So, I stayed up and finished reading this one last night. It produced in me a myriad of emotions. I was furious with the ending. While there were several passages that moved me, the book as a whole proved to be a huge disappointment. I imagined myself with tissues by my side crying through the last several chapters, feeling the pain felt by the characters, and knowing that it was all worth it in the end.....knowing that, if in their shoes, I would have done the same things.
This was not the case. I didn't cry, I didn't feel their pain--what I actually felt was that her parents got what they deserved. Used up, poor Anna never got to really live and her mother got exactly what she had wanted all along. I guess my sense of fairness was offended. I always root for the underdog, and this time......THIS TIME.....the underdog lost.
AND, what parent--in his right mind--does not get their arsonist son some help? Again, the unfairness of it all. He just turned over a new leaf and became a hero instead of a goat? His character I did feel sorry for......I saw what could have been...had God not intervened in the life of the one I love.
So, all in all, to me......This. Book. Stunk.
The Big Boo Cast, Episode 421
3 days ago
Most of her books end poorly, I always say I won't read any more, but then I do because at least her books make me think. So many books are just dribble. Finished one called "Never Let Me Go" by the author who wrote Remains of the Day (can't remember his name, he's Japanese but lives in England), and it's a story that will stay with me a long time. Not because it was a happy story, but really disturbing and makes you think about how we treat people.
ReplyDeleteI kind of felt the same way about how the mom got what she wanted all along. And like you, she got on my nerves the way she basically refused to pay attention to her other kids and take care of them, despite the fact that, at the moment, Kate may not have needed anything. For example, Jesse's braces. When they find out that Kate is in relapse, and Jesse has an ortho appt, but Sara refuses to take him b/c Kate is sick. Kate isn't sick at the moment, she's playing outside with Anna, but b/c she is going to get sick, Sara doesn't have the time, energy, or just give-a-damn to take him to his ortho appt. Those kinds of things made me mad. The movie is different though. You would like the ending better.
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