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Waiting
After her brother’s death, a teen struggles to rediscover love and find redemption in this gripping novel.
Growing up in Africa and Latin America as the children of missionaries, London and Zach were as close as could be. And then Zach dies, and the family is gutted. London’s father is distant. Her mother won’t speak. The days are filled with what-ifs and whispers: Did Zach take his own life? Was it London’s fault?
Alone and adrift, London finds herself torn between her brother’s best friend and the handsome new boy in town as she struggles to find herself—and ultimately redemption—in this authentic and affecting novel from award-winning novelist Carol Lynch Williams.
From Simon & Schuster
Growing up in Africa and Latin America as the children of missionaries, London and Zach were as close as could be. And then Zach dies, and the family is gutted. London’s father is distant. Her mother won’t speak. The days are filled with what-ifs and whispers: Did Zach take his own life? Was it London’s fault?
Alone and adrift, London finds herself torn between her brother’s best friend and the handsome new boy in town as she struggles to find herself—and ultimately redemption—in this authentic and affecting novel from award-winning novelist Carol Lynch Williams.
From Simon & Schuster
352 pages, Hardcover
First published May 1, 2012
54 people are currently reading
5461 people want to read
About the author
Carol Lynch Williams
40 books392 followersCarol Lynch Williams is the author of more than 30 books for middle grade and young adult readers. Her novels include The Chosen One, Never that Far, Messenger and Never Said. Her most recent book is the novelization of the movie Once I Was a Beehive. Carol has an MFA from Vermont College in Writing for Children and Young Adults and teaches creative writing at BYU. She runs Writing and Illustrating for Young Readers, a week-long writing conference for the not-faint-of-heart writer (www.wifyr.com). As well she is a mentor for those who want to write for kids and teens. Her best creative effort, however, are her five daughters.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 435 reviews
November 18, 2012
”How can one person leaving change you so much?”
Just to warn you—this review is going to be a bit of a mess. My feelings for this book are all over the map. Let’s ramble! :D
Waiting is presented and packaged as something it is not. I kept going back and forth on whether to even mention this point. In the end, a flip of the coin decided. :) Religion, God, and Jesus play a big part of this story. I realize religion is a part of life, but I don't like to blend it with my YA, fiction, film, or entertainment for the most part. It’s like mixing tequila and beer (BIG NO-NO! haha….) or oil and water. It just doesn't work for me.
That said….The religious angle did not annoy me. Would I have read this book if I had known religion was a pivotal part of the plot? No. Do I like being duped? No. *shrugs* No win situation.
I can tell you this though. I sat down, opened this book, and never put it down until the end. The words, writing, and story captivated me. Held me there in the world and words.
For me, it was the verse style that captured my reading heart. This story of grief and healing is told in a free-verse style packed with emotion and power. Novels in verse will never cease to amaze me! So few words capture powerful pain, confusion, and loss on the page. Carol Lynch Williams impressed the hell out of me!
Waiting tells the story of a family trying to hold on after a death. London lost her brother Zach nine months ago, but the loss and grief is still so raw. Smells, people, and places bring up the pain and hole in her life with such force. Gut punch force! It took my breath away at times.
Death, guilt, and grief are tearing this family apart. London doesn’t know who to be without her brother. Her mother won’t talk to her and her father is running, avoiding the pain by working nonstop. How can a family survive such a hit? Keep moving, living, and loving?
This story is filled with waiting….
Waiting for a mother to see, forgive, and talk again.
Waiting for the pain to stop.
Waiting for a family to heal.
Waiting for a sign things will get better.
Now on to the boys….London is torn between two boys in a way. Using them in other ways. I like kissing as much as the next girl, but some scenes felt off here. This is not a romance. For me, this story showed a girl trying to see if she can still love—still feel. Sorry. I know I’m failing here. Let’s just say—there is a lot I did NOT like here and a lot I did.
Strong words. Predictable plot “twist”. One shallow boy. One adorable boy. A lost heroine. Emotion. Power. Religion. & Phenomenal writing.
Waiting may not have been everything I wanted or hoped for when I picked it up--but London’s story did remind me how fragile a family can be. We tend to think or perhaps need to believe a family can survive anything. That is just not true.
I would recommend this read for fans of verse novels for sure, but everyone else I would say proceed with caution.
Please let me know if you pick it up. I would love to hear feedback.
(I will try to clean this up later—just wanted to get something down right away.)
May 6, 2012
OH MY GOD. I can't. I am just speechless. I have lost words. This book was just... I don't even know. It got me. It got me good. The style of the writing, the characters and their relationships, all of it was just phenomenal. Under normal circumstances, I would not condone cheating, but that little bit was what made London especially human. London was a living, breathing person. My heart ached for her. And Zach, he was just phenomenal. I didn't read this book for the epic love story. I read it for them. For Zach and London. I find myself wondering, what would have happened, had their parents not been such stick-up-the-butt jerks. Zach and Rachel probably would be married, with their little baby, named London. Taylor and London would probably be together as well.
Honestly, I HATED their mom. She was just so selfish. And mean. How could any mother treat their child like that? She was the reason Zach died. And then she promptly pushed all of that onto London. And poor London just kept trying and trying. My heart ached for her. For her and Taylor, and Rachel, and London Faith who will never know what an amazing and loving person her father was. I think Taylor and London will get married. And name their first son Zacheus, after the most amazing older brother, friend, boyfriend and son that ever lived.
I didn't read this book. I lived it.
My verdict? All the stars in the universe wouldn't begin to cover it.
Honestly, I HATED their mom. She was just so selfish. And mean. How could any mother treat their child like that? She was the reason Zach died. And then she promptly pushed all of that onto London. And poor London just kept trying and trying. My heart ached for her. For her and Taylor, and Rachel, and London Faith who will never know what an amazing and loving person her father was. I think Taylor and London will get married. And name their first son Zacheus, after the most amazing older brother, friend, boyfriend and son that ever lived.
I didn't read this book. I lived it.
My verdict? All the stars in the universe wouldn't begin to cover it.
February 18, 2012
1.5.
I found WAITING disappointing.
Underdeveloped characters with a hefty dose of melodrama. This is an unhappy family dealing with death. It's told through London's POV, and her brother's death has left her grieving and trying to pick up the pieces of herself and her family. The problem is that there's never an opportunity to know who Zach was and the story of what happened comes very late in the story. Too late for me to believe it or care about it. Oh and then
There's also weird mixed messages about sex and religion in here, and they waver between being owning sexuality and not owning it and instead deferring to God. I didn't get it and it left me frustrated because it was an unnecessary and contrived complication to the story. Also, it wasn't well written, and at times it felt weird and uncomfortable to read (London shares a story about her brother telling her about the first time he has sex, and the way he describes it just...did not work for me at all. Let alone the weirdness of that becoming an issue worth talking about at all. Also this happens to be the first time we get any knowledge of who Zach was, and it was the fact he told London about his girlfriend's soft vagina. It was just a very ODD way for them to talk and for her to remember and then FIXATE on enough to bring it up to a friend of hers).
This entire subplot, especially as it came to London's grieving, could have been done without. Because it's not just about Zach's sexuality. It becomes about London's sex life, too. For me, it wasn't owning herself nor growing nor grieving but instead felt like a convenient way for London to become saved. In the religious belief sense and in the boy-saving-a-girl sense. It's plural in this book, and that bothered me on a number of levels. London doesn't have a full character arc. She's one note, and even at the moment when she could have grown, she didn't. Where she could have been a strong female lead, she isn't. She succumbs to a lot of the faults that bother me deeply in YA lit. And that's not to say all girls need to be strong because they don't. But, London took on a host of cliches and didn't challenge any of them. Waiting for a savior doesn't work for me.
