I cannot
believe that it's taken me 10 years to get around to reading this book.
One of my year 9 students came up to me at the
end of the lesson and said, "my mum said you could borrow it." I
couldn't say no. And I'm glad I didn't.
Alice Sebold's heartbreaking tale of Susie Salmon
("like the fish") continues to resonate with me weeks after finishing
the novel. The first few pages are so excruciatingly real that you find your
mind being cast back through years of news stories - stories that tell of
children who have tragically gone missing - and all you did was continue to
listen to the report on your sofa or scroll through the story on the train and
only assume the worse.
After re-telling the graphic details of her own
murder, the reader seeks comfort in the peace that Susie has found in 'her
heaven'. Despite this solace however, Susie still attempts to grasp hold of her
old life on earth by watching her family (and those closest to her) cope with
her tragic murder and undertake the gruelling task of continuing their lives
without her in it.
Susie's father seems to be unable to accept his
loss and becomes determined to seek justice for her murder. Unfortunately, his
suspicions and theories about Mr Harvey (a neighbour) are thwarted and
dismissed by the police and his wife which fragments the, already damaged, family.
Susie seems to be the only one who truly
understands her father and attempts to comfort his grief from the other side.
The connection that Sebold creates between Susie and her father is faithful,
loving and real, which will allow this novel to withstand the test of time and
continue to hold a prominent place on bookshelves of contemporary readers
everywhere.
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