Rosanne
I'm sad to say this book wasn't for me. The overall message is a good one, but I don't think it should have taken Nora a whole book to come to the realization that just because there was a bad experience, there wouldn't only be bad experiences. There's one quote that sums up what exactly bothered me about Nora. It's when Mrs. Elm tells her that sometimes, the only way to learn is to live. Nora than replies “sounds hard”. Yes Nora, that's the point. Life can be hard sometimes, but you learn from those times as well. I'm glad she realized this in the end, but throughout the book there was too much self-pity and Nora expecting others to solve her problems in life. If you don't like the direction your life is going, you have to roll up your sleeves and do something about it. I know this sounds a bit blunt, and I'm not trying to diminish the fact that depression can make people feel like there's no way out. I just wished the author would have taken the time to explain more how Nora came to be like this, without describing her as an easy quitter. There were moments in the book where I recognized some of Noras struggles. Her habit to overthink, her not wanting to stand out out of fear of being mocked or how she worries about other people's approval. These are issues I know a lot of people struggle with, and I think we should all take Mrs. Elm's advice to heart: “you don't need a permission slip to be yourself”. This book made me realize that, even though I don't consider myself an optimist, I do have more of a positive outlook on life and it's challenges. I always try to keep in mind that when things seem a bit heavier, better times will come around.
Never fear shadows, they simply mean there's a light shining somewhere nearby - Ruth E. Renkel
I'm sad to say this book wasn't for me. The overall message is a good one, but I don't think it should have taken Nora a whole book to come to the realization that just because there was a bad experience, there wouldn't only be bad experiences. There's one quote that sums up what exactly bothered me about Nora. It's when Mrs. Elm tells her that sometimes, the only way to learn is to live. Nora than replies “sounds hard”. Yes Nora, that's the point. Life can be hard sometimes, but you learn from those times as well. I'm glad she realized this in the end, but throughout the book there was too much self-pity and Nora expecting others to solve her problems in life. If you don't like the direction your life is going, you have to roll up your sleeves and do something about it. I know this sounds a bit blunt, and I'm not trying to diminish the fact that depression can make people feel like there's no way out. I just wished the author would have taken the time to explain more how Nora came to be like this, without describing her as an easy quitter. There were moments in the book where I recognized some of Noras struggles. Her habit to overthink, her not wanting to stand out out of fear of being mocked or how she worries about other people's approval. These are issues I know a lot of people struggle with, and I think we should all take Mrs. Elm's advice to heart: “you don't need a permission slip to be yourself”. This book made me realize that, even though I don't consider myself an optimist, I do have more of a positive outlook on life and it's challenges. I always try to keep in mind that when things seem a bit heavier, better times will come around.
Never fear shadows, they simply mean there's a light shining somewhere nearby - Ruth E. Renkel