The cover copy is misleading, too. The entire story takes place in Florida and there are virtually no flashbacks to the time of the Castle family being missionaries. There's basically not any back story as to London and her brother's relationship, and because of that, I couldn't connect. I found the ending too convenient and not at all cathartic. Because the sad fact is .
Where I give the book credit is that the verse is used well. Had this been prose, I'd be even more frustrated, but enough is left unsaid here to keep the reader going.
For me, this book doesn't quite capture grief or loss in the palpable way others who have tackled this topic have. There's nothing new here, and if anything, it took on far too much and failed to deliver overall. And it left me uncomfortable on a lot of topics because of the lack of delivery, and I'm not quite sure what the message is (and I don't usually dig for messages but to me, it felt like there WAS a message here and I'm not getting it). Probably my least favorite of Williams's books.
As an aside, I find it interesting after having read a bunch of Williams's titles that she sure does write some interesting and challenging mother/daughter relationships.
I found WAITING disappointing.
Underdeveloped characters with a hefty dose of melodrama. This is an unhappy family dealing with death. It's told through London's POV, and her brother's death has left her grieving and trying to pick up the pieces of herself and her family. The problem is that there's never an opportunity to know who Zach was and the story of what happened comes very late in the story. Too late for me to believe it or care about it. Oh and then
There's also weird mixed messages about sex and religion in here, and they waver between being owning sexuality and not owning it and instead deferring to God. I didn't get it and it left me frustrated because it was an unnecessary and contrived complication to the story. Also, it wasn't well written, and at times it felt weird and uncomfortable to read (London shares a story about her brother telling her about the first time he has sex, and the way he describes it just...did not work for me at all. Let alone the weirdness of that becoming an issue worth talking about at all. Also this happens to be the first time we get any knowledge of who Zach was, and it was the fact he told London about his girlfriend's soft vagina. It was just a very ODD way for them to talk and for her to remember and then FIXATE on enough to bring it up to a friend of hers).
This entire subplot, especially as it came to London's grieving, could have been done without. Because it's not just about Zach's sexuality. It becomes about London's sex life, too. For me, it wasn't owning herself nor growing nor grieving but instead felt like a convenient way for London to become saved. In the religious belief sense and in the boy-saving-a-girl sense. It's plural in this book, and that bothered me on a number of levels. London doesn't have a full character arc. She's one note, and even at the moment when she could have grown, she didn't. Where she could have been a strong female lead, she isn't. She succumbs to a lot of the faults that bother me deeply in YA lit. And that's not to say all girls need to be strong because they don't. But, London took on a host of cliches and didn't challenge any of them. Waiting for a savior doesn't work for me.
The cover copy is misleading, too. The entire story takes place in Florida and there are virtually no flashbacks to the time of the Castle family being missionaries. There's basically not any back story as to London and her brother's relationship, and because of that, I couldn't connect. I found the ending too convenient and not at all cathartic. Because the sad fact is .
Where I give the book credit is that the verse is used well. Had this been prose, I'd be even more frustrated, but enough is left unsaid here to keep the reader going.
For me, this book doesn't quite capture grief or loss in the palpable way others who have tackled this topic have. There's nothing new here, and if anything, it took on far too much and failed to deliver overall. And it left me uncomfortable on a lot of topics because of the lack of delivery, and I'm not quite sure what the message is (and I don't usually dig for messages but to me, it felt like there WAS a message here and I'm not getting it). Probably my least favorite of Williams's books.
As an aside, I find it interesting after having read a bunch of Williams's titles that she sure does write some interesting and challenging mother/daughter relationships.
July 5, 2012
This is one of those books you need to think about after reading it. I guess a lot of people will hate it because main character is messed up, her family is messed up. But when you think about whole story there is a reason for all that. I could find logic in it and that's why I like this book. It's so realistic that you can't do anything but ask yourself what kind of person you are and what are your priorities in life. If you set them right then something like this won't happen.
August 3, 2016
This was really good and so sad! The verse style has nothing on Ellen Hopkins, but it was still very well written and poignant. Full review to come!
September 13, 2015
From the opening lines to the very last sentence, this book is extraordinary. The format in which it is written is incredibly unique. The characters are extremely well drawn, vivid, and convincing. It's intensely emotional, heart-breaking, and absolutely captivating. To me this book is a masterpiece. Honest, powerful and dark, it's a tale of love and loss, heartache, desperation, losing oneself in grief and healing with the power of love. It's a story of one girl's journey to find everything she lost along the way - her parents, love, meaning in life, and herself.
Zach and London were inseparable. They loved and supported each other. They were not only siblings, but best friends. Until Zach died and London's world crumbled to pieces. Nothing is the same as it used to be. Her mother hates her. She hasn't spoken a word to her daughter since Zach's death. It's almost like London died, too. Or never even existed. Her father is distant and disconnected. He's never around anymore. London is lonely, abandoned and heartbroken. And there is no one to help her through this insanely difficult time. Eventually, she finds herself drifting towards other people, boys in particular, and before she knows it, she finds herself torn between her brother's best friend and a new student, searching for affection and redemption.
Wow. Waiting was phenomenal. Carol Lynch Williams' prose evokes so many feelings. She brings both the powerful sibling love and the piercing pain of losing a family member alive within the pages of her book. She writes with remarkable tenderness and sensitivity, and her beautiful, almost lyrical prose makes your heart flutter. This is the kind of novel that invites the reader to lose themselves completely in its pages, tune out the rest of the world and just... read, taste, feel, and, ultimately, fell in love. While it's fantastically readable, and I'm sure that the burning need to learn more about what exactly happened to Zach will make you want to frantically turn the pages, you should refrain from rushing through it. Slow down, re-read some of the gorgeously written passages, savour. This book is worth every second you'll spend reading it.
While the theme of sibling bond is quite common in the literature, especially in Young Adult books, rarely do I see it being tackled with such skill and authenticity. As I read this novel, my heart was bleeding along with London's. I could see how much she was hurting, how huge a hole Zach's death has ripped in her heart, a hole that could never be filled. The once complete and happy family unit is now totally dysfunctional. London's mom has permanently withdrawn from the family life, ostracising her daughter whom she blames for the death of her beloved son. London's dad is never there, either. He's torn between his devastated, mentally unstable wife and the job that keeps him busy most of the time. London is all on her own, she desperately needs someone to hug her, to pay attention to her, to care about her. She needs someone to save her. And she goes looking for that person, getting tangled up in two different relationships, distracting herself with kisses and touches.
I loved that Carol Lynch Williams kept the mystery going almost all the way to the end. When it comes to Zach and his death, we're kept in the dark for the most part of the book. We get little glimpses of London's memories and a whole downpour of emotions, thoughts, regrets, and what-ifs. Clues and pieces of information are scattered throughout the novel, and it isn't until the end that we finally get the whole picture. I absolutely loved the brilliant, well-thought-out structure of this book. It definitely kept me captivated.
It's not a story of happy endings and joyful family reconciliation. It's a story of picking up the pieces of broken hearts and trying to glue them together. Some pieces are crushed beyond dust, others are missing. The family is forever broken and incomplete, and nothing, no amount of time, tears, or begging can ever heal these wounds. The characters in this story are not flat and paper-like, these are real people, with real problems, who find themselves in devastatingly real situation. But, while its obviously a dark and harrowing read, it's also one that ends with a spark of hope. The ending is a bittersweet one, there's a bit of light and a whole lot of darkness, but, thanks to London's strength and determination, I find the conclusion of the story to be realistically positive and perfectly satisfying.
I cried at the end.
I've put the book down, took a deep breath, broke down and cried.
Read it. It's a MUST!
