Rhonda > Recent Status Updates

Her feelings as an adopted child connected to Mary Poppins 😢

“Better to leave the past within the past, jf you ask me.”

“Wisps of burned paper bumped around inside the fireplace like frightened black butterflies… Sitting in father’s large leather chair, I fought back tears, feeling my happy days were burning away with the girl.“

“Before we left the store, we had the friendly clerk pack an extra cow horn in a small box for mother. When mother asked where it came from, we would tell her it was given to us by a passing cow.” Little adventures with father ❤️

Look at your father, I understand why the mother would suggest this. But what is the next instruction to ling?

The part where she’s learning to haggle and manipulate for food is like her Batman training sequence.

“You are two melons on the same vine.“ - mother regarding daughter/father.

Perspective - she is so confused. Why would Niu call her his enemy? The red guard seems so vicious. However, it’s making me think that it is stemming from the cult-like leader and deep anger at class difference.

“I might be able to take you with me.” Swimming across the river to Hong Kong. Niu loves her like a sister 🥹

So sweet- she and Niu hooked pinkies to promise they would not share the secret of listening to American folk songs on the radio. He takes her parents’ attention, resources (food) so he is more like a brother now. 😢

At times I wished my family was poor and my parents worked on a vegetable farm like Yu’s so I could have friends. But if my parents worked on a farm, who would treat their patients?

The part where she packs her doll, Bao Bao for her upstairs neighbor whose husband was detained. 🥹

Powerful writer - her clear lines can stick with the reader.- quote about how she and Frank are stewards of the land and despite anything else, it is their job to take care of it for the next generation.

Tessa is truly a villain. I hate her parts. It makes sense that she’s going to convince MC about the baby.

Pregnant and had to leave school at 17 - Frank was a better father than you ever could’ve been? …. Interesting because Gabriel becomes a little more sympathetic now

Mother paid her off.

Frank had to pick up the pieces. “Your son” - unforgivable

“You stole him.”

Why did Gabriel’s mother know?

Okay okay, it is kind of masterful storytelling. Will there be even more?!

I do understand Frank’s guilt and wanting a concrete punishment.

I hate the idea of Gabriel ending up with MC and then them raising Leo and new baby.

Okay yes so they are protecting L. But why are little children so unprotected on this farm? And why don’t they take proper precautions with shotguns? 😩 just like Bobby’s classmate when he visited the farm years ago.

Gabriel driving inebriated Jimmy back to Frank’s farm. Wording is “like a father,” not like equals - Let’s go, get in the car. Prior reference to George & Lenny - the brothers.

At first 70/80% - I thought Gabriel shot, Frank protecting him so he can continue to care for his son Leo.
Now 90% - possibly both men are protecting MC.

The narration is so indulgent. I wonder if it’s more despicable as an audiobook. ‘Oh…how will Frank cope?!’ While he is literally in jail and she is safe in her sister’s cozy apartment. Or safe in their farmhouse or wherever. She keeps waxing poetic and it’s annoying.

I wonder if the buzz about the end of the book will live up to the hype.

“As if even the memory of Bobby is too pure to be in the midst of all this.” Yes. Fully true.

Honestly I would stop reading if I didn’t have book club for this book. The affair - I am so disinterested. And she’s getting another (already vulnerable) child involved. Part of me feels like I should be sympathetic due to her trauma but I just don’t want to read about it. Does she not have a farm to run? How can one take hours off from one’s daily responsibilities? 🙄

This is getting tedious. Her child died, her brother in law is getting married, and she is kissing her first love. I hope the pace starts picking up soon.

Drinks with Gabriel and talking about Bobby. She sadly needs a therapist.

Continued - “The two of us vacillating back and forth”

“It is our togetherness that bars us from healing” - their grief

Really annoying waiting for the other shoe to drop- Nina to find out that husband and Millie are using the Broadway tickets and eating at fancy restaurant and sleeping in a hotel room at the plaza together. So much repetitive “i know I shouldn’t” from Millie, and yet they do it all anyway.

“The boy did indeed overthrow his father.” As much as I thought it was so heavy handed when Maya first saw the artwork depiction and explicitly said to Gordon, is it like you and dad? It was really satisfying to see Gordon support his mom so well, with the video proof, and to help her escape to safety. And to go seek out the painting.

Cora to be with Felix. Made me emotional, finally she can have love for herself.

The bee sting is becoming cliche. Ann Pachett had a story like this as well. It’s terrible. I don’t see why this had to happen. When the family has already been affected by DV/death, and a mass shooting. Like at some point, okay. Enough.