I enjoyed the book once I read it more, but when I finished I was left with a feeling of overall sadness. Sadness about Rebecca's life outcome, her sadness in general and how she was treated by those she had called her family for so many years. Her children were so ungrateful I don't think I would have been able to bite my tongue like she did with them. They never thought of her like a mother, were always demanding and never thankful. Her step-daughter even complained to her about taking care of someone elses children while still in her honeymoon phase...I could have screamed at those girls. Ok now that I have vented some I will get to Catherine's questions.
1. I did have a moment like Rebecca in my first marriage, my epiphany if you say, I was married and had a child (like I always wanted, but unhappy at where I was in my life). I didn't understand how I could have gotten what I wanted and be so unhappy...I just didn't get the one meant for me. I have since fixed that, by like Rebecca taking the hard road to make myself happy. My husband now and daughter (along with my son) are the life I wanted, getting it isn't easy though.
2. Yes, I think Rebecca would have stayed, but she would have been unhappy in the end. A husband who works too much, so ritualistic with his career that she would have been more alone than as a widow. Knowing they are gone is one thing, having a husband around who's never home is worse.
3. When my husband met my family in Georgia he was a little surprised at the calamity having 2 parents, 4 siblings (with spouses) and 11 children all but two under the age of 5...needless to say he found our traditions quirky and maybe a little country at times, but he embraced them instead of trying to change us.
4. I believe Rebecca forgot the life she had hoped for since she felt she was thrown into the one she ended up with. She was left with 4 children at a young age and was so overwhelmed so quickly that I think she forgot what she had wanted. Also, she didn't get to develop those rituals at first because they were already in place, the rhyming toasts was her idea and eventually most ways became Rebecca's way.
5. Will's life was in a tailspin when Rebecca called him again, he was so sad and alone that he wanted to grasp some happiness, his memories of Rebecca if he remembered her as she was, his failure of a life; as he saw it, wouldn't have happened. They were happy and starting out, he wouldn't have ended up alone and unhappy.
6. I do think Zeb was waiting for Rebecca, I think she would have to change how she saw him...because she still sees him as her husband's younger brother and I think he has other ideas. Personally I would love to see them together, I think they would both be happy. Although Rebecca did mention she was the one still in mourning every now and again.
7. My favorite character was Poppy, he was the only really happy one to me. He enjoyed his life and his routines. He of course couldn't remember much of it once it happened, but he was cute and quirky. I loved his birthday speech and how he always loved and missed his wife.
Ok, so there is my opinion; all be it a long one, but my question is:
Do you think there was anything Rebecca could have done differently once she realized she wanted to change how she had ended up?
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Okay, I can only post part of my thoughts because I'm not sure about the rest of my answers. SO here are 1-3 with the rest 'to be continued...'
1. We all travel a road with many forks and the trick is, you can never turn around and walk back (as Tyler points out with Rebecca's experience). Rebecca's depressing realization that she wasn't who or where she wanted to be made me look at the major turning points in my life. Did I make the right choice? Or will I regret them 20 years later and feel I've lost time? Do I need to veer in another direction now to avoid that? Hopefully, I can analyze along the way and make my little detour's sooner rather than later.
2. I agree with Kyla - she would have stayed, but would not have been happy. She might turn out more like her mother, rathern than her aunt.
3. Tina's visit leads Rebecca to observe her life from the uncomfortable perspective of an outsider. Have you ever had that experience with a guest?
Oh, most definitely! Anytime I am in a social situation with a stranger who is very different than me - I am aware of how my looks, actions and conversations might come across.
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