Zach and London were inseparable. They loved and supported each other. They were not only siblings, but best friends. Until Zach died and London's world crumbled to pieces. Nothing is the same as it used to be. Her mother hates her. She hasn't spoken a word to her daughter since Zach's death. It's almost like London died, too. Or never even existed. Her father is distant and disconnected. He's never around anymore. London is lonely, abandoned and heartbroken. And there is no one to help her through this insanely difficult time. Eventually, she finds herself drifting towards other people, boys in particular, and before she knows it, she finds herself torn between her brother's best friend and a new student, searching for affection and redemption.
Wow. Waiting was phenomenal. Carol Lynch Williams' prose evokes so many feelings. She brings both the powerful sibling love and the piercing pain of losing a family member alive within the pages of her book. She writes with remarkable tenderness and sensitivity, and her beautiful, almost lyrical prose makes your heart flutter. This is the kind of novel that invites the reader to lose themselves completely in its pages, tune out the rest of the world and just... read, taste, feel, and, ultimately, fell in love. While it's fantastically readable, and I'm sure that the burning need to learn more about what exactly happened to Zach will make you want to frantically turn the pages, you should refrain from rushing through it. Slow down, re-read some of the gorgeously written passages, savour. This book is worth every second you'll spend reading it.
While the theme of sibling bond is quite common in the literature, especially in Young Adult books, rarely do I see it being tackled with such skill and authenticity. As I read this novel, my heart was bleeding along with London's. I could see how much she was hurting, how huge a hole Zach's death has ripped in her heart, a hole that could never be filled. The once complete and happy family unit is now totally dysfunctional. London's mom has permanently withdrawn from the family life, ostracising her daughter whom she blames for the death of her beloved son. London's dad is never there, either. He's torn between his devastated, mentally unstable wife and the job that keeps him busy most of the time. London is all on her own, she desperately needs someone to hug her, to pay attention to her, to care about her. She needs someone to save her. And she goes looking for that person, getting tangled up in two different relationships, distracting herself with kisses and touches.
I loved that Carol Lynch Williams kept the mystery going almost all the way to the end. When it comes to Zach and his death, we're kept in the dark for the most part of the book. We get little glimpses of London's memories and a whole downpour of emotions, thoughts, regrets, and what-ifs. Clues and pieces of information are scattered throughout the novel, and it isn't until the end that we finally get the whole picture. I absolutely loved the brilliant, well-thought-out structure of this book. It definitely kept me captivated.
It's not a story of happy endings and joyful family reconciliation. It's a story of picking up the pieces of broken hearts and trying to glue them together. Some pieces are crushed beyond dust, others are missing. The family is forever broken and incomplete, and nothing, no amount of time, tears, or begging can ever heal these wounds. The characters in this story are not flat and paper-like, these are real people, with real problems, who find themselves in devastatingly real situation. But, while its obviously a dark and harrowing read, it's also one that ends with a spark of hope. The ending is a bittersweet one, there's a bit of light and a whole lot of darkness, but, thanks to London's strength and determination, I find the conclusion of the story to be realistically positive and perfectly satisfying.
I cried at the end.
I've put the book down, took a deep breath, broke down and cried.
Read it. It's a MUST!
November 13, 2012
I’m trying to think of something that I didn’t like about this book, but honestly it’s amazing!!!!!! Since I can’t help it for this book there may be a lot of huge spoilers.
Summary:
London and her brother Zach were really close, until he dies at the age of 16. Her mother blames her for what has happened, and never once talks to her. Her father talks to her, but they’re not connected as they used to be, and they rarely talk. Then there’s Taylor her brother’s best friend, and her former boyfriend. He’s waiting, and then there’s the new boy Jesse, London thinks everything about him is cliché and she promises herself to stay away from him.
Characters:
London:
Her brother has died and lots of people blame her. She has no friends, until Lili moves into town (with her sexy brother Jesse). Throughout that time period she starts to feel more alive, and she also gets closer to Taylor. Taylor’s the only one person who seems to know the whole truth of what has happened. Soon she’s in a love triangle, but it’s obvious who she’s going to pick (although sometimes I wondered). Taylor, the one that’s been there all along.
Zach:
It’s only fair to include him, and despite the fact that he’s not alive he’s still one of my favorite characters. He was in a serious relationship with his girlfriends Rachel. She ended up pregnant and her parents made them move away. Soon later she told him that her parents wanted her to get an abortion. He became so filled with emotions he killed himself. Then at the end of the story Rachel comes back… and the babies alive): I (literally) cried in that moment that London met her brother’s baby.
What I liked:
-The fact that the mother always blamed her, when it was he own fault because she didn’t get the key to open the door, even when London begged her to.
-Meeting Lili’s and Jesse’s family: Nathan (Natey), Steve and their parents, they just seem like a totally real family. And although they were only in a few pages they are worth remembering.
-When London makes it through to her mother that she is real, that she didn’t die like Zach.
-When the mom leaves. I know that’s mean, but honestly I would never want a mother like that.
-EVERYTHING!!!!
-The poetic verse. How some stanzas rhymed and others didn’t.
-Like how they just tell us that it was Rachel’s fault yet at the same time it’s not told till the end.
Overall:
I could go on and on and on, but if you haven’t read this book the main message is go read it, although it’s a bit predictable the way the author writes is definitely worth it. I also hope to read more books by this author very soon (:
Favorite quotes:
1)
“It was Lauren. Of course. Lauren told Lili everything. At least what she knew, which I’m sure isn’t accurate. That’s how gossip is. Bits of truth sprinkled with lots of crap” (77).
2)
“How long would I be dead before she found me?” (83).
3)
“When the best part of a family dies, everyone falls apart” (112).
4)
“‘Just remember, I’m here okay? I can keep waiting’” (110)
(Taylor’s saying this).
Summary:
London and her brother Zach were really close, until he dies at the age of 16. Her mother blames her for what has happened, and never once talks to her. Her father talks to her, but they’re not connected as they used to be, and they rarely talk. Then there’s Taylor her brother’s best friend, and her former boyfriend. He’s waiting, and then there’s the new boy Jesse, London thinks everything about him is cliché and she promises herself to stay away from him.
Characters:
London:
Her brother has died and lots of people blame her. She has no friends, until Lili moves into town (with her sexy brother Jesse). Throughout that time period she starts to feel more alive, and she also gets closer to Taylor. Taylor’s the only one person who seems to know the whole truth of what has happened. Soon she’s in a love triangle, but it’s obvious who she’s going to pick (although sometimes I wondered). Taylor, the one that’s been there all along.
Zach:
It’s only fair to include him, and despite the fact that he’s not alive he’s still one of my favorite characters. He was in a serious relationship with his girlfriends Rachel. She ended up pregnant and her parents made them move away. Soon later she told him that her parents wanted her to get an abortion. He became so filled with emotions he killed himself. Then at the end of the story Rachel comes back… and the babies alive): I (literally) cried in that moment that London met her brother’s baby.
What I liked:
-The fact that the mother always blamed her, when it was he own fault because she didn’t get the key to open the door, even when London begged her to.
-Meeting Lili’s and Jesse’s family: Nathan (Natey), Steve and their parents, they just seem like a totally real family. And although they were only in a few pages they are worth remembering.
-When London makes it through to her mother that she is real, that she didn’t die like Zach.
-When the mom leaves. I know that’s mean, but honestly I would never want a mother like that.
-EVERYTHING!!!!
-The poetic verse. How some stanzas rhymed and others didn’t.
-Like how they just tell us that it was Rachel’s fault yet at the same time it’s not told till the end.
