Just finished the book..

[Carie]

Did anyone else feel a bit cheated by the end of this book?
what were your thoughts after reading it?

[Melissa]

I just finished a couple days ago and I also felt a little cheated. I thought it was just me though, because whenever a book or movie doesn't clearly lay out what happens, what is going to happen, i feel dissatisfied. After reflecting, I thought that it probably was the best way to end the book. In order to continue on with her quest, she had to lose the spelling bee.

[Alyson]

Finished it earlier this week. It was a compelling read, but I too was left a bit wanting. I like the ending, but it all felt too commercial, like I had already seen this before. In the back of my mind, I see a movie or program where a mom such as this is described and it is killing me that I cannot remember, but that's my life, with what I call "mother's brain".
Do you think it is really possible for a spouse to be living out her mentally illness for ten years?...and then to be fine when she gets home, so that no one notices. I think that it is a bit far fetched.
It really made me feel bad that ISKCONS can't sell flowers in airports anymore and are relegated to park bench conversion tactics with minors.
I kept thinking what a good father Saul was, but then I realized his passive involvement and the need to "trust" his kids by giving them space, really gave him a one-sided perspective of their lives. What do you think of his parenting ability?

[Cyndi]

I finished this morning, and thought the ending was perfect. Eliza liberated herself and Saul, deliberately and lovingly, using her favorite letter.

[Mounica]

I actually liked the ending. I change my mind about the meaning of the ending every time I think about it, because of its vagueness. So it's kind of cool to just wonder what's going to happen next. But yeah, I would like to know what really happens to Miriam and that storage room, or what happens to Eliza and her spelling.

My favorite part is when Miriam's "kaleidoscope" was described. I would really like to see it for real. That would way cool. I wonder how they show it in the movie? Have any you watched it?