The Harry Potter Generation

Nearly twenty years ago, Joanne Rowling was stuck on a train between London and Manchester.  Suddenly, an idea for a scrawny little boy with black hair and glasses, who had no idea he was a wizard, appeared to her as if by magic.

Seven years later, the first manuscript of “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” struggled to find a publisher willing to take the risk on such a strange book. Fourteen more years, seven books, eight movies and billions of dollars later, “the boy who lived” has taught us all the impact a story can have.

The scope of the Harry Potter brand, the little story that could, has reached the far corners of the world. The books have been translated to over 67 different languages and have consistently set records for the fastest selling in history. The films have grossed billions and brought Rowling’s vision to life on IMAX and 3D screens. Harry Potter fans can latterly visit The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando Resorts.

But, unlike most global franchises, behind the hype and the money lies a story that has, in many ways, defined a generation. A story that takes place in a castle far away, hidden to non-magical eyes, turned out to be more realistic than we ever expected.

“It all ends.” A corny tag line that has been haunting us for months. It can’t really all be over, can it?
The release of “Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Part II” marks the official ending of not just a series, but the coming of age of a generation.

The heart of this film will hit you square in the chest like a speeding Hogwarts Express over and over again. Watching Hogwarts fall, seeing the impenetrable magical walls crumble to the ground will be more than even moderate Potter fans can bear. The teenagers fighting to protect it are not so different than those watching, clinging onto their cup holders for dear life. With every twist, every turn, and every near miss, my heart nearly stopped.

The emotional weight of the film matches and even rivals that of its book counter part. The pain and struggle is pulled straight from the pages in a way that will leave fans of the book rejoicing. Where Part I lacked luster, Part II not only captures a full spectrum of emotion, but takes it to a whole new level. It was everything a true Potter fan could have ever hoped for, the drama, the suspense and the victory. A single sob caught in my throat for almost an hour actually prevented me from shedding tears. Only at the end, as Harry puts his son onto the train, did tears freely fall from my eyes. . .

The film itself is beautifully done. The utilization of 3D brings a gorgeous depth to the overall look. Flashbacks and visions are woven seamlessly with superimposed three dimensional images.

The performances of young actors Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson are the cherry on top. Their maturation from children into professionals makes the conclusion even more bitter sweet.

But the standout performance comes from none other than Alan Rickman. He is brilliant in his final appearance in what has become his most iconic role. We get to see a side of Snape that has been hidden for a very long time, and Rickman rose to the challenge like the old pro that he is.

“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows II” is more than just the culmination of one the most successful and lucrative franchises of all time. It marks the coming of age for millions of young boys and girls who having been rooting for Harry ever since they first picked up “Sorcerer’s Stone” all those years ago, when he was just a boy in a cupboard under the stairs.

The film ignites triumph in the hearts of everyone who has ever fought off the evil in their own hearts. Everyone who has every felt unworthy or fear in themselves. Everyone who has suffered loss but still took comfort in the sunrise. But most of all, for everyone who, despite their best efforts, felt their childhood go by with the blink of an eye, the turn of a page and the roll of the credits.

But Part II didn’t do it alone. That feeling cannot be the product of a single movie. It is a culmination of years of waiting and hoping. We counted down the days and stayed up all night reading. We drew lighting scars on our foreheads with red marker and waited in the dark outside the theater. Book releases and movie premieres became important milestones growing up.

We hoped and prayed for the days and weeks to go by faster, until we went to high school, our first cell phone, driver’s licenses, prom night, graduation day, moving away from home…

And now that we’re here, at the ending, our final chapter, we wish we had read just a little bit slower.

I was nine years old when I read my first Harry Potter book. I was 18 when I read my last. Now, at 21 years old, I have seen my last Harry Potter movie.

The Harry Potter Generation is graduating college, getting married, traveling abroad, starting careers, feeling every bit as terrified as Harry. Because we face something just as frightening as Lord Voldermort – adulthood, and the real world.

As the final page turns, and the final scene fades to black, we can take comfort in knowing at least part of our childhood will live on in the pages and screens, to share with the next generation.

Thank you Harry, for keeping us company on this difficult journey. And remember,

“It does not do to dwell on dreams, and forget to live.”

