Debbie asked:

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5 years ago
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Katie

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Michelle

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Misty For me, the comment about the strawberries was poignant. Once Sephie tasted them, she knew what she had been missing—what was on “the other side”. She had to then live with the knowledge of what she couldn’t have. Cassie has never tasted them—and wouldn’t miss what she hadn’t had, would never carry that burden the way Sephie would. I hope that makes sense. Additionally, strawberries are a symbol of purity, something Cassie realized that Sephie had lost. It also makes the repeated mention of strawberries relative to Sephie (the soda, etc.) quite heart wrenching. Finally, in urban slang, a strawberry is a prostitute.

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Stacy40pages Did you read the epilogue? It's on the author's website. It was not included in the book, as she wanted some left open to interpretation, but it may clear up some of your questions!

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Jean Desmond Whow! I had the exact same problems with the book. Could have been so much better. Didn't like the way it ended too. A little closure with mom would have been nice.

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Reading With Tea

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Ted Duke

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Carol Katarsky I agree some of the loose ends were left a little TOO loose. My take: Toward the end, she mentions that the bed in the workshop looks "slept in." I figure that's where Sephe has been abused. Too risky to do it in the house. Cass's fear is that he's going to come up the stairs to get her and bring her to the workshop.

It seems clear to me that the mom was choosing to ignore what was in front of her eyes. She gets off easy in the book, although I could see that being true to life -- a survivor of abuse may lay primary blame on the perpetrator.

The strawberries comment and the line about "the last all three of us would be together alive" seem like she threw them in just to be dramatic but once you finish the book they don't actually make sense.

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Carol Turk

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Jody I'm so glad I'm not the only one! The story kept my hooked but the ending left so many questions unanswered, I needed closure! (just here to vent I have no answers)

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