. Their pain wasnt something that would be easily forgotten. And separating himself from them wouldnt help him to forget the loss of his beloved daughter. He learned that a loss like that, a young daughter brutally taken away, isnt something you forget. But if you allow it you can let it become a piece of who you are, and learn to continue living.
Susie knows she's dead. But nobody wants to be forgotten. And her father would never let her be forgotten. He doesnt let the grief and pain push her away. She still remains his. And years could never change that.
Another thing that makes Jack amazing is his capacity for forgiveness. His wife leaves him and his children. But he doesnt hold it against her. In fact he continues to love her despite the distance that is between them. He is able to see the situation from her point of view. She had dreams, she had hopes and being a mother wasnt one of them. She loved her children but they took away some of her dreams. They changed her life, as children do. But after Susie's murder, Abigail (Susie's mother) needs to forget. She needs to be alone just to be able to breath. It may have not been the right choice, leaving her family, but Jack is understanding that it was something she needed to do. He doesnt assume that her leaving means she loves her family less. It just is how she chose to deal with the situation. And when she returns, he welcomes her with open arms.
Jack Salmon cares. Deeply. And isnt that all anyone wants?

Please read this book. And lets discuss.

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