Really Obscure Blog Post

The word “hipster” has always reflected a rejection of mainstream society. In the 40s, hipsters were youths who followed the hot jazz and swing movement. They used slang, sarcasm and experimented with drugs. Their attitude and sexual practices were considerably relaxed. They were the first “alternative” movement, primarily characterized by a movement of white middle class youths attempting to adopt the “hip” Negro culture.

Today, Urban Dictionary defines hipsters a little differently.

“Hipsters are a subculture of men and women typically in their 20’s and 30’s that value independent thinking, counter-culture, progressive politics, an appreciation of art and indie-rock, creativity, intelligence and witty banter.”

Though it is technically a state of mind, hipsters are also recognizable by their fashion: shaggy haircuts, tight fitting jeans and wide rimmed glasses with no frames. They believe in counter-culture, progressive politics and independent thinking. They strive to be “effortlessly cool” and early adopters, always staying one step ahead of popular culture.

Thank you Urban Dictionary, but that was a very long and fancy way of saying something that is much simpler: hipsters are people who do not like something purely because everybody else likes it. Anything that is socially acceptable is toxic to a true hipster. They thrive on their superior knowledge of the way the world works and enjoy putting people down for not understanding.

You know you are talking to a hipster when the conversation turns into something like this:

You: “Hm, this is a good song. Who sings it?” Hipster: “Oh, they’re pretty underground. You’ve probably never heard of them.”

Sound familiar? How about this one: “I only like their old stuff. They were better before they were famous.”

You can tell you’ve just had an encounter with a hipster if you are feeling a little frustrated and a lot stupider.

They consider themselves rejects of popular culture; hipsters are religious followers of their own alternative subculture, doing everything it tells them to. These are the hipsters who shop at American Apparel and make documentaries on their MacBooks. They wear wide rimmed glasses, plaid shirts and headbands across their forehead.

A true hipster (in theory) will follow no one when it comes to movies, music and fashion, even their fellow hipsters. They seek out their bands and movies before everyone else, and take pride in their “superior knowledge” of culture just because they have found some crummy band that nobody else likes.

If it sounds silly, it should.

You can argue that pop culture robs people of their individuality and ruins our society’s taste for art, but at the end of the day you cannot dispute what makes someone happy. A lot of people went to see “Avatar” because their friends told them to, but does that mean they enjoyed it any less?

Popular culture is a community, and a fun one to be a part of. We all enjoy discussing the movies, music and clothes we have in common with friends. If you do not, then you are most likely hanging out with others who enjoy belittling the interests of others.

Are people so insecure that they need to simultaneously put down what you like while explaining why what they like is better? Why can’t we simply enjoy what we enjoy without other people having an opinion?

It might be cool to think everything is lame, but if you open your mind you have access to an entire world of arts and entertainment, regardless of who likes what. Blindly following the crowd, any crowd, is what really kills individuality.

Hipsters conform to nonconformity. They contradict themselves just by existing. For people who are so obsessed with searching a greater meaning to life, they don’t seem to be doing a good job learning about who they really are.

In this way, “hipsterism” is merely a myth. It’s not so simple to simply classify someone as “hipster.” Like most behavioral conditions, hipster occurs on a broad spectrum, with many people landing in the middle.

A person who simply adorns hipster fashion may not be a hipster at all. Listening to indie music doesn’t make you a deviant. We all like what we like for our own reasons. There may just be a little hipster in all of us.

This may seem obvious, but when in doubt, be yourself. Listen to terrible music because it makes you feel good and wear ugly clothes because they are comfortable.

The hell with everyone else, what do you like?

Charlie "The Sheen" has worn off

For the first time, a Hollywood star has made a complete ass of himself, and is actually suffering the consequences.

Last week, Charlie Sheen was fired from his cushy gig at “Two and Half Men” for, lack of better words, being a complete ass.
While other celebrities return from their fall outs even more successful than before (Drew Barymore, Eminem, etc.), Sheen seems to be spiraling into a self-destructive hole that not even he can climb out of (despite the Martian warlock magic).

In the rants that led to his dismissal from CBS, Sheen verbally attacked Chuck Lorre, the extremely successful producer of “Two and Half Men.” He claimed Lorre’s success was due only to Sheen’s own talent and accused him of stealing money from the cast and production crew.

Sheen is now filing a $100 million lawsuit against Warner Brothers for damages resulting from the halt of several episodes as well as his removal from the show.

The suit claims Lorre purposefully withheld production of the episode to suit his own evil egotistical means and as a way of punishing Sheen personally.

