In the beginning of this book, Johanna and her family are walking home when suddenly a strange man appears and stabs her mother, brother and sister. Johanna is the only one that survives because she runs into the corn fields. Then the book shifts to a whole new scene. Reggie, a sixteen year old girl who's mother died many years ago, Nanny's for Dr. Hunter. While Dr. Hunter is at work, Reggie watches her son. Judging from the beginning of the book, I think that it will jump around a lot and move from different scenes very fast. I think that in the end of the book, these two stories will intertwine. Reggie dropped out of school this year and now Dr. Hunter tutors her. Dr. Hunter asks Reggie, "Shouldn't you have stayed on at school, Reggie"(44)? and Reggie replies, "Yes, I should have"(44). Dr. Hunter is implying that it would have been better if Reggie had stayed in school, then Reggie agrees with her. I think that Reggie is happier with Dr. Hunter than at school. With her mother gone, Reggie believed that there was no point in going to school, "Mum had been so proud when Reggie got her scholarship place, but once she was gone, there didn't seem much point, and it was bad enough leaving for school in the morning with no one to say good-bye to her, but coming home to an empty house with no one to say hello was even worse"(30). This quote is a glimpse at what Reggie's life was like before she started working for Dr. Hunter. It also shows how hard it is to live without anyone, living alone. I think that its a good thing that Reggie quit school. She is still learning the material, she is just in a happier environment.
Dr. Hunter is a very intelligent character. One can realize this because of all of the books in her house and how she speaks. Dr. Hunter is always referring back to books she has read in the past. She tells Reggie that she has read every book there is to read. Also, Dr. Hunter is always giving Reggie good advice. She says, "Knowing that when light is gone, love remains for shining"(50). This quote is very interesting. When Dr. Hunter says this I believe that she is trying to give Reggie advice and knowledge. I think Dr. Hunter knows that Reggie has a hard life and she is trying to tell her that even though things may look hard, she will always love her. The reader is never informed about how Reggie's mother died. This makes me want to keep reading to find out. One day Reggie randomly asks Dr. Hunter, " How long does it take to die from drowning"(46)? This makes me think that Reggie's mother died from drowning. Reggie doesn't bring up how her mother died again. I this this book is really good and I am interested in what will happen.
Atkinson, Kate. When Will There Be Good News? Boston: Little Brown & Company, 2008.
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2 comments:
The shock and disappointment of losing ones parent is something that can have an extreme effect on the victim's psychological health. The life of someone who has to experience this could possibly alter a great amount, depending on weather they have another stable parent or family member to support them. This post and Reggie's experience in general gives a great example of a life altering experience, and Dr. Hunter is doing a great thing indeed by taking Reggie in, she is basically becoming a second mother to Reggie.
I applaud you for reading this book. Its sounds like its going to very interesting as well as intense. I cannot imagine what Johanna and Reggie are going through. As a result of this unfortunate event, I think it will be very interesting to see how these girls act and respond to emotional events. This sort- of catastrophe can sometimes make you or break you! Caint wait to here more about it!
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