This took me only a week to read, a record for me nowadays.

The first third of this book - Susie’s rape and death, the crumbling of her family, Mr. Harvey’s seeming invincibility - was almost too much for me. I wanted to put it down because it hurt too much to read. But I remembered the kind British lady returning the book to my pile saying she had too many copies and urging me to stick with it, so I did. It was so worth it.

The language is beautiful and wistful. It sometimes gets too ambitious with the tender poetics and twisty metaphors, but I forgave it. The overall theme of letting go and acceptance in the face of tragedy is something I’ve long been interested in cultivating for myself and just hopeful in seeing more in the world. Alice Sebold captured these themes so sweetly and lovingly, that I felt her words actually healing some old wounds I’ve carried around for a long time.