OnlineBookClub.org

Amagine wrote:

meteku4 wrote:Well it is unfortunate that much has not been said about William and Ruth's relationship before divorce, so it is difficult to tell whether she deserves some sympathy or not.

It would be more interesting to learn more about Tom and Ruth's relationship.[/quote

Yeah, really, I was hoping to see that background explored in the story.

Hopefully there will be some more of the story in later books.

From what I understood in the book I do not give any sympathy towards Ruth. It sounded like she knew what was going on yet didn't want to do anything about it and that sickens me.

ebethina wrote:From what I understood in the book I do not give any sympathy towards Ruth. It sounded like she knew what was going on yet didn't want to do anything about it and that sickens me.

Hmm...it seemed so, but don't you think she might be doing that to get back at Tom for, perhaps, some of his misbehavior in the past?

-- 08 Oct 2017, 17:28 --

Now she has reached a crossroad and may be regretting her choice.

I think no matter what kind of situation you are put in there is no excuse to act the way Ruth did. She could have stepped up to not only help Sarah but to help herself get into a better place by leaving Finch. Part of the reason why she might not have is who knows maybe feeling like she couldn't do better. That should still not play a part in how she acted. In a way I feel as though she got what she deserves but feel like it's too bad she wasn't given a second chance because I feel like everyone should have a second chance and no one should be put in a bad situation.

She was supposed to be a better grandmother to Sarah, given that the little girl had lost her mother too soon but no, Ruth wouldn't just agree to stay with Sarah, what more of caring for her. I however felt sorry for what she later discovered about her husband. It may have been karma at work!

The old lady seems to be surrounded by sufferings, solitude and rejection. At her age she's supposed to be enjoying care from husband, children and grandchildren. On contrary, she's separated with her husband. Admissibly I do sympathise with her.

Atabon Della wrote:She was supposed to be a better grandmother to Sarah, given that the little girl had lost her mother too soon but no, Ruth wouldn't just agree to stay with Sarah, what more of caring for her. I however felt sorry for what she later discovered about her husband. It may have been karma at work!

I do agree that it was a bit of karma. Part of me thinks that she totally deserves him.

Amagine wrote:I'm not sympathetic to her at all. I felt she should have done more for her daughter and granddaughter. She failed to protect them both from her mentally sick husband.

-- 05 Oct 2017, 18:10 --

I don't know why I keep calling him Finch when his last name is Lynch!

Oh my goodness, I thought I was the only one who was having this issue! I think it is me combining his first and last name in my brain.

-- 20 Oct 2017, 14:35 --

But I am not at all sympathetic towards Ruth. This kind of failure...seems so inexcusable.

Phikim - I'm with you on Ruth, I think. She is far from perfect, for sure. She was with Lynch then had a fling with Tom and got pregnant, which of course would have created a rift with her and Fletcher (I am not going to start calling him Finch!), but then, young and with a baby, her husband was always gone, fishing. I worked as a fisherman for several years and it is a damn tough life with a family. So Ruth left Tom and went back to Lynch (I typed Finch just now!). Daughter Becky ran away from home at 15 and surely Ruth had some sense something was wrong with her husband, but denial can be a powerful thing, especially when you are depending on that husband for income and support. She did not know of the grandchild until literally the day Sarah arrived. After four days she dumps Saah on Tom, because Sarah is hard to deal with, because it is not working at home with Ruth and Fletcher and Sarah, and because Tom is indeed the grandfather. I pictured Ruth as a woman living with an abuser, afraid, cowering in some ways, just trying to stay beneath the blows from Fletcher, whether physical or verbal. In the end of course Tom and William visit her and Fletcher and Tom forces her to see what had been going on, and she then is forced to confront the reality. Yes a stronger person would have fought back, or left, or lots of things, but how can any of us know unless in the situation ourselves? So, yes, Ruth is not very sympathetic to many readers, because she does not seem to protect Sarah, but Ruth could not even protect herself. It is interesting, actually, that right at this moment we have been seeing all these horrible stories about this Hollywood mogul abusing young women, and how everyone knew, and yet nothing was done.....I tried to write something realistic and true about Ruth, and her situation and how she responded, given she was with a husband who was definitely not a nice guy....I actually have a lot of sympathy for Ruth....

Thank you for the insight Charlie Sheldon. It's good to see both sides.

ebethina wrote:From what I understood in the book I do not give any sympathy towards Ruth. It sounded like she knew what was going on yet didn't want to do anything about it and that sickens me.

Rightly said.. no sympathy.

Part of me is sympathetic and another part is "You reap what you sow" Do I think she can redeem herself, and should receive forgiveness yes. But we make decisions and we have to live with the consequences good or bad. Welcome to Adulting! lol

Whitney Marchelle wrote:Part of me is sympathetic and another part is "You reap what you sow" Do I think she can redeem herself, and should receive forgiveness yes. But we make decisions and we have to live with the consequences good or bad. Welcome to Adulting! lol

I completely agree. Except, I'm not really sympathetic towards her.

Yes I quite sympathise with her. I feel like she has been a victim os circumstances, with so many people connected to her and undergoing difficult times.