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A review by nssutton
See You at Harry's by Jo Knowles
3.0
This story has gotten wonderful reviews and I was curious to see what it was all about. I think it touched upon the broader issues with grace and care, handling loss and acceptance in equal measures. It was a quick read -- from lunch to dinner, with classes in between -- and although the sadness of the story closed my throat, I didn't cry.
It was the issue of responsibility that stayed with me -- Fern feeling responsible for her younger brother, annoyed at the responsibilities she felt her own parents were neglecting, and yet taking on other responsibilities, such as protecting and defending her older brother with such a natural assumption of the role. That is such a true feeling for that cusp of teenage years, that decision making process of feeling what you should and shouldn't be expected to take on.
And I feel like that even extended to Ran, who felt that his words had the power to keep the world a safe place, and the way in which he could no longer believe in his mantra once all was not well.
It was the issue of responsibility that stayed with me -- Fern feeling responsible for her younger brother, annoyed at the responsibilities she felt her own parents were neglecting, and yet taking on other responsibilities, such as protecting and defending her older brother with such a natural assumption of the role. That is such a true feeling for that cusp of teenage years, that decision making process of feeling what you should and shouldn't be expected to take on.
And I feel like that even extended to Ran, who felt that his words had the power to keep the world a safe place, and the way in which he could no longer believe in his mantra once all was not well.