Overall:
I could go on and on and on, but if you haven’t read this book the main message is go read it, although it’s a bit predictable the way the author writes is definitely worth it. I also hope to read more books by this author very soon (:
Favorite quotes:
1)
“It was Lauren. Of course. Lauren told Lili everything. At least what she knew, which I’m sure isn’t accurate. That’s how gossip is. Bits of truth sprinkled with lots of crap” (77).
2)
“How long would I be dead before she found me?” (83).
3)
“When the best part of a family dies, everyone falls apart” (112).
4)
“‘Just remember, I’m here okay? I can keep waiting’” (110)
(Taylor’s saying this).
June 26, 2017
I just loved this book. For some reason I love books like this one. This is not a happy book, but it does have some happy moments, and moments that will make you smile. It also has moments to make you scream and gasp, and even shed some tears in the end. It is written in verse, and it is about London. She is dealing with losing her brother, and how it has affected her whole family. Your heart will ache right along with hers, and how she mournes and tries to live. I highly recommend to those who don't mind a sad book with a touch of healing. Now I need other books by this author!
May 20, 2024
Hazel in John Green's TFIOS says, "Sometimes, you read a book and it fills you with this weird evangelical zeal, and you become convinced that the shattered world will never be put back together unless and until all living humans read the book. And then there are books like An Imperial Affliction, which you can’t tell people about, books so special and rare and yours that advertising your affection feels like a betrayal."
For me, "Waiting" is like the latter and that's all I want to say about it.
For me, "Waiting" is like the latter and that's all I want to say about it.
September 18, 2014
I read this book at the behest of the librarian who was concerned about the message it sends teens. I agreed that it is not appropriate for most junior high teens and had such mixed messages and so poorly written that, in my opinion, not worth reading. This book tells the story of a teen girl dealing with the aftermath of her brother's suicide who committed suicide due to the consequences of a sexual relationship with another teen (a pregnancy and then a possible abortion).
The mother of these two teens went from, if you believe the narrator, a perfectly loving and caring parent to a psychotic, abusive parent. It was a bit of a stretch, although grief can cause some real issues to work through; it was too much of a change. Additionally, the narrator knows all that her brother goes through due to his sexual relationship and its consequences and so she deals with her grief by kissing boys and desiring to go further than kissing, even going so far as to tell her parents she is having sex with two boys! Seems a mixed message. Then there was the bizarre ending where the brother's girlfriend didn't really have an abortion, but never told his family, but kept the baby and was raising it--making everyone suddenly happy--except the brother had committed suicide because he was depressed his girlfriend aborted the baby.
The messages were so mixed. Sex is bad and results in negative consequences. Sex is good because it helped the sister get the attention her family is not giving her. The consequences are unintended pregnancy and depression or the consequences are cute babies that everyone wants to hug and love and are so wonderful to raise by yourself--no job or middle of the night feedings required! Again, a real mixed message that I, as an adult, didn't really understand. Overall, I think the message is kiss and have sex as much as you want with lots of different people, it's a good thing. And maybe you'll get a cute baby out of it who looks like you. And obviously your parents are weird and out-of-touch. The more I think about it, the less I like the book!
The mother of these two teens went from, if you believe the narrator, a perfectly loving and caring parent to a psychotic, abusive parent. It was a bit of a stretch, although grief can cause some real issues to work through; it was too much of a change. Additionally, the narrator knows all that her brother goes through due to his sexual relationship and its consequences and so she deals with her grief by kissing boys and desiring to go further than kissing, even going so far as to tell her parents she is having sex with two boys! Seems a mixed message. Then there was the bizarre ending where the brother's girlfriend didn't really have an abortion, but never told his family, but kept the baby and was raising it--making everyone suddenly happy--except the brother had committed suicide because he was depressed his girlfriend aborted the baby.
The messages were so mixed. Sex is bad and results in negative consequences. Sex is good because it helped the sister get the attention her family is not giving her. The consequences are unintended pregnancy and depression or the consequences are cute babies that everyone wants to hug and love and are so wonderful to raise by yourself--no job or middle of the night feedings required! Again, a real mixed message that I, as an adult, didn't really understand. Overall, I think the message is kiss and have sex as much as you want with lots of different people, it's a good thing. And maybe you'll get a cute baby out of it who looks like you. And obviously your parents are weird and out-of-touch. The more I think about it, the less I like the book!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 30, 2012
Find more of my reviews at www.readingangel.com
I started reading WAITING knowing that I was going to be a heart-broken mess by the time it was through. I had already read GLIMPSE by Carol Lynch Williams and I knew that she has a way of taking her verse novels and packing so much emotion, power, and heart-wrenching story into them that it leaves you gasping for breath through your tears.
In WAITING London is spiraling down a hole of depression. Her mother has not said a word to her since the death of her brother, her brother who was her very best friend in the world. Her father has thrown himself into his work. Her friends don't know what to say to her. She is sad, and heart-broken, and utterly alone. When she makes a friend in a new girl who doesn't know the story of her brothers death, a little life starts to spark back into her. There's also the new girl's extremely hot brother.
Let me just say that this book is not an epic romance. It's about a girl who is struggling to cope. Watching London lash out to get the attention of her mother, and just trying to feel alive, you can't help but root for the girl. Even if that does mean she strings a couple hearts along as she goes.
I know that everyone deals with grief differently, but I could not stand this mother's selfish behavior towards her daughter!! I really just wanted to reach through the pages and smack her mother to be honest with you. I was bouncing in my seat and cheering when she finally stood up to her.
Once again, Carol Lynch Williams has blown me away with another power-house verse novel of emotional depth. I plan to go find everything else she has written and read it as soon as I possibly can! If you don't mind a little heart-break in your books I suggest you grab a copy of this one for yourself!
I started reading WAITING knowing that I was going to be a heart-broken mess by the time it was through. I had already read GLIMPSE by Carol Lynch Williams and I knew that she has a way of taking her verse novels and packing so much emotion, power, and heart-wrenching story into them that it leaves you gasping for breath through your tears.
In WAITING London is spiraling down a hole of depression. Her mother has not said a word to her since the death of her brother, her brother who was her very best friend in the world. Her father has thrown himself into his work. Her friends don't know what to say to her. She is sad, and heart-broken, and utterly alone. When she makes a friend in a new girl who doesn't know the story of her brothers death, a little life starts to spark back into her. There's also the new girl's extremely hot brother.
Let me just say that this book is not an epic romance. It's about a girl who is struggling to cope. Watching London lash out to get the attention of her mother, and just trying to feel alive, you can't help but root for the girl. Even if that does mean she strings a couple hearts along as she goes.
I know that everyone deals with grief differently, but I could not stand this mother's selfish behavior towards her daughter!! I really just wanted to reach through the pages and smack her mother to be honest with you. I was bouncing in my seat and cheering when she finally stood up to her.
Once again, Carol Lynch Williams has blown me away with another power-house verse novel of emotional depth. I plan to go find everything else she has written and read it as soon as I possibly can! If you don't mind a little heart-break in your books I suggest you grab a copy of this one for yourself!
March 10, 2012
Reading a book by Carol Lynch Williams is like slipping into someone else's skin, walking around as her, breathing her air, and, especially, feeling what she feels. In the case of WAITING, we're inside the skin of London, a teenage girl who's lost her brother and whose family is crumbling because of his death.
London's skin is not a comfortable place to be--and yet, I didn't want to leave. I wanted to know more about her and to stay long enough to make sure she would be okay. And when the story was over, I was glad I stayed. I was glad I took that difficult journey with her. Because at the end, there was hope, and faith, and life. Imagine all that coming from a death.
If you're a fan of Williams's books, you won't be disappointed. She tackles tough topics and WAITING is no exception. I found her teenage protagonist to be very realistic. What teen--what adult, even--doesn't do some things that might be confusing to those around them, especially as she's grasping at straws to heal herself and her family. For instance, London seems to be attracted to two boys. But is she, really? Read and find out.
