The Last Romantics by Tara Conklin
Renee, Caroline, Joe and the youngest, the narrator, Fiona are siblings left to raise themselves when their father suddenly dies in his 30's and their mother retreats to her bedroom for more than three years. Renee, the oldest takes over the household duties, cooking, cleaning, laundry. Caroline finds solace with a neighbor boy who she eventually marries and Joe immerses himself in baseball. Fiona, being the youngest, follows everyone else around. That's what youngest girls do.
Joe's baseball coach at some point intervenes and Noni, their mother, comes out of her room and back to life. But the scars of their childhood present themselves differently in each one of the children as they find their way to adulthood.
I related to the first part of this story. I'm the youngest of the same pecking order, 2 girls, a boy and then the baby girl. We were also raised by a single and very depressed mother. On many levels I felt exactly what Fiona felt. But then that all changed for me. They faced their lives in a differently way some of which I felt made the story more interesting and others left me scratching my head.
The Last Romantics looks at how the things that happen to us along the way impact how we view love. Love can be lasting which is the most rewarding kind, but love can also be fleeting and elusive. But one thing for sure, it means something different to each of us and we never stop searching for it. It's a well written book which some of you will love and the rest of you will hate. A few of you may land somewhere in the middle but isn't that what love is all about?
Renee, Caroline, Joe and the youngest, the narrator, Fiona are siblings left to raise themselves when their father suddenly dies in his 30's and their mother retreats to her bedroom for more than three years. Renee, the oldest takes over the household duties, cooking, cleaning, laundry. Caroline finds solace with a neighbor boy who she eventually marries and Joe immerses himself in baseball. Fiona, being the youngest, follows everyone else around. That's what youngest girls do.Joe's baseball coach at some point intervenes and Noni, their mother, comes out of her room and back to life. But the scars of their childhood present themselves differently in each one of the children as they find their way to adulthood.
I related to the first part of this story. I'm the youngest of the same pecking order, 2 girls, a boy and then the baby girl. We were also raised by a single and very depressed mother. On many levels I felt exactly what Fiona felt. But then that all changed for me. They faced their lives in a differently way some of which I felt made the story more interesting and others left me scratching my head.
The Last Romantics looks at how the things that happen to us along the way impact how we view love. Love can be lasting which is the most rewarding kind, but love can also be fleeting and elusive. But one thing for sure, it means something different to each of us and we never stop searching for it. It's a well written book which some of you will love and the rest of you will hate. A few of you may land somewhere in the middle but isn't that what love is all about?
No comments:
Post a Comment