| Fourteen-year-old Susie Salmon is raped and murdered by a man living in her home town. Her story begins in heaven where she relates what happened to her, and watches her family on earth as they try to heal, and cope with the fact that her killer may never be brought to justice.
Susie still longs to be able to grow into adulthood. In her heaven, this wish seems impossible, until at one point she is able to switch places with Ruth, a school companion, and spends a brief, romantic reunion with Ray, her teenage crush. During her family's time of grief, Susie's parents, her sister, Lindsay, and her brother, Buckley, at first retreat into themselves, pushing each other out instead of drawing closer. As the mystery surrounding Susie's disappearance and murder remains unsolved, Susie's mother leaves, her grandmother moves in, and her father spends some time in the hospital. Susie grieves with them, hurting when they hurt, and learning to smile again in the sudden, surprising moments of joy they experience as time goes on and they find happiness in loving each other again. | ||
|
Plot & Themes Tone of book? - depressed Time/era of story - 1980's-1999 Crime & Police story Yes Story of Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book Loss of... Religion theme? Yes Religion theme: - musings from the afterlife Main Character Gender - Female Profession/status: Age: - a teen Ethnicity/Nationality Main Adversary Identity: - Male Age: - 40's-50's Profession/status: How sensitive is this character? Intelligence - Average intelligence Setting How much descriptions of surroundings? - 3 () United States Yes Small town? Yes Small town people: - nice, like Andy/Opie/Aunt Bee Writing Style Sex in book? Yes What kind of sex: - rape/molest Amount of dialog - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog |
||