I also found London's friends a refreshing group in a teen lit world of backstabbers. Not at all the cliche that London feels her life to be.
If you want to read a book about grief and healing, go elsewhere. If you want to live one, WAITING is it.
London's skin is not a comfortable place to be--and yet, I didn't want to leave. I wanted to know more about her and to stay long enough to make sure she would be okay. And when the story was over, I was glad I stayed. I was glad I took that difficult journey with her. Because at the end, there was hope, and faith, and life. Imagine all that coming from a death.
If you're a fan of Williams's books, you won't be disappointed. She tackles tough topics and WAITING is no exception. I found her teenage protagonist to be very realistic. What teen--what adult, even--doesn't do some things that might be confusing to those around them, especially as she's grasping at straws to heal herself and her family. For instance, London seems to be attracted to two boys. But is she, really? Read and find out.
I also found London's friends a refreshing group in a teen lit world of backstabbers. Not at all the cliche that London feels her life to be.
If you want to read a book about grief and healing, go elsewhere. If you want to live one, WAITING is it.
March 22, 2012
This is a wonderful story about dealing with loss, all kinds of really hard loss. Williams places the reader inside the head of a sensitive, wounded young woman who is struggling to deal with the loss of her older brother and with the collateral damage his suicided caused to her family. It's a moving, gripping read.
August 28, 2013
8/27: read and loved.
GIVE ME NOW NOW NOW!
GIVE ME NOW NOW NOW!
May 16, 2012
This book pissed me off - like the WHOLE way through. Review to come - maybe - have to calm down first.
August 7, 2022
"Look at this, see it.
There are dead people everywhere.
Not like in that movie. I mean everywhere.
In real life. On the news. In history books. In my life.
I cannot wait to get away from this.
So how do I? Get away, I mean?
Die myself?
Cause that much more grief.
Tear a hole open in the universe and just get the hell out of here?"
This book straight up ripped my heart out. It's a heart wrenchingly beautiful story of struggling with grief and how death can completely destroy a family.
"I stand on my own Golgotha and I'm all alone."
There are dead people everywhere.
Not like in that movie. I mean everywhere.
In real life. On the news. In history books. In my life.
I cannot wait to get away from this.
So how do I? Get away, I mean?
Die myself?
Cause that much more grief.
Tear a hole open in the universe and just get the hell out of here?"
This book straight up ripped my heart out. It's a heart wrenchingly beautiful story of struggling with grief and how death can completely destroy a family.
"I stand on my own Golgotha and I'm all alone."
January 1, 2015
When the best part of a family dies, everyone falls apart.
My first Carol Lynch Williams novel. I'm pretty much hyped to start reading this but also having second thoughts since it seems to be very sad and depressing and I'm really not in the mood for some sappy sad stories at that moment, but then I see that its not that long so I decided to start it.
The cover of the book seems to tell it all for me. As I started reading this, I'm still caught off-guard because I realize that I'm still not that prepared for the tragedy and depression that comes with the story. This one literally plays up my curiosity and my emotions overly.
Waiting is a story about a girl named London whose brother, Zach has died tragically at a very young age of 16. He was her best friend; it has always been the two of them as their family moved across the world as missionaries. When Zach died everything just seems to fall apart. Her mother doesn’t talk to her and London feels so alone and empty. People at her school know what happened and they treat her differently and whisper things. So many questions, yet no answers has still to come at London only the guilt that maybe, just maybe she's responsible for her own brother’s death.
London is not a happy character. Her life was defined by the "before" and "after" events of her life. She is lost, confused and alone. After losing her brother, it seems like he's not the only one she has lost. She also lost her family. Her voice on the story was so distinct that at times it would make you flinch and feel every hurt and fear she felt. I could really tell how different she was before her brother died. Things only start to lighten and begin to get better when the two new kids, Lili and Jesse arrived on their neighborhood and became friends with her.
Lili and Jesse are the complete opposite of London. They're carefree and fun and happy. I liked them for bringing new hope to London and bringing out the different side of her and helping her move on with her own life.
Taylor is Zach's best friend. His love and patience and concern with London was wow. Words aren’t enough to express the concern and love that I felt the he felt for London. He's just so wonderful.
I loved how the story was written in a poetic and verse form instead of the typical chapters. With this structure, it makes my reading faster yet it gives us a more direct contact in terms of emotions. Another thing I noticed is how the words seem to be well chosen on this one, words are well chosen and calculated; each conveys a deep emotion that is really suitable for the story. With this I really can't help but wonder why does her brother died, why London seems to blame herself from the loss and why does her family seems to be so broken apart after the incident? But then, everything leads up to a very very very satisfying conclusion that leaves tears on my eyes and a smile on my face.
Waiting leads me to a story full of sorrow, loneliness, love and loss. This is just amazing . The story, the characters and their relationship with one another, the environment of it and even the sadness that envelops the whole story. I'm at lost for words. It was phenomenal and very poignant. It really got me good. It makes me cry and wonder and cry and cry and smile. I ended up a lot more than I expected and more than I could hope. Very much moving and heartwarming and touching that would surely stick with you long after the last page has been turned.
My first Carol Lynch Williams novel. I'm pretty much hyped to start reading this but also having second thoughts since it seems to be very sad and depressing and I'm really not in the mood for some sappy sad stories at that moment, but then I see that its not that long so I decided to start it.
The cover of the book seems to tell it all for me. As I started reading this, I'm still caught off-guard because I realize that I'm still not that prepared for the tragedy and depression that comes with the story. This one literally plays up my curiosity and my emotions overly.
Waiting is a story about a girl named London whose brother, Zach has died tragically at a very young age of 16. He was her best friend; it has always been the two of them as their family moved across the world as missionaries. When Zach died everything just seems to fall apart. Her mother doesn’t talk to her and London feels so alone and empty. People at her school know what happened and they treat her differently and whisper things. So many questions, yet no answers has still to come at London only the guilt that maybe, just maybe she's responsible for her own brother’s death.
London is not a happy character. Her life was defined by the "before" and "after" events of her life. She is lost, confused and alone. After losing her brother, it seems like he's not the only one she has lost. She also lost her family. Her voice on the story was so distinct that at times it would make you flinch and feel every hurt and fear she felt. I could really tell how different she was before her brother died. Things only start to lighten and begin to get better when the two new kids, Lili and Jesse arrived on their neighborhood and became friends with her.
Lili and Jesse are the complete opposite of London. They're carefree and fun and happy. I liked them for bringing new hope to London and bringing out the different side of her and helping her move on with her own life.
Taylor is Zach's best friend. His love and patience and concern with London was wow. Words aren’t enough to express the concern and love that I felt the he felt for London. He's just so wonderful.
I loved how the story was written in a poetic and verse form instead of the typical chapters. With this structure, it makes my reading faster yet it gives us a more direct contact in terms of emotions. Another thing I noticed is how the words seem to be well chosen on this one, words are well chosen and calculated; each conveys a deep emotion that is really suitable for the story. With this I really can't help but wonder why does her brother died, why London seems to blame herself from the loss and why does her family seems to be so broken apart after the incident? But then, everything leads up to a very very very satisfying conclusion that leaves tears on my eyes and a smile on my face.
Waiting leads me to a story full of sorrow, loneliness, love and loss. This is just amazing . The story, the characters and their relationship with one another, the environment of it and even the sadness that envelops the whole story. I'm at lost for words. It was phenomenal and very poignant. It really got me good. It makes me cry and wonder and cry and cry and smile. I ended up a lot more than I expected and more than I could hope. Very much moving and heartwarming and touching that would surely stick with you long after the last page has been turned.
