Sup3rnality

In my earlier days in IIUM, I quite liked borrowing novels from the campus library. I say this like it is a big thing because, first and foremost, the idea of being loaned a book and then having to return is a heartbreaking experience for me. I'll prolong my possession of the book for the longest time possible, cos I don't wanna return it. Mostly I'll avoid borrowing if I can. And second, well, the IIUM library does not have that many books of the fiction genre anyway.

But yes, I did borrow fictions in those days (in my senior year I was more immersed in journals). I was adjusting to my new life there and was looking for things to do to occupy my time. I can almost imagine Ash rolling his eyes and calling me "nerd" right now :p

One fine day, I saw this book: The Lovely Bones. The synopsis on the back piqued my interest and so I took it back to the room and started on it.

I was crying by the end of the first chapter.

You are faced with your own mortality and weakness when you read of a young girl being raped and killed. You know that, put in the same situation, you wouldn't fare any better, and I cannot imagine how it must have felt to know that no one could save you as you died alone. I remember waking up with a start once when I dreamed that I was being held down and I could not scream after reading that book. It affected me so. To the extent I was painfully scared of being alone in secluded areas.

Reading The Lovely Bones put me in an ordeal, trying so hard to finish the book but finding it hard as I was crying at every few pages and had to put it down while I calmed myself down. The story is told by Susie, the girl who was murdered, who watched family, friends and other people she knew live their lives after she died. She watched the futile police investigations on her disappearance. She watched her family crumble, watched her friends grow up and do things she never will, and basically saw how people moved on without her. It was painful, wistful and sad. She was only 14, and had so much to live for.

Sometime in 2008 I heard that Peter Jackson was taking up the movie to adapt to the silver screen. I felt scared, anxious and doubtful. Translating a story based so much more on emotions rather on plot is not an easy task, assuming that it is not interpreted wrongly. With the absence of words to describe the matters of the heart and soul, visuals would need to do it justice. On top of that, with the story covering the lives of so many characters, you can only hope that the story would not be snipped and changed too much from the original to fit in to a movie.

I, however, will give Mr Jackson the benefit of the doubt. I'm sure he'll manage to pull it off. The movie's coming out very soon, and I'm very anxious to see the outcome. Perhaps for me, it is not so much about the story. I'm not so bothered on how true it'll stick to the book, cos I've learned to just accept that movies could never adapt the exact storyline from books, it's just too difficult and complicated. Although I do wish that the essence of the story won't be distorted too much. What I'm more worried about is whether the emotions that was told so heartbreakingly well in the book could be captured in the movie. I want to see whether what made me cry from start to end would be there as I watch rather than read. That is my utmost hope, for the emotions to not be overlooked.

Anyway, here's to hoping that the movie will be as good as the book. From what I saw from the trailer and all, it looks pretty good. And having enjoyed a few movies by Mr Jackson, I suppose he wouldn't do too shabby. So let's wait and see. And for those who has read the book, too, keep your fingers crossed!

Love, Linzy

P/s: After reading TLB, Aaina lent me a Alice Sebold book which told about Sebold's own rape experience. I never could finish reading it, it was too horrible. Like any other woman, I find rape to be the biggest betrayal, something that I fear and have restless thoughts about.