In a letter obtained by TMZ to Sheen’s lawyer Martin D. Singer, Warner Brothers described his destructive behavior in detail.
“[The problem is his] physical appearance, inability to deliver lines, inability to collaborate creatively with staff and crew, inability to work with the executive producers, inflammatory comments poisoning key working relationships, and frustration of the show’s creative environment by the public spectacle of his self-inflicted disintegration.”

The studio actually cited his behavior as the primary reason for his release.

It’s comforting to know that large media corporations can still act like a normal private industry. If somebody is incompetent, kick them out. You can’t insult your boss and expect a raise. Sheen was expecting a hefty increase to his already staggering $1.2 million per episode paycheck for “Two and a Half Men.”

Apparently there is a limit to how completely ridiculous people can act before it finally becomes inappropriate. But the saddest part of Sheen’s downward spiral, is the people he’s leaving behind.

The fate of “Two and a Half Men” does not look so good. Because of one sick man’s delusional behavior, hundreds of people will lose their jobs. The fate of one of the most successful sitcoms on television has yet to be determined. Continuing a show after the loss of a major character is a dangerous road. The writers and producers are currently brainstorming a possible brand new character to replace Sheen as the bad boy.

As for the fate of Sheen himself, it looks bleak. Once the media interest in his spectacle runs out, it’s hard to say whether or not he will ever work again. Many critics are predicting his talk show circuit is being treated like an audition.
Alec Baldwin, who has suffered a similar fate after being kicked off of the series “Hunt for Red October,” offered Sheen some advice in a recent Huffington Post article.

“Take a nap. Get a shower. Call [Two and a Half Men co-creator] Chuck [Lorre]. Go on Letterman and make an apology. Write a huge check to the B’Nai Brith. And then beg for your job back,” he wrote, adding, “P.S…. buy [Jon] Cryer a really nice car.”
It seems to me, Sheen can ride this wave in one of two ways.

One: Hit rock bottom and hope that he is still shocking enough to continue on talk show circuits or
Two: Take Baldwin’s advice and shape up quick before he loses the best thing that ever happened to him.

Although, many believe it’s no longer a question of whether Sheen will work again, but if he will survive. If he is serious about his claimed drug use, and if his delusions are real, Sheen’s self-destructive behavior could land him in prison, or actually kill him.

In the past few weeks Sheen has continued to make the talk show rounds, never failing to make a complete fool of himself.
“I am on a drug, it’s called Charlie Sheen. It’s not available because if you try it once you will die. Your face will melt off and your children will weep over your exploded body,” Sheen told Andrea Canning in a 20/20 special.

I guess all we can do is say a little prayer for all of the lost, lonely, self-absorbed cracked-out celebrities in the world. And be thankful that Hollywood even cares.

Something Queer

Gay teens on television have for a long time been either a fleeting dream or a blatant stereotype. Television has put gay characters in a neat little box. They are estranged outcasts or charming sidekicks.

But with the emergence of bold new gay characters (“90210’s” burly Teddy, “Pretty Little Liars” popular and beautiful Emily, and “Skins” punk cheerleader Tea, to name a few), Hollywood has been redefining they way we see gay teens on TV and creating a space for well rounded characters, who just happen to be gay.

The new hot ticket in the Gay community is up-and-coming teen cutie Chris Colfer, the charming and troubled crooner on Fox’s overnight hit “Glee.” The inclusion of his character has made waves amongst the LGBT crowd not only in Hollywood, but across the country as well.

At first glance, Kurt seemed like another typical “token gay,” what with the sweater vests, high vibrato and sleek hair-do. But what is revolutionary about Kurt is the way his sexuality defines him. Watching him interact with those around him makes it clear that he is neither sidekick nor outcast.

These new characters, like Kurt, are dealing with teenage issues that aren’t necessarily attached to their sexuality. They are portrayed as real people with normal problems.

Kurt is a young man who seems to have known he was gay from the very beginning. After coming out to his John Mellencamp/football father after just a few episodes, “Glee” moves on from the typical gay issues fairly quickly (coming out, acceptance, etc.). Kurt suffers from teen angst and unrequited love, much like his friends. He struggles with the death of his mother and his father’s remarriage and even questions his faith after his father’s heart attack.

