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4.21 AVERAGE
4.21 AVERAGE
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
I cried. Oh, did I cry relating Carly to so many of my students. A beautiful story of a girl who is learning what love looks like, while dealing with a difficult past and a tenuous new friendship.
This book was incredibly beautiful. It was intense, but it portrayed love and the brokenness that comes with feeling unloved so accurately. It made me cry, a lot, but it was also so full of hope. I think it accurately but not heavy-handedly highlights some of the issues with the foster care system, too, while also showing some of the best parts of it. It is likely I will read this again; whether or not I do, I will carry it in my heart.
I have mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, I really liked the characterization of Carley. I thought her quirk with numbers was not overplayed and came across naturally. This was also helped by the fact that I have many of the same counting habits (that part with the clock was dead on). It's always nice to feel like a writer has captured exactly how you see things or interact with the world. Maybe it's even better when it's something so small. I appreciated Carley's character development through the book. It didn't feel forced or as though the author were calling too much attention to her changes in attitude and behavior. Also, I'm not sure how the author feels about The Giving Tree, but I totally agree with Carley.
Yet, there were several things that really bothered me. Basically the characterization of the entire Murphy family seemed weak to me. There was no natural development to the relationship between Carley and Mr Murphy. He was a jackass in the beginning and then at the end it was essentially just stated that he'd come around without showing any real interaction between him and Carley. Also, did the Murphy's have any family discussion about fostering? Why was Mr Murphy so resistant? Especially given his wife's experience. He just came across as utterly unsympathetic. Same goes for Daniel.
More on Mrs Murphy. I realize that the author probably wanted to have Mrs Murphy completely oppose Carley's mom, but I found Mrs Murphy to be too much of a trope. There was too much perfect motherliness to her which rendered her flat. There was so little to her character besides that she was everything Carley didn't have. The twist to her character felt like a desperate attempt to make her more complex and it was not successful, as far as I'm concerned.
This book has the kind of ending I'm not entirely sure how to interpret. To me, it seems very much not happy. I don't see how Carley and her mom are going to turn out all right. I don't know, maybe Carley will pull through. I suppose it's meant to be hopeful. I appreciate melancholy endings every once in a while, but I'm not sure what the author intended.
Yet, there were several things that really bothered me. Basically the characterization of the entire Murphy family seemed weak to me. There was no natural development to the relationship between Carley and Mr Murphy. He was a jackass in the beginning and then at the end it was essentially just stated that he'd come around without showing any real interaction between him and Carley. Also, did the Murphy's have any family discussion about fostering? Why was Mr Murphy so resistant? Especially given his wife's experience. He just came across as utterly unsympathetic. Same goes for Daniel.
More on Mrs Murphy. I realize that the author probably wanted to have Mrs Murphy completely oppose Carley's mom, but I found Mrs Murphy to be too much of a trope. There was too much perfect motherliness to her which rendered her flat. There was so little to her character besides that she was everything Carley didn't have. The twist to her character felt like a desperate attempt to make her more complex and it was not successful, as far as I'm concerned.
Spoiler
I also couldn't help but read something more sinister between the lines. To me, Mrs Murphy came across as desperate to create the perfect family that she never had. Given the fact that, as previously mentioned, her husband was so callous about the situation with Carley, I don't think she was successful. Frankly, the relationship between Mrs and Mr Murphy almost came across as abusive.This book has the kind of ending I'm not entirely sure how to interpret. To me, it seems very much not happy. I don't see how Carley and her mom are going to turn out all right. I don't know, maybe Carley will pull through. I suppose it's meant to be hopeful. I appreciate melancholy endings every once in a while, but I'm not sure what the author intended.
This made me cry. As a foster momma, it brought me to tears, putting myself in their shoes. A tough, but necessary read.
Read it now! Have a box of tissues handy, as well as a copy of the Wicked CD in case you don't know track 18. Can't recommend this enough!
This book totally had me tearing up. I felt the author did a great job showing Carly's frustration and then how she changes when she really starts loving her foster family. I was really unhappy when we first found out her mom wanted to take her back (I pretty much the same emotions as Carly about that which really shows the author is great at making her characters come to life). And then when she found out what her mom actually did for her, I just couldn't see how the story could have a happy ending, but that's kind of the beauty of it. Life is like that: there are tough times and tough choices and the only thing we can do is try our best ^^
Loved this book. Loved that while it didn't end how you think it was still completely hopeful which kids need. Great characters and well done story.
I read this book earlier in the summer, and just noticed that my review and rating are missing. This is a wonderful book that is not the typical foster child story, not the stereotypical ending, but with characters you will genuinely care for. At one point when the mother was ill, I thought it might be related to morning sickness, but it's never mentioned again. I was a bit surprised that someone as caring as a firefighter would be a bit aloof to a foster child, but overall, it's a very thoughtful book.