In the following essay, specially commissioned for Contemporary Literary Criticism, Womack uses the framework of family systems theory to examine acts of narrative therapy and the grieving process presented in The Lovely Bones.

In the following essay, Mendelsohn complains that The Lovely Bones suffers from poor-quality writing and has the moral, social, and emotional seriousness of sugary pop songs and TV movies of the week.

In the following essay, specially commissioned for Contemporary Literary Criticism, Eder offers a comparison of The Lovely Bones with Sebold's memoir, Lucky, discussing the novel's characterization, structure, and imaginative perspective.

In the following essay, Abbott chronicles The Lovely Bones's path to success and describes the marketing and publicity efforts behind the novel.

In the following favorable review, Mead suggests that The Lovely Bones feeds America's appetite for horror.

In the following review, Webb reflects on The Lovely Bones, highlighting the novel's unique perspective and its depiction of heaven.

In the following review, Phinn offers a negative assessment of The Lovely Bones, characterizing it as sentimental and predictable.

In the following review, FitzHerbert compares The Lovely Bones with Lucky, finding the former an unsuccessful attempt to improve on the author's memoir.

In the following review, Charles admires The Lovely Bones for its utilization of both horror and beauty.

In the following review, Churchwell praises the first half of The Lovely Bones, but derides the novel's latter half, calling it “saccharine” and “false.”

In the following interview, Sebold discusses her narrative choices in The Lovely Bones and her plans for her next novel.

In the following review, Woods describes The Lovely Bones as “a strange and beautiful amalgam of novelistic styles.”

In the following review, Dworkin presents a detailed synopsis of the memoir Lucky, preferring it to Sebold's novel The Lovely Bones.

In the following review, Allardice contends that the characters and narrative of The Lovely Bones are overly conventional and fail to fulfill the novel's potential.

In the following review, the critic praises Sebold's The Lovely Bones, citing the author's originality and attention to detail.