Teenagers are often the main characters in classic coming of age stories and lessons about growing up. As teenagers, we go through challenges and tests that build character and teach us how to be adults. Young gay characters are now showing up as protagonists in their own stories, with their sexualities not always being the focal point.

And when “Glee” chose to focus on Kurt’s sexuality, they made it count. His conflict with a homophobic bully has lit a fire under anti-bullying and harassment campaigns in schools. His apprehension to spend time with the other men in Glee club highlights the way the boys identify with one another, and when stepbrother Finn let the F-word slip, the consequences were made very clear.

More recently, and perhaps most important of all, Kurt met Blaine – fellow show choir enthusiast with the same neat hair-do.

What makes the relationship between Kurt and Blaine so groundbreaking is not that they are openly gay teenagers living amongst peers who accept them (for the most part) and see them for who they are, but because they are willing to see their sexuality for what it is: purely sexual. Blaine makes the realization that perhaps being gay isn’t just about being in show choir and dressing nicely. Only after kissing a girl for the first time in the latest episode, is he able to truly know his sexuality.

Young men are constantly being called gay because they sing, dance, dress nicely, show emotion (etc.). The discovery that Blaine makes is that his gay identity does not have to be attached to any of his other characteristics. Look at Kurt’s maybe-gay football bully: a confused young man who probably thought playing football and beating people up would “cure” him.

Whether or not being homosexual is fate or choice or accident, it only needs to be one aspect of a person’s calling card.

A major key to the acceptance of gays is seeing them portrayed on screen as they are in real life. They are Doctors, lawyers, teachers and students. Whether it’s the confused jock or show choir geek. The gay characters in “Glee” not only raise acceptance and awareness amongst viewers, but hope for every scared kid who doesn’t know where else to turn.

When Colfer took home the Golden Globe for his performance this year, he said it perfectly.

“But most importantly, to all the amazing kids who watch our show and the kids that our show celebrates, who are constantly told ‘no’ by the people in their environments, by bullies at school. That they can’t be who they are, or have what they want, because of who they are. Well, screw that kids.”

The Bieber Fiever

Our pre-teen years were a strange time in many ways. Our bodies were too small for our legs, and we had terrible taste in music.

I’ve noticed something strange happening. My female friends and I are still very loyal to our love for the Backstreet Boys, N*SYNC, Britney Spears, S Club 7, (etc.) Every now and then we’ll put in an old CD into the car stereo, sing along and reminisce.
But lately whenever anybody from my generation comes across a young pop star of today, the eyes roll and the radio switches off. There is one in particular that seems to have all my twenty something friends in absolute agony.

Justin Bieber.

It’s Bieber Fiever. And my friends seem to be extremely allergic. It is strange because I’ve seen the same people who still worship the teen idols of our youth scorn those of today. But what is so different about them?
Why are we so annoyed by these new teen pop stars?

Well, probably because most of them are talent-less hair twirlers cranked out by the Disney Channel (Miley Cyrus, the Jonas Brothers, Selena Gomez, Miranda Cosgrove. . .) We’re worried about the musical degradation of the next generation. They’re being inadvertently sexualized and brainwashed, at least, according to the Disney critics.

But Beiber is different. He made a name for himself on YouTube when he began posting videos for singing contests. Soon enough, Justin Timberlake and Usher were battling over this small Canadian kid who, I’ll admit, kind of looks like a girl. He signed with Usher and the rest is history. Bieber has an obvious advantage to his pre teen counter parts.

Talent. He’s talented not just as a musician, but also as a performer. Heck, the kid can hold his own next to Usher. And anybody who has seen some of his live YouTube videos knows he has the voice to back it up. Plus he’s cute as button. (Perhaps a tad on the feminine side, but what’s wrong with that?)

His music celebrates a part of youth that we can no longer understand or relate to. In our rush to grow up and prepare for the real world, songs about first loves and school crushes seem laughable.

Justin Bieber represents something so sweet and wholesome that it makes older, more jaded college students retch. Maybe our resentment comes from a deeper bitterness that gone are the days when we were free to obsess over the cute boy with the guitar. We’ve moved on and grown up.

But that doesn’t mean we can’t still celebrate youth. There a lot of people, of all ages, out there who understand what I’m talking about. There are adults who really do love Bieber, not because of a deep longing for youth, but because they genuinely love his music. It’s ok to throw Bieber some love. It won’t ruin your taste in music or your ears. But if not, that’s fine. Just please stop rolling your eyes and making plans to bury him.

