Leni and Matthew

[Kerry]

I was glad Leni had a friend. However, they are the only 2 people the same age. Even though they had some things in common was it more a case that there wasn’t anyone else? I wish she had gone with Matthew & gone to college but I don’t think their relationship would have continued.

[Maxine]

I was also glad that Leni had a friend. Sometimes you need an outsider of the family to support you, Matthew was so devoted to her and she was lucky to have him in her life.

[Retta]

Leni and Matthew's friendship did have elements of shared books conversations with a large dose of common sense and humor as school chums in a 1 room schoolhouse. Being the same age and enjoying living in Kaneq Peninsula their friendship grew into a teenager's love for each other. Trevor identified how their love relationship was at odds with Leni's abusive and violent father, Ernt.
Leni had lived daily with emotional and physical abuse by her father toward her mom and other persons throughout her life. Leni experienced a loving and gentle male relationship with Matthew. I was hoping good things would happen for the young lovers with college and new life outside Kaneq but alas story tragedy for them. Leni wanted a normal life so badly that she thought her love for Matthew would overrule her dysfunctional family's actions.

[Michelle]

I felt their relationship was more than simply propinquity. [Now there’s an old term from The Dobie Gillis show, as Zelda kept reminding Dobie why he was destined for her. Am I the only one old enough to remember that?] They were fortunate in that they also had sensibilities that drew one to another.

[Michele]

I was definitely rooting for them but was also afraid that Matthew’s devastation over the traumatic death of his mom might change him, similar to how war changed Leni’s dad. When he physically pushed Leni, I thought the pattern of abuse would be repeated in their relationship. I’m so glad that turned out not to be the case and that Leni and Matthew ended up helping each other heal instead.

[Katie]

I kept waiting for Ernt to kill Matthew. I didn't want that to happen, at the same time, I would have been disappointed in a story book ending.
I thought Hannah did a great job of showing how deep a relationship can be - perhaps particularly because of where Leni & Matthew lived - but life and love are usually not flat, paved paths - there are bumps and craters.