I am only about half way through the book and I am having a difficult time in deciding who is at fault. Its is obvious his mom had some issues but I feel like she did make an attempt. And when you look at all she does to "try" before she gives up completely it shows she really did put in the effort. I also believe that sometimes people are just born the way they are, so maybe he is evil. In one part I find I am rooting for mom and in another part I am blaming her, but I also feel he is at fault too. I am so all over the place with this book! LOL
I agree, and I think that's why she never felt a maternal bond with him, I think she could sense it from the very beginning that something was very wrong, her "maternal instinct" was actually right on point and on high alert. I, honesty, would have done many things different, but I think that's easy to say from an outside stand point, if you were actually in her shoes, I think it would be momentously difficult to deal with a child with such mental issues. My cousin and I debate if it was the mom or if he was born with psychological issues all the time.
Well I certainly know why Megan gave Dana a hard time for reading ahead on the blog! I had no idea the end was going to be what it was. The whole book sets you up for what you think you already know: Kevin killing classmates and a teacher. Because this wasn't a surprise, I wondered how the book was going to end. I kept hoping we would see a letter from Franklin to Eva - I was dying to know how he reacted to Kevin's school shooting since he was getting more and more ridiculous in his refusal to see Kevin as anything but perfect. Of course, now, we know why Franklin never writes back.
The end was heartbreaking for me to read. Not only the part where Eva comes home and finds Franklin and Celia, but also, Kevin's sudden and surprising...sweetness? Whatever it was, it makes it all the more heartbreaking for me. He has his mom's picture on his prison wall. He returns the eye. He gives her a clutching hug when she leaves the prison on the 2-year anniversary. What does it all mean? It just makes me sadder.
I will say this: Throughout the book, Eva was set up to be the odd one out - the one who didn't love Kevin while Franklin and Kevin were super close (in Franklin's eyes, anyway). Honestly though, Eva was closer to Kevin than anybody else in the world. She saw him for what he really was. She understood him. And in the end, all his evilness...it was for her, in a way. And now, after it's all said and done, he is all she has, and she is all he has.
Your ending sentence just made me sad all over again. I loved this book, I hope both of you enjoyed it. And now we all know for the future, NO skipping ahead and reading comments on parts we have not read yet. Lol Jhani: I'm so glad you think Kevin had something wrong with him, because my cousin and I debate if it was the mom's doing or not, and I completely think Kevin was born with serious issues, and I think the father fed into it and really pushed his issues deeper and farther instead of getting him help.
Yes Megan I learned my lesson.. I will not skip ahead again. I enjoyed this book very much. I was filled with mixed emotions. Throughout the story I kept switching back and forth on if mom was a bad mom or if son was a bad son. I love roller coaster rides in books like that! I agree with what Jhani said about Mom, "She saw him for what he really was" . Great Book!!
9 comments:
So, question: Do you think he was evil, or did his mom set him up for failure?
I am only about half way through the book and I am having a difficult time in deciding who is at fault. Its is obvious his mom had some issues but I feel like she did make an attempt. And when you look at all she does to "try" before she gives up completely it shows she really did put in the effort. I also believe that sometimes people are just born the way they are, so maybe he is evil. In one part I find I am rooting for mom and in another part I am blaming her, but I also feel he is at fault too. I am so all over the place with this book! LOL
YOU CAN'T READ THE COMMENTS AT THE END DANA, UNTIL YOU HAVE FINISHED THE BOOK, some books have twists and turns lady!!!
OK.... sorry... LOL I get too excited! = )
Ok. I finished the book now! LOL. I think he was down right EVIL! I think his mom tried her best but anyone who can do what he did is just sick!
I agree, and I think that's why she never felt a maternal bond with him, I think she could sense it from the very beginning that something was very wrong, her "maternal instinct" was actually right on point and on high alert. I, honesty, would have done many things different, but I think that's easy to say from an outside stand point, if you were actually in her shoes, I think it would be momentously difficult to deal with a child with such mental issues. My cousin and I debate if it was the mom or if he was born with psychological issues all the time.
Well I certainly know why Megan gave Dana a hard time for reading ahead on the blog! I had no idea the end was going to be what it was. The whole book sets you up for what you think you already know: Kevin killing classmates and a teacher. Because this wasn't a surprise, I wondered how the book was going to end. I kept hoping we would see a letter from Franklin to Eva - I was dying to know how he reacted to Kevin's school shooting since he was getting more and more ridiculous in his refusal to see Kevin as anything but perfect. Of course, now, we know why Franklin never writes back.
The end was heartbreaking for me to read. Not only the part where Eva comes home and finds Franklin and Celia, but also, Kevin's sudden and surprising...sweetness? Whatever it was, it makes it all the more heartbreaking for me. He has his mom's picture on his prison wall. He returns the eye. He gives her a clutching hug when she leaves the prison on the 2-year anniversary. What does it all mean? It just makes me sadder.
I will say this: Throughout the book, Eva was set up to be the odd one out - the one who didn't love Kevin while Franklin and Kevin were super close (in Franklin's eyes, anyway). Honestly though, Eva was closer to Kevin than anybody else in the world. She saw him for what he really was. She understood him. And in the end, all his evilness...it was for her, in a way. And now, after it's all said and done, he is all she has, and she is all he has.
Your ending sentence just made me sad all over again. I loved this book, I hope both of you enjoyed it. And now we all know for the future, NO skipping ahead and reading comments on parts we have not read yet. Lol
Jhani: I'm so glad you think Kevin had something wrong with him, because my cousin and I debate if it was the mom's doing or not, and I completely think Kevin was born with serious issues, and I think the father fed into it and really pushed his issues deeper and farther instead of getting him help.
Yes Megan I learned my lesson.. I will not skip ahead again. I enjoyed this book very much. I was filled with mixed emotions. Throughout the story I kept switching back and forth on if mom was a bad mom or if son was a bad son. I love roller coaster rides in books like that! I agree with what Jhani said about Mom, "She saw him for what he really was" .
Great Book!!
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