Even though the Bieber Fiever probably won’t be able to woo anyone over the age of 15, there are parts of his music and message that we all can enjoy. I think there is room in all of our hearts for a little J.B. Not in a creepy jailbait way, but more like a fond memory of our carefree preteen days.

It may be naïve and overly sweet, but he makes people happy. Girls all over the country sing in the shower and into hairbrushes. They dance when they think no one is looking and try really hard to not to hum to loud in class.
Since I still do all of these things, I know there is a little room for Bieber in my life. And on my iPod.

The Halftime Headache

In the beginning, the Super Bowl was about football. It was about two competing leagues, a merger, MVP’s and the Lombardi trophy.

But as the years went by, the Super Bowl became more than just a football game. We loved football so much that it was dubbed the de facto holiday “Super Bowl Sunday” so we could drink, eat and scream at the television. The football game has become a football event, complete with mass food consumption, the coveted million dollar commercial spots, and of course the half time show.

For a performer, the chance to star in the Super Bowl halftime show is more valuable than almost anything. The Super Bowl is one of the most viewed television programs of the year, a dream for even the most successful of artists. The exposure alone has been shown to prompt huge spikes in album sales and music downloads. The event has naturally evolved over the years, until recently it hit a wall of controversy that it hasn’t been able to overcome.

I think we all know what I’m talking about. Janet Jackson’s boob is still ingrained into my innocent thirteen year-old brain. For the folks in charge, it was enough to ban MTV and all young “popular” artists from the Super Bowl for six years.

If you take a look at Super Bowl I, there is no indication that it would become what it is today. The first halftime shows featured local marching bands from colleges and high schools. It wasn’t until Carol Channing’s performance during Super Bowl IV that prompted interest in bigger names in entertainment.

Another turning point came in 1993, when Michael Jackson made the halftime show one of the most watched television events in history. It was the first halftime show to be aired in its entirety, setting the standard for the rest to follow. Ratings for his performance were higher than the game itself. There was some concern over the amount of crotch-grabbing, but nobody seemed exceptionally worried. Not yet at least.

Network execs had begun to treat halftime as a program in of itself. There was a new determination to have famous “hip” performers at halftime.

In 1996, Diana Ross was a sensation with a performance that included four costume changes and a grand exit via helicopter while belting “Take Me Higher.” 1998 was a Motown tribute featuring Boyz II Men, Smokey Robinson, The Temptations, Martha Reeves and Queen Latifa. The next few years were headlined with artists such as Christina Aguilera, Gloria Esefan, Phil Collins and Enrique Iglesias.

2001, the only other MTV produced halftime before the nipple incident, saw the height of young entertainment at the Super Bowl, particularly with a line up consisting of NSYNC, Aerosmith, Britney Spears and Nelly.

But the halftime show most of us remember clearly is the 2004 Janet Jackson performance that ended with an unfortunate “wardrobe malfunction.” During what many have come to call “Nipplegate” Justin Timberlake ripped off a piece of Jackson’s costume to reveal a pierced nipple. The incident led to a heavy crackdown on indecency in broadcasting. CBS was slapped with a $550,000 fine and banned MTV from producing any more halftime shows.

It was in many ways a peak and tipping point for Super Bowl entertainment. The show was highly produced featuring six artists with eight different numbers. With Jackson’s dancers writhing about suggestively, enough pyrotechnics to set the stadium on fire and half-naked cheerleaders, it was enough to make even the more liberal viewer worried. Apparently this is where the line was drawn between family entertainment and a rave.

In the years that followed, the halftime show was reduced to only one artist at a time, almost all of them classic rock (Paul McCartney, The Rolling Stones, Prince, Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen and The Who). In 2006, a five second delay was implemented to help censor and prevent indecent images. What used to be a party for drunken football fans became more of a traditional concert, leaving more youthful fans disappointed.

Which is why the scheduled performance of The Black Eyed Peas is so notable. It is the first time since 2004 that a woman will be headlining the show, let alone anybody under the age of 40. Perhaps this is a way of easing back into the more popular artists. In future years, more than one artist might even be aloud on stage again. What made the halftime shows great was bringing together our favorites from different genres, like Gloria Estefan and Stevie Wonder, or No Doubt and Sting.

