First of all, I gave this three stars on Goodreads, which means I liked it ok. Not that I hated it. If I hated it, I would not even be rating it (which I guess negates the whole star process if I never rate anything bad.....)
This book is sad. So sad, all the lost opportunities to show love and support and tell your truth. We know from the get go that Lydia is dead (see one of the greatest first lines ever!!). But we don't know how or why. What we learn about Lydia and her family along the way of this brief but heartbreaking story is typical and devastating at the same time. Themes of racism, bullying, parental transference, a frustrated housewife, an overlooked youngest child.... all come together to attempt to piece it all together.
But this puzzle is complicated, and some answers are never to be known. I found it a struggle to get through this one. Not much hope here and I worried all along about the long term affects on the kids mostly. Still, I persisted.
And the last 10 pages made it worthwhile. Beautiful introspective language and a tiny bit of hope if not redemption. Those last ten pages were amazing, giving the reader a glimpse into what happens in future years. I loved how the author did that. Still, I did not really enjoy the read until the end, and then of course the title makes sense in more ways than one. This probably would be a good book club selection because I do think there is a LOT to talk about, but if you are looking for a light entertaining read, I'd say this one is heavy and a bit gloomy, so just be aware.
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