March 11, 2012
After I finished WAITING last night, I couldn’t sleep. Some books change you, and WAITING did this for me.
This isn’t the typical grieving story, which is a good thing. Rather than an overdramatic focus on the dead brother, the plot centers on London, the main character. Through skillful word choice, the author tells us precisely enough for each moment, each scene. As a master at showing rather than telling, the author describes a younger Zach and London discovering all the hidden Christmas presents, swearing not to tell, and keeping that promise. Their trust relationship helps us understand Zach’s later confession to London.
Carol Williams gives the reader a clear picture of a girl turned inside out by grief and rejection. London’s grief process has stalled. The author draws the main character through story details, sobbing on her brothers grave as no one at home notices she's gone, eating her meals alone, watching her mother sob into her brother’s pillow, asking her mother if she'd like some food and hearing silence in return.
Not only is the plot skillfully drawn, but the book is also filled with exquisite language. In one scene after London feels a moment of happiness, the character says, “The sky is the color of a blue flower plate with a rim of gold-orange closets to the earth.” Like that edge of sunrise, hope emerges bit by bit as London grows. The character terms her own changes as a metamorphosis. Because of what she’s been through, I didn't mind that she stumbles at first, much like all newly-emerged life. I understood this, and saw it as London's exploration of what it means to live again.
This story doesn’t push a message. No campaign about being saved, no lecture about premarital sex. The author can talk about London’s feelings about God, including both her doubts and her settling back into faith, because London is an honest, complete character rather than a platform.
The ending is satisfying and warm without being unbelievably happily ever after. It acknowledges that some things can’t be fixed, yet left me with a learning-to-breathe-again kind of hope. As London says to her father, “I think we’re going to be okay.”
After finishing the book last night, I love how London says that if she were the mom, she’d pull her remaining family close and never let a single one feel unloved. It made me want to go hug my own family.
I have a large collection of Carol Lynch William's books. WAITING is now one of my new favorites.
This isn’t the typical grieving story, which is a good thing. Rather than an overdramatic focus on the dead brother, the plot centers on London, the main character. Through skillful word choice, the author tells us precisely enough for each moment, each scene. As a master at showing rather than telling, the author describes a younger Zach and London discovering all the hidden Christmas presents, swearing not to tell, and keeping that promise. Their trust relationship helps us understand Zach’s later confession to London.
Carol Williams gives the reader a clear picture of a girl turned inside out by grief and rejection. London’s grief process has stalled. The author draws the main character through story details, sobbing on her brothers grave as no one at home notices she's gone, eating her meals alone, watching her mother sob into her brother’s pillow, asking her mother if she'd like some food and hearing silence in return.
Not only is the plot skillfully drawn, but the book is also filled with exquisite language. In one scene after London feels a moment of happiness, the character says, “The sky is the color of a blue flower plate with a rim of gold-orange closets to the earth.” Like that edge of sunrise, hope emerges bit by bit as London grows. The character terms her own changes as a metamorphosis. Because of what she’s been through, I didn't mind that she stumbles at first, much like all newly-emerged life. I understood this, and saw it as London's exploration of what it means to live again.
This story doesn’t push a message. No campaign about being saved, no lecture about premarital sex. The author can talk about London’s feelings about God, including both her doubts and her settling back into faith, because London is an honest, complete character rather than a platform.
The ending is satisfying and warm without being unbelievably happily ever after. It acknowledges that some things can’t be fixed, yet left me with a learning-to-breathe-again kind of hope. As London says to her father, “I think we’re going to be okay.”
After finishing the book last night, I love how London says that if she were the mom, she’d pull her remaining family close and never let a single one feel unloved. It made me want to go hug my own family.
I have a large collection of Carol Lynch William's books. WAITING is now one of my new favorites.
January 19, 2014
I read two of Carol Lynch Williams’ books last year and I quickly became a fan of her as an author. This year I decided to venture into her verse stuff at the urging of Bekka from Great Imaginations. Since opening myself up to verse novels much more over the holidays I was more open to the idea and I am so happy that Bekka recommended this one to me.
Waiting is the story of London’s life in the aftermath of her brother’s death. The novel starts with a very bleak feel and I felt so sad as we looked in on London’s life. Since her brother’s passing her mother can’t even look at her and her father is never home. There was an intense darkness to the story and I felt depressed right off the bat. It seemed as if the home that London shared with her family became it’s own entity in the novel, a place of unhappiness and sorrow. I found myself hating London’s mother for how she treated her daughter, for how she just checked out of life when her son died and failed to realize that she had another living child sleeping down the hall from her. The gloomy vibe of the novel was so potent that I actually began to wonder if there would be any light in this darkness at all, but rest assured that there is.
London starts to find her way out of the fog that she has been living in since Zach’s passing as she starts to let people back into her life. She really struggles with connecting with the boy who was her boyfriend before Zach’s passing, Taylor, because he reminds her so much of her late brother. See Zach and Taylor were best friends. They were always together and even wore the exact same aftershave. While London wants to reconnect with Taylor and let him console her she just can’t look at him or even smell him without being reminded of what she has lost. Letting new people into her life is much easier than reconnecting with the people she once knew. She randomly meets Lili at school one day and through her is introduced to her hunky brother Jesse. Immediately she falls in love with the idea that Jesse and Lili know nothing of her past, they don’t look at her like the other kids at school do. For those afraid that this leads to an ugly love triangle, you have nothing to fear. Everything is handled so well and all of London’s motivations for looking at each boy is clear as day.
As far as the use of verse I think it was effective to tell the story in a wrenching way. While the poems weren’t stylized like I have seen many times before and felt more like paragraphs defined more than usual it was still told in a fluid and enchanting way. I spent so much of this novel lost in London’s grief and when I finally finished the book my eyes actually hurt from crying so much. I didn't only cry because of the sadness I also cried for her strength as we watched her morph back into her old self and deal with her family in the best way that she could. Waiting is a vividly painted picture of a family falling apart after the death of a child/brother.
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For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads
Waiting is the story of London’s life in the aftermath of her brother’s death. The novel starts with a very bleak feel and I felt so sad as we looked in on London’s life. Since her brother’s passing her mother can’t even look at her and her father is never home. There was an intense darkness to the story and I felt depressed right off the bat. It seemed as if the home that London shared with her family became it’s own entity in the novel, a place of unhappiness and sorrow. I found myself hating London’s mother for how she treated her daughter, for how she just checked out of life when her son died and failed to realize that she had another living child sleeping down the hall from her. The gloomy vibe of the novel was so potent that I actually began to wonder if there would be any light in this darkness at all, but rest assured that there is.
London starts to find her way out of the fog that she has been living in since Zach’s passing as she starts to let people back into her life. She really struggles with connecting with the boy who was her boyfriend before Zach’s passing, Taylor, because he reminds her so much of her late brother. See Zach and Taylor were best friends. They were always together and even wore the exact same aftershave. While London wants to reconnect with Taylor and let him console her she just can’t look at him or even smell him without being reminded of what she has lost. Letting new people into her life is much easier than reconnecting with the people she once knew. She randomly meets Lili at school one day and through her is introduced to her hunky brother Jesse. Immediately she falls in love with the idea that Jesse and Lili know nothing of her past, they don’t look at her like the other kids at school do. For those afraid that this leads to an ugly love triangle, you have nothing to fear. Everything is handled so well and all of London’s motivations for looking at each boy is clear as day.
As far as the use of verse I think it was effective to tell the story in a wrenching way. While the poems weren’t stylized like I have seen many times before and felt more like paragraphs defined more than usual it was still told in a fluid and enchanting way. I spent so much of this novel lost in London’s grief and when I finally finished the book my eyes actually hurt from crying so much. I didn't only cry because of the sadness I also cried for her strength as we watched her morph back into her old self and deal with her family in the best way that she could. Waiting is a vividly painted picture of a family falling apart after the death of a child/brother.
