When I read a book I become emotionally engrossed in it, sometimes this habit is good, because the book will brighten my mood or make me a stronger person, while other times the words that flow from the pages (to create the movie in my head) leave little burn marks, like a projector that was wound to tightly. “Waiting for Spring” was the later.
I have read so many books lately that focus on peoples inability to control, rely, or believe in themselves that it’s starting to make me wonder if this is how the majority of humanity actually feels on a daily basis. So my new motto is this: We are human, we make mistakes, we are damaged but we are beautiful.
“Waiting for Spring” was a difficult book to read, not structurally, because in actuality the writing was undeniably masterful, but the plot was so emotionally torturous (on so many levels) that it actually made me want to kidnap the characters and take care of them myself.
Tess is a whore, or so she has been told since she was sixteen. Emotionally damaged by her mother, and the scrutinizing eyes of a small town, she has forgotten how to love…even herself. With one life ending and another life beginning, (in a town miles away,) Tess thinks the slate is clean. Start over, eventually forget the past, and start a future…even if that future only consist of cleaning other people’s toilets and having enough cash for beer. But what happens when being invisible is impossible? What happens when you fall in love with other damaged people…people with drug problems, daddy issues, and years of missed opportunities? What happens when the worst case scenario happens, and the second life you’ve worked so hard to build turns to rubble in less than 2 hours? What happens when the glue that keeps you together melts?
“RJ Keller” penned a story about denial, rage, hatred, addiction, abandonment, loneliness, love and acceptance. “RJ Keller” wrote a piece of literature that defines the phrases “Giving Up” and “Learning to Live” and she did it with some of the most beautifully descriptive paragraphs I have ever read. She had an understanding that “love” and “sorry” are simple words for strong emotions, and that people hold on to guilt as easily as they do money, but most importantly she let the reader experience what happens when there is an overwhelming loss of control.
The first couple of chapters seemed a little apprehensive…like “Keller” was searching desperately for a way to express her feelings, and I thought that the preface was completely unnecessary, but regardless of the initial missing depth, the rest of the novel was so deep that at times I felt like I had to take a break just to learn how to breathe again.
This book was NOT in any way shape or form a quick read, it is roughly 480 pages and believe me when I say you feel each and every one of them. There was also a rampant use of the “F” word, but once it was said more than 200 or so times, it pretty much seemed like second nature, and to be perfectly honest… I don’t really think there could have been a better word to use.
This book is definatly not a light hearted read and therefore I do not recommend it for everyone (especially younger audiences) but I do whole heartedly recommend it for those of you who like a serious, well crafted story.
Happy reading my fellow Kindle-ites and remember: Yankees rule…Boston sucks… so just deal with it! (*wink*)
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[Rating:5/5]
