Spoilers in the post below!
I finished this book this morning. I really enjoyed most of it, but I'm left feeling very unsure how I feel about it now.
It's the ending of the book. I really didn't feel like the ending… did much. Maybe it not being an ending persay, not wrapping things up neatly, was part of the point of the book thematically. But as a reader I was disappointed that there wasn't a bit more, I don't know, closure? I really wanted Richard and Cynthia to get together – yes maybe that's cliche and maybe again part of the point of the book is that the man and woman he meets in his adventure don't always have to get together. In a way I guess it was realistic – good even – that she also got a fresh start, new lease of life, just like Richard did, just not with him. Either way I guess I kind of wanted them together regardless; thought they were good for each other.
I also felt like things got left part-done with 'the ex wife'. Towards the end I was really hoping Richard and ex-wife wouldn't get back together and at least they didn't, but again, that was left kind of open, and that's a pairing I do not think are good together (although again, I get that thematically towards the end was partly about how families aren't perfect but kind of make do the best they can, and ex-wife's deeprooted fear of thinking about anything meaningful – to the extent she kept too busy for anything including emotional closeness – was a foil for Richard's newly found appreciation for closeness and community).
I get that a lot of it is just… Richard becoming something new, and gradually practicing the skill of accepting things as they happen in life. So there's partly a 'well who knows what's in Richard's future, maybe any of the above can still happen'. And there's definite hints that both Richard and Ben want to build on their relationship in the future, so we can hope that might happen for them. One thing I do really like is Richard's personal growth throughout the book.
This has already become a longer post than I intended, so I'm going to stop rambling. Just circling back to… something about the ending has just left me feeling at sea, a bit like Richard is at the end of the text. But instead of him feeling a sort of tranquil acceptance of whatever may come, I'm feeling dissatisfied with a seemingly abrupt running out, petering out, of words to a story I'd been otherwise really enjoying. It's left me not being able to put my finger on a rating for my Goodreads and my 2025 reading spreadsheet!
Anyone else? Thoughts about this book? I'd especially like to hear your thoughts on the ending – maybe it will give me new appreciation or perspectives on it – but still welcome any input on the book in general.
by Ninja_Hedgehog