--
For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads
June 19, 2015
This is a short book. It only took 2-3 hours to read because so many pages only had 4-5 words on them. I randomly picked this book up from the library. Had I known what it was about I would not have checked it out. I have trouble reading about both of those topics. But I liked this book. It's so sad. But there is hope in it, too. It's written well, I think. I could feel what London felt, but the things she thought and did I didn't feel comfortable with.
There was one quote in the book--that I cannot find now for anything-- that I loved. Towards the end of the book {the more hope filled part} she thinks how since she knows her friends, who are helping her overcome her grief, she might know Jesus, too. I like the idea of knowing Jesus through other people. I think that speaks highly of her friends {even though I'm really not a fan of Jesse.} I liked that Taylor saw that she needed someone on the outside and wanted Jesse to take care of her. To "save her." He cared about her enough to want her to overcome her pain, even if he couldn't be the one to help her.
I think this points out how important parents are and the importance of raising children in an understanding situation. What happened was not their fault. But yelling, name calling, and judging {especially from his mother} did not help. Rachel's parents didn't handle the situation well at all either. Parents should be humble, and look to God for answers on how to help their children even and especially when their children make a mistake.
I loved the end. I just had a feeling that it would end that way. But how it all played out with Rachel and then with London talking with her father was so good. It's one of the only books I've cried actual tears over.
I also loved the "SONS OF HELAMAN MOMMA'S BOYS" t-shirt appearance at the beginning of the book. It made me laugh.
There was one quote in the book--that I cannot find now for anything-- that I loved. Towards the end of the book {the more hope filled part} she thinks how since she knows her friends, who are helping her overcome her grief, she might know Jesus, too. I like the idea of knowing Jesus through other people. I think that speaks highly of her friends {even though I'm really not a fan of Jesse.} I liked that Taylor saw that she needed someone on the outside and wanted Jesse to take care of her. To "save her." He cared about her enough to want her to overcome her pain, even if he couldn't be the one to help her.
I think this points out how important parents are and the importance of raising children in an understanding situation. What happened was not their fault. But yelling, name calling, and judging {especially from his mother} did not help. Rachel's parents didn't handle the situation well at all either. Parents should be humble, and look to God for answers on how to help their children even and especially when their children make a mistake.
I loved the end. I just had a feeling that it would end that way. But how it all played out with Rachel and then with London talking with her father was so good. It's one of the only books I've cried actual tears over.
I also loved the "SONS OF HELAMAN MOMMA'S BOYS" t-shirt appearance at the beginning of the book. It made me laugh.
June 2, 2012
Also Found On: A Book and A Record
There is something that you should know about Waiting. It is written in that weird free verse sort of way that Crank is written in. I did not know this before reading it. And I think that pertains in part to why I did not like this book. Waiting was hard for me for a number of reasons.
Reason 1: The love triangle. SERIOUSLY! Why?! Love triangles are completely ridiculous and should be banned from ya books. Since when have girls like London become the object of guy’s affection? I mean, she is one messed up chick, which brings me to reason 2.
Reason 2: London is annoying. How many times do I have to read a ya book where every other verb seems to be crying, sniffling, weeping, etc. I get it. This book is sad, but there are ways to do sad. There are ways to balance it out and make you think more about life than death.
Reason 3: The relationships. In addition to London having weird, awkward, and having ultimately unresolved amounts of boy trouble she also has really weird family issues going on.
In addition to the reasons listed above this writing style really just drove me completely crazy. It felt like a high school essay contest, dripping with angst that by the time I finished I was exhausted. (and it’s a fast read!) It seems like so many ya books today are dealing with death, which means that it has been done right before. Books like Saving June, get it right. This book was not one of those. I honestly can't say what exactly it was about this book that truly bothered me so much, but it's definitely not one that I would read again. Once was enough.
There is something that you should know about Waiting. It is written in that weird free verse sort of way that Crank is written in. I did not know this before reading it. And I think that pertains in part to why I did not like this book. Waiting was hard for me for a number of reasons.
Reason 1: The love triangle. SERIOUSLY! Why?! Love triangles are completely ridiculous and should be banned from ya books. Since when have girls like London become the object of guy’s affection? I mean, she is one messed up chick, which brings me to reason 2.
Reason 2: London is annoying. How many times do I have to read a ya book where every other verb seems to be crying, sniffling, weeping, etc. I get it. This book is sad, but there are ways to do sad. There are ways to balance it out and make you think more about life than death.
Reason 3: The relationships. In addition to London having weird, awkward, and having ultimately unresolved amounts of boy trouble she also has really weird family issues going on.
In addition to the reasons listed above this writing style really just drove me completely crazy. It felt like a high school essay contest, dripping with angst that by the time I finished I was exhausted. (and it’s a fast read!) It seems like so many ya books today are dealing with death, which means that it has been done right before. Books like Saving June, get it right. This book was not one of those. I honestly can't say what exactly it was about this book that truly bothered me so much, but it's definitely not one that I would read again. Once was enough.
July 19, 2012
Carol Lynch Williams has written a very powerful and moving story about a young woman's struggle to regain her footing in life after the suicide of her brother. The book is structured in a very unique way that adds to the intensity of it. The story is told in first person by London and is put together in short, choppy chapters -- sometimes only a few sentences -- which conveys the drama that the main character was experiencing.
The structure of the book and the intensity of the story make it easy to read and hard to put down. I read it start to finish in one day. There were many layers to this story and each was dealt with in a complete and serious manner. The underpinning of the story is the relationship these characters have with God and their life as missionaries in foreign countries. Layered on that is the way this family adapts to life in the USA, regular jobs and high school. When tragedy of the worst sort strikes them it challenges everything in their lives. London tries desperately to find someone or something to anchor her life to when it seems the whole world, including her mother and best friends, has turned its back on her.
I really liked this book even though the subject matter is a difficult one and it's not a "fun" read. I recommend this book highly.
-Janeth
Content:
Sexual Content: Moderate
Profanity: Mild
Violence: Moderate (suicide)
Other Notables: Reference to drug use, religious references
For more details, check out Waiting on Parentalbookreviews.com
The structure of the book and the intensity of the story make it easy to read and hard to put down. I read it start to finish in one day. There were many layers to this story and each was dealt with in a complete and serious manner. The underpinning of the story is the relationship these characters have with God and their life as missionaries in foreign countries. Layered on that is the way this family adapts to life in the USA, regular jobs and high school. When tragedy of the worst sort strikes them it challenges everything in their lives. London tries desperately to find someone or something to anchor her life to when it seems the whole world, including her mother and best friends, has turned its back on her.
I really liked this book even though the subject matter is a difficult one and it's not a "fun" read. I recommend this book highly.
-Janeth
Content:
Sexual Content: Moderate
Profanity: Mild
Violence: Moderate (suicide)
Other Notables: Reference to drug use, religious references
For more details, check out Waiting on Parentalbookreviews.com
December 22, 2013
Waiting is a beautifully written novel about love, loss, and moving on. It is a touching story that sticks with you long after the last page has been turned.
London is lost, confused, and alone. She is not a happy character. She not only lost her brother but she also lost the rest of her family. She doesn't know how to make things better at home and school is even worse. Things only begin to get better when two new kids, Lili and Jesse, start at her school and become her friends. Lili and Jesse are the opposite of London. They are fun and happy and carefree. They bring out a different side of her and they help her begin to move on with her life. Her brother's best friend, Taylor, is also there to help her. He is sweet, patient, and so wonderful. Every character definitely had some flaws but they only made each one better.
