In all seriousness, even though I am marking this book as Read, I'm really only halfway through. I LOVED Me Before You, but I just cannot get into AFTER YOU. It has not caught nor does it hold my interest in the slightest. It simply is not at all the way I imagined the story to continue. I would much rather have my imagining of the continuing story than read the rest of this book.
I felt the same way when SCARLET came out (the attempted sequel to GONE WITH THE WIND). Margaret Mitchell's masterpiece has a wonderful open-ended ending that I LOVE because I get to imagine what happened to Rhett and Scarlet. All the hype over SCARLET was NOT worth my time. I didn't make it through that book either.
**OK. I finally finished it. And I'm glad I did. AFTER YOU is in no way even close to the
awesomeness of ME BEFORE YOU, but by the time I read the last word, I no longer greatly disliked it. The worst part of the story, for me, is how Lily shows up at Louisa's door and that Louisa feels an instant responsibility for the girl--even though there is NO REAL REASON for her to do so. I suppose, though, that in grief, we look for any and every reason to hang on to the person we love[d] and to feel ANY connection with that person, no matter how insignificant or tenuous that connection might be.
So as I read the book, I fell more in love with Louisa. What I really love about AFTER YOU is how Moyes demonstrates the truth that just because a few years have gone by, that does not mean that the grieving can or does "get over" losing a loved one. Everyone struggles and deals with grief in his/her own time and in his/her own way. There is no one "right"--or wrong--way to grieve. What is important is to surround ourselves with friends, family, and loved ones who are still available--and to let those friends, family, and loved ones be there for us (don't push them away).
My heart went out to Louisa as she struggled to do what she felt was best for HER, in spite of the fact that she had a number of people telling her something different. I have struggled with this very thing over the past 17 years and it is very difficult. I don't want to hurt anyone by "ignoring" his/her advice, but ultimately, I have to do what is right for me--what I know in my heart-of-hearts, in my very soul, is best for me--even if it alienates others.
I have lost close friends because I went a different direction than they advised. Yes, that breaks my heart, but at the same time, I KNOW that I did the right thing--for me.
And like Louisa, I have also made some fairly stupid decisions, but my God has everything under His control and if something is in His will, somehow or another, He usually gives me the "kick in the pants" that I need in order for me to see that He has opened--or closed--a particular door.
So while I struggled with AFTER YOU at first, I am very glad I read it. The book is a wonderful demonstration of the living dealing with life after the death of a much loved one and it is REAL in that regards. Sometimes it does pay to plow through a book that we don't like at first.....
It's been a long time since I stayed up into the middle of the night
on a school night to finish reading a book! And I don't regret one moment of my late night reading! Nicole Deese is a fantastic storyteller. She tells a story in a way that draws the reader in but doesn't make me feel as if I'm being slapped in the face with it. A part of me wants to call ALL FOR ANNA "simple," but this is not, by any means, a simple story. As I read Tori's story, I felt so connected to her personally. During the last sixteen years, especially the last ten, I have withdrawn into my own world of depression, guilt, and rage. I have avoided family and friends to the degree of missing holidays and family gatherings. Like Tori, I went to counseling and have clawed my way back to a place of joy and peace in God. I honestly cannot wait for Thanksgiving (and Christmas) this year even though the house is going to be packed full to overflowing with family and extended family. For the first time in years, the thought excites me rather than makes me want to run as far away in the opposite direction as possible. I love a story that "simply" states the realities of LIFE without making it overly sappy or sentimental. I felt Tori's pain, her guilt; I also felt her joy in coming back to her faith in the one true Lord and Savior. As a writer-wanna-be myself, I can only hope and pray that my stories are even half as wonderful as Nicole's.
Kristi's little book DREAM....A GUIDE TO GRIEVING GRACEFULLY is well worth the read. I
have been reading everything I can get my hands on regarding overcoming grief and this one is one that will always stand out among my list of ones I'm glad I read. Kristi shares from her heart. Her compassion and desire to see those grieving come to a place of healing is demonstrated on every page in every word. There is a lot of information that I have read in other texts on grieving, but Kristi has found a way to share that information that is unique, tender, and compassionate. Thank you, Kristi, for sharing.
Jodi Picoult has the power, like no one else, to convince me that what I am reading at the time I reading HER book is THE GREATEST book I have ever read in my life as well as the most realistic story I have ever read. Wow. I had a difficult time getting started with LEAVING TIME. Not because of the story, but because I was very busy with the end of the semester. Once I had a few minutes to sit down and actually read the book, though, I found it next to impossible to put down. Wow. As I was nearing the end, I felt that I should have seen THAT ending coming, but wonderfully, I did not. I love it when I get to the surprise without having figured it out. I can still enjoy a book when I have figured out the surprise before getting there, but for me, it is simply more fun being able to read the surprise and experiencing it in its full force and effect. Wow. Great job, Jodi.
I have always loved elephants, but LEAVING TIME has given me a much greater appreciation for them. Wonderful.
LEAVING TIME is a wonderful reminder of the fact that we have to be careful to pre-judge someone or simply to pass judgment on people before we know the whole truth. There are certain characters in this book who I found myself drawn to and others I wanted to disappear simply because I didn't agree with them, didn't like their philosophy, or more importantly, I didn't like or agree with something they were doing. But by the end of the book, I found myself changing my way of thinking about each of those characters!!!
Picoult's books never fail to keep me riveted. The best part is that with LEAVING TIME, we also get the back story of her novellas that she published online prior to the release of the book! Awesome. I can't say enough good things about LEAVING TIME by Jodi Picoult.
