There is so so much loss in this book, throughout the whole thing. But, there are also a ton of blissful small memories and events between the characters in this family, and the families they make for themselves. Each story was incredibly different and included minor characters you might have forgotten about beforehand, including exes and those met only once or twice. Each sibling has their own life goals and go their different way in life, carrying with them their shared past and wishing they had better relationships with each other. In a way, this is telling you, the reader, to reconnect or say sorry before it is too late.
Throughout the whole novel this book talks about fate, and whether it is real, or if people will just will it to be real until it actually happens. Similar to the placebo effect; people are unaware they are taking a placebo and swear they feel the effects of the "drug" they think they are taking. Because each sibling was told their death date, have they lived their lives and their death just happened, or did it happen because of the choices they made? The whole premise itself is quite interesting, even if for an extremely saddening topic that leaves this whole family fractured in a way that cannot be repaired.
Simon's story happens to be my favorite of all of them, maybe because it was the first one I read, or maybe because he was the one that died the youngest. There are a million factors, it seems, that could lead me to favoring his story over the others, but it definitely moved me the most. He did not seem to suffer more or less hardships or shitty relationships than his siblings, or make more terrible choices, but I do think he lived his life a little more fully and recklessly and that might be why I am favoring him. But I honestly do not think I could pin down one exact reason, other than I feel it in my bones.
There is a sort of magic in this book, throughout the whole thing and outside of Klara's story too. This family is bonded by their visit to the woman on Hester St, if not by anything else, and even when not talking to each other they still think of the others all the time. I enjoyed reading through the years as they each live their separate lives, and the bittersweet ending where everything just...falls into place in a way that you know everything will be alright. Things happen for a reason, or do they?
Throughout the whole novel this book talks about fate, and whether it is real, or if people will just will it to be real until it actually happens. Similar to the placebo effect; people are unaware they are taking a placebo and swear they feel the effects of the "drug" they think they are taking. Because each sibling was told their death date, have they lived their lives and their death just happened, or did it happen because of the choices they made? The whole premise itself is quite interesting, even if for an extremely saddening topic that leaves this whole family fractured in a way that cannot be repaired.
Simon's story happens to be my favorite of all of them, maybe because it was the first one I read, or maybe because he was the one that died the youngest. There are a million factors, it seems, that could lead me to favoring his story over the others, but it definitely moved me the most. He did not seem to suffer more or less hardships or shitty relationships than his siblings, or make more terrible choices, but I do think he lived his life a little more fully and recklessly and that might be why I am favoring him. But I honestly do not think I could pin down one exact reason, other than I feel it in my bones.
There is a sort of magic in this book, throughout the whole thing and outside of Klara's story too. This family is bonded by their visit to the woman on Hester St, if not by anything else, and even when not talking to each other they still think of the others all the time. I enjoyed reading through the years as they each live their separate lives, and the bittersweet ending where everything just...falls into place in a way that you know everything will be alright. Things happen for a reason, or do they?