But the older crowd shouldn’t be worried. My fifty-something mother tells me how much she loves that “I’ve Got a Feeling” song. Maybe The Peas could be the group to bridge the generation gap. Plus, they’ve promised not to perform “My Humps.”

All we can do is hope everything goes well.

And that Fergie wears a bra.

Summer Reading List

As finals and papers bare down on the few days remaining before that sweet three-month freedom called summer vacation, I started to get plans ready for my long awaited leisure time.
One of the things I look forward to the most is catching up on all the reading I put off during the year, and I’m not talking about textbooks. A lot of us haven’t had time to sit down and read a good book in years.
So if you have time this summer to read a book or two, I suggest a few from the list below. A few are from my own summer reading list and others are some I think should be on yours.
Happy Reading.

“The Help” by Katheryn Stockett
After listening to this one on audio book, my mother practically begged me to give it a listen. Over spring break I decided to try out the first few chapters. Needless to say I almost stole her iPod when I had to come back to school. So I bought a copy in the airport terminal and crammed in almost half the book on my flight back. Finishing this book is first on my to do list this summer.
“The Help” tells the story of four women living in the early 1960’s Jackson Mississippi. The story is told from the multiple points of view of each of the characters, allowing us to fall in love with these amazing women one at a time. The story is rich with not only beautifully developed characters, but also a nail biting mystery/drama. Want “The Color Purple” meets “Desperate Housewives?” Trust me. You do.
And I would hurry because it will probably be a feature film within the year.

“Acceptance” by Susan Coll
Acceptance deals with teenage issues of identity, depression, and in the midst, making a decision that will alter your entire life. It really examines the idea of a seventeen year old deciding what they want to do for the rest of their life, and the pressure to succeed. It follows several high school students during their senior year and the challenges and difficult decisions they face.
I read this book the summer before my senior year of high school. I was caught up in the madness of S.A.T. tests and college applications and was nowhere short of loosing my mind. Everybody around me had an opinion except for me.
The tone of this book is perfect for a student lost in transition, whether it is grad school, the work force, or your parent’s basement. Big decisions coming up? Let “Acceptance” put things in perspective.

“Shadow Puppets” by Orsan Scott Card
“The Ender Series” is a fabulous series of books I have been reading on and off for the past four years. They tell the story of a futuristic world where humans do battle with aliens. Except their army is fully composed of children. Genius children who are put through rigorous academic and strategic training in order to create the perfect soldiers and commanders for the most powerful army in the universe. For those of you interested in a sci-fi novel you will actually be able to understand, look no further than here.
It currently consists of eleven novels and ten short stories, most of which can be read independently of each other. As a general rule of thumb, I would start with the first book Card wrote, “Ender’s Game” and go chronologically in the order they were published. If this advice seems strange, that’s because the story of the “Ender Series” is not completely linear.
But don’t feel like you need to tackle every single one. I just give you fair warning of the consequences of falling in love with a book that has 9 sequels.
And after four years, believe me, I would know.

“Lamb” by Christopher Moore
This is another recommendation from mom that I have not gotten to yet. It supposedly tells the story of Jesus through his childhood friend Biff. A lighthearted satire of the life of Christ from his childhood days up until his crucifixion may be just the dose of irony my summer needs.
Those who fear blasphemy should probably stay away however. A coming of age story of young Jesus that is described as “slapstick” will probably not be appreciated by his more faithful followers.
But if you are like me, religiously defunct, this should be right up your ally.

“Eat Pray Love” by Elizabeth Gilbert
This is another book I bought over winter break and never finished. Because of its notoriety and fame I figured I would finally give it a try. It is a true story about a woman who, after an emotional divorce, sets out to far continents looking for the love and meaning missing from her middle-aged world.
I hear the film version for this one is already in the works. So if you have not read it yet, now would be a good time.

“The Lovely Bones” by Alice Sebold
For those of you who saw the movie before reading this book, I apologize. This is one of my personal favorites.
“The Lovely Bones” is a beautiful story about a young girl who was murdered by her neighbor, and must watch from heaven as her family tries desperately to solve her murder. It is a stirring coming of age tale for the friends she leaves behind, and an emotional take on family and love.
You may shed a tear or two, but I can’t stress the amazing feeling hope left after reading this book. Do not be deterred by the heavy subject matter. There is actually much more to happy about in “The Lovely Bones” than sad.