I have to admit it took me a little while to get started reading this book. I read a little of it and put it down, only to pick it back up again and really enjoy it. I can't wait for you to read this and give me your own feedback on what you thought of the book and some of the things that I thought about when reading it!
For me this book had to major themes - Love and Death. Each one of them essentially made the main character who she was. It impacted her in ways she never realized, and while she tried to move on that shaped her as a person.
Love. There are many kinds of love - love between and mother/father and a child, a husband and a wife, first love, lasting love and in this story Lilly had them all. Do you think she loved to much? Have you ever felt the consuming love that she felt over and over again? For sometimes it seemed that she was more so concerned by her love that she let it become the focus of her life.
First there was her love for Jon. Then her love for swimming. Next her love for her father. And lastly her love for Cam. Do you think her desire for love took over her life?
Next - death. I can only imagine that seeing the death of someone very close to you as a child would frame your viewing of life forever. (I am not trying to give to much away here just in case you haven't read the book.) Lilly had her life interrupted several times by the death of people that she loved. They were all unexpected to her in some way. It seems as if much of the time she didn't let the death touch her or affect her by releasing her emotions in a big way. Instead she kept them bottled up and they manifested themselves in some other way. Has that ever happened to you?
I know that when my grandfather died (he was the greatest man ever) - surrounded by family and friends I tried to put it from my mind. Didn't let myself think about it or cry all that much. When a month later my cat died in an accident - I was hysterical about the whole thing. It was almost as if it was the tipping point for grief for me.
Enough of me and back to "Off Season". Which do you think affected Lilly more? Love or Death?
What is the schedule?
Monday at J. Kaye's Book Blog
Tuesday at A Blog of Books
Wednesday at Literarily
Thursday at A Blog of Books
Friday is the wrap up and will be at Literarily, A Blog of Books, and J. Kaye's Book Blog.
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3 comments:
I don't know just yet. I'm still at Jon and her turmoil with Peaches. Speaking of which, what do you think of that character?
Love how you said that you picked it up and put it down, just to pick it up again and then get interested. That happened to me twice. :) I'm enjoying the book, but it's not a reach out and grab you story. It's interesting and I want to know what happens, but it doesn't carry with it an emotional punch - at least not yet. Maybe later.
Sorry, but I had to go back and read the post again before commenting more.
I've never lost a human who I was very close to, such as a relative. My family (parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents) aren't close. Only my husband and kids would be a major blow that I'd have trouble recovering from. Like you, we are huge animal lovers. When I lost Rufo, my JRT, it sent me into the deepest depression. Gosh, I still miss that mess of a dog. We get close to our beloved pets to where they are important members of the family.
Now I get what you were saying...I am deeper in the book. You said it perfectly with "Love and Death." This is such a sad book.
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