I finished reading "The Lovely Bones". It turned out to be much, much better than I originally thought. I think that I was initially put-off by the brutality against the young girl. Violence towards innocent children always makes my blood boil. I thought that this might be another book which turns a serial killer into some kind of hero while forgetting about the victims. I get tired of hearing how bright someone like Hannibal the Cannibal is killing people when in reality it is not that hard to take advantage of someone who is a trusting soul. The book isn't like that, though. It exposes the killer for the creep that he is while examing how the tragedy affects the friends and family of the girl. It is from her point of view as she watches from Heaven. Interestingly, she wants the killer to be stopped, but does not overtly express her hatred for him or question God for allowing the murder to occur. It was one of the more thought provoking novels that I have read in some time. It even made me wonder whether contact with the deceased is possible. It is not a feel good book, but I would recommend it. The ending is surprisingly uplifting.