When did you figure out the relationship between the two storylines, and how did it make you feel?
I figured out the relationship between the two story lines very early on. And while I wasn’t expecting a mystery in the true sense of the word, I was hoping for more tension as the “how” and the “why” of the Ruthie’s disappearance unraveled.
I knew as soon as Norma started her story by telling about her dreams. It just made me so sad for Ruthie and Ruthie’s family. I hoped the “kidnappers” would be found out.
I knew right away. Chapter Two Norma mentioned the dreams she had when she was four or five. Then she mentioned when she was fifty the dreams she had of dark and light were one of the same. That of course made me sad realizing that even in her fifties she did not know her biological family,
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Yeah, I have to admit this was evident pretty early on. For me the story was more about how Ruthie/Norma ends up figuring out her origins and whether or not Joe can attain the peace of knowing his sister’s fate before he dies. Not only did I want him to know the fate of his sister, but I wanted his mother to know what had happened to her child.
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Chapter Two - “Norma.” I like Peters’ no nonsense approach to the story. She keeps things moving. At first, I thought the telling of the story was a bit “clinical” (not too much feeling) but she makes up for it by the end. Sobbing my heart out!
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Pretty much right away, which is good as there is no purpose in being kept in the dark.
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The second chapter when the dreams are described which I liked because that shifted the focus from a “who did it” to “the psychology of why the kidnapping occurred.”
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I agree with those who responded to the question. As soon as Norma’s section began the storylines became obvious. I didn’t feel one way or the other. What it did was explain how the novel would move forward and gave the story a sense of purpose.
Like others here, I figured it out pretty early on-the dreams were a big clue. That wasn’t a negative for me, as it led to anticipation and hope that Ruthie would find her family again and wonder as to how it might happen.
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As soon as Norma started relaying her dreams it was evident that she was Ruthie. I kept hoping that the story line would lead to her return to her family and was disappointed that it did not until 50 years later.
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@Patricia_Hawley right?!? It would have been nice if she’d been able to spend just a few more years with Joe and the rest of her family.
Except for when she first went to Boston with her aunt, did you have the feeling at any point afterwards that Norma was really hesitant and/or afraid to find out whether she was from another family?
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Another good point, @Jill_Mercier! I didn’t think of that but now that you mention it, it does seem that it took a very long time for her to follow through on her suspicions.
It’s been a while since I read this book, but from what I remember, I believe it was somewhere around the middle of the book when I started putting the two and two together.
I also realized this with Ruthie’s dreams and was curious how the author was going to unravel the story.
Right from the start, as I think the author intended, because she did not write a mystery story, but a novel focused on the psychological impact of breaking up families and attempting to erase their heritage.
I knew right away. I honestly think the author intended us to figure it out, as the story was more about the effect on the family than the mystery of the disappearance.
She had genuine curiosity but her questions were always shut down. She tried to study the photos in the basement but they were removed before she could get back to them.
I thought she was held back not by her own ambivalence so much as the fear of hurting or displeasing her mother Lenore.
I realized very early on and quite frankly was both horrified and deeply saddened that an entire family could view the kidnapping as something to be casually accepted and kept secret—as if Ruthie and her real family were of no consequence. The power that Lenore had over everyone in the family (and also Alice) was disturbing to me.
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