This book is my first bookring that I got. It had 10 journalers and 26 journals before I got it. A well traveled book :). You can see it here and join the ring if you want. I’m sending this book to the next person in Australia.
Got it from: followdream, US (bookring)
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 (boy do I became harsher these days..)
“The tale of one motherless daughter’s discovery of what family really means- and of the strange and wondrous places we find love.” ~ The Washington Post (back cover)
It’s a sweet short book. Like strawberry short cake. Like eating fairy floss alone in the middle of beautiful park. There’s just the right balance of sadness and happiness. Sure there were moments a bit too corny for me, but the main character is 14 years old girl, what do you expect ;). I admit though there were many moments too that brought me to the verge of tears. It was both funny and melancholy book I’d say :).
A few elements felt very close to home. Including the “We can’t be together now, but one day, after I’ve gone away and become somebody, I’m gonna find you, and we’ll be together then” promise, complete with dogtag exchanging hands. Seriously, I’m asking you, does this kind of thing happen to everybody? Now I feel that it does happen to all teenagers around the world LOL.
Do you know what’s the key to writing a good fiction? Pick a few key points that can stick on readers’ mind. Anything that’s outlandish, or even ordinary but with a bit of twist. Like from this book, I could easily remember the kneeling on grits, pink house, wailing wall, and the black Madonna (Mary). (You gotta read the book to understand what they are :)
So see, even maybe after I forget about the how the girl found her mother, I would probably still remember the one that had the world’s burden and sadness like it was her own and her wailing wall where she stored all her griefs away.
Memorable Quotes
“Every little thing wants to be loved.” ~ August, pg 92
“The hardest thing on earth is choosing what matters.” ~ August, pg 147
“It’s something everybody wants- for someone to see the hurt done to them and set it down like it matters.” ~ Lily, pg 185
“When it’s time to die, go ahead and die, and when it’s time to live, live. Don’t sort-of-maybe live, but live like you’re going all out, like you’re not afraid.” ~ May and August, pg 211
“People, in general, would rather die than forgive. It’s that hard.” ~ Lily, pg 277
“In a weird way I must have loved my little collection of hurts and wounds. They provided me with some real nice sympathy, with the feeling I was exceptional.” ~ Lily, pg 278
“[Love] is the only purpose grand enough for a human life. Not just to love- but to persist in love.” ~ August, pg 289
“If you need something from somebody, always give that person a way to hand it to you.” ~ August, pg 298