The story is written in verse and it is a very quick read. It is also rather suspenseful at times which makes it an even quicker read because it is impossible to put down. I couldn't help but wonder why Zach died, why London blamed herself, and why London's family was really so broken apart. Everything is revealed throughout the book, both through flashbacks to past events and present day events. Everything leads up to a satisfying conclusion that will leave readers with tears in their eyes but smiles on their faces.
Overall, Waiting ended up being a lot more than I expected and more than I could have hoped for. Fans of verse and contemporary novels will love this book!
London is lost, confused, and alone. She is not a happy character. She not only lost her brother but she also lost the rest of her family. She doesn't know how to make things better at home and school is even worse. Things only begin to get better when two new kids, Lili and Jesse, start at her school and become her friends. Lili and Jesse are the opposite of London. They are fun and happy and carefree. They bring out a different side of her and they help her begin to move on with her life. Her brother's best friend, Taylor, is also there to help her. He is sweet, patient, and so wonderful. Every character definitely had some flaws but they only made each one better.
The story is written in verse and it is a very quick read. It is also rather suspenseful at times which makes it an even quicker read because it is impossible to put down. I couldn't help but wonder why Zach died, why London blamed herself, and why London's family was really so broken apart. Everything is revealed throughout the book, both through flashbacks to past events and present day events. Everything leads up to a satisfying conclusion that will leave readers with tears in their eyes but smiles on their faces.
Overall, Waiting ended up being a lot more than I expected and more than I could have hoped for. Fans of verse and contemporary novels will love this book!
April 27, 2016
Grade: C-
One Word: Emotional
London breathes grief and sadness since the death of her brother nine months ago. She barely speaks, her brat friend dropped her, her mother won't talk to her and her missionary father remains distant. Slowly, she meets new friends and before long she's kissing two boys. But the heaviness of missing her brother is never far away.
London is a sympathetic character, though I had trouble understand the two boy thing amid her depression and grief. I felt her pain throughout the story. The other characters were far less developed and seemed more like props for her story than people. Her awful mother was completely one dimensional. Carol Lynch Williams missed a great opportunity to add depth to the parents, but instead chose to write them as cardboard cutouts. I also didn't understand Lillie's assert action that London was "the best friend I've ever had." Really? London gave so little to the relationship, I had a hard time buying into that.
William's writing, the strongest part of WAITING, was emotional and gorgeous. I was almost 20% into the story before realizing the story was lyrical prose. I thought the short chapters helped add emotion to the story and took London's pain from my kindle screen to my heart.
There is a strong christian religious component not advertised in the blurb. I wish books would mention this so readers can decide whether they want that slant in their novels.
THEMES: suicide, death, grief, friendship, dating, parents, siblings
WAITING is a story of sibling grief with a strong christian component.
One Word: Emotional
London breathes grief and sadness since the death of her brother nine months ago. She barely speaks, her brat friend dropped her, her mother won't talk to her and her missionary father remains distant. Slowly, she meets new friends and before long she's kissing two boys. But the heaviness of missing her brother is never far away.
London is a sympathetic character, though I had trouble understand the two boy thing amid her depression and grief. I felt her pain throughout the story. The other characters were far less developed and seemed more like props for her story than people. Her awful mother was completely one dimensional. Carol Lynch Williams missed a great opportunity to add depth to the parents, but instead chose to write them as cardboard cutouts. I also didn't understand Lillie's assert action that London was "the best friend I've ever had." Really? London gave so little to the relationship, I had a hard time buying into that.
William's writing, the strongest part of WAITING, was emotional and gorgeous. I was almost 20% into the story before realizing the story was lyrical prose. I thought the short chapters helped add emotion to the story and took London's pain from my kindle screen to my heart.
There is a strong christian religious component not advertised in the blurb. I wish books would mention this so readers can decide whether they want that slant in their novels.
THEMES: suicide, death, grief, friendship, dating, parents, siblings
WAITING is a story of sibling grief with a strong christian component.
July 21, 2015
I read this because of the rating of a friend, but then found out it is a book club choice for one of my book clubs. There is something about free verse writing that captivates me. Sometimes it is hard to follow, but for this book, it is so appropriate and moving. I loved how it helped give a voice to this voiceless character. This story is so hard to read yet it needs telling. There are so many families out there that seem so functional but are fundamentally dysfunctional. One of the things I love so much about reading is that it helps me pick apart my life and makes me see if there are things I should be doing differently or would do differently if faced with the challenges that these characters face. Or, sometimes, I relate to the feelings of certain characters even if their circumstances are different. Some of London's feelings of grief over her brother's death can be similar to others' feeling of grief over a loved one's death even if that person isn't related the same way or didn't die the same way. It is amazing how grief and death can be a great equalizer among men. And it is amazing how the written word can affect people in so many different ways. I picked this book up at the library in the morning and finished it by afternoon. It is a quick read, but not an easy one.
November 21, 2013
In the hands of another author, this would've been terrible. Its storyline is common as muck in YA and NA nowadays, and could've been a love-triangular, manipulative mess that would've left readers eye-rolling and yelling at the characters.
But Carol Lynch Williams is an author of immense skill. Writing a novel in verse is risky - there's a thin line between pretty writing and purple prose. Luckily for us, the author avoids cliché, and instead goes for the unpleasant truths. The emotions ring true, without going overboard. It's a delicate balance, and a successful one. Waiting punches readers in the feels - it's a good thing.
But Carol Lynch Williams is an author of immense skill. Writing a novel in verse is risky - there's a thin line between pretty writing and purple prose. Luckily for us, the author avoids cliché, and instead goes for the unpleasant truths. The emotions ring true, without going overboard. It's a delicate balance, and a successful one. Waiting punches readers in the feels - it's a good thing.
March 10, 2012
With a format and voice that will resonate with teens, Carol Lynch Williams offers a poignant story of strength and healing, all bound by the power of love and friendship. This is YA at its very best! I've not had such a good cry over a book since reading BRIDGE TO TERABITHIA so many years ago. The voice, characterization, and powerful story, all strengths of Williams, are blended together to make this one of the most moving books I've ever read. London and this wonderful tale will truly live with me forever.
Read
October 22, 2012At about 10 pages in, I was thinking it was a little over-dramatic, but she's a teen and she did lose her brother, so I kept going.
by 30 pages in, I was a bit hooked, by 50 pages, I knew I was going to stay up to finish it.
At page 150 I thought there was NO good way out.
As I neared the end, and realized it was going to be over, I felt this weight settle in knowing that I was almost done.
I love Williams' writing, and I love the topics she chooses to write about and I love her stories, and I love the endings, because they're perfect for the story but imperfect in their real-ness.
by 30 pages in, I was a bit hooked, by 50 pages, I knew I was going to stay up to finish it.
At page 150 I thought there was NO good way out.
As I neared the end, and realized it was going to be over, I felt this weight settle in knowing that I was almost done.
I love Williams' writing, and I love the topics she chooses to write about and I love her stories, and I love the endings, because they're perfect for the story but imperfect in their real-ness.
February 22, 2013
After the tragic death of her brother, London is broken. Her mother blames her for the death, and her father is distant. No one at school will talk to her, as they fear this tragedy is contagious. It isn't until she meets Lilli, a new student full of life, that London begins to step out of the fog and wonder if she can ever feel happy again. Written in verse, this story is a powerful depiction of the impact of tragedy and grief on a family.
July 7, 2012
London's brother Zach committed sucide 9 months before the book opens, and his death has fractured this family. Worst of all, London's mother blames her for it and has not spoken to her in that whole 9 months. Then Elli enters her life. A transplant from Nebraska, she knows nothing about the London before her brother's death and this friendship is the start of the road back for London.
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