Growing up in Africa and Latin America as the children of missionaries, London and Zach were as close as could be. And then Zach dies, and the family is gutted.
London’s father is distant. Her mother won’t speak. The days are filled with what-ifs and whispers: Did Zach take his own life? Was it London’s fault?
Alone and adrift, London finds herself torn between her brother’s best friend and the handsome new boy in town as she struggles to find herself—and ultimately redemption—in this authentic and affecting novel from award-winning novelist Carol Lynch Williams.
It’s been difficult on the protagonist part as I read the book, only took me hours to finish it. I’m rating 3.5 stars not reaching the “about 4 stars” for me though.
All London needed was love. From her parents especially. Needs support. And she needs to forgive herself so that she can move on. It takes time and she had all the time she needs. Her friends around her made her see that she still surrounded with people she can lean her shoulders to cry on. That’s what’s good about her friends—they give her their full support and understands how she feels by listening when she speaks of her dear brother.
Out of all her friends, I really love Lili. Lili who has no idea, not even a clue of what she has got to say but say pretty random stuffs about herself, family, shares anything anyway—I like that about her. She’s a Miss Chatterbox. Like a radio that won’t stop unless her story ended or it’s time for questions or something. And she’s really cheerful, loves her family. Lili made friends with London not too easily but she kept London close to her even when she didn’t know what happened to London or her family. She still like to be with London and be her friend.
I am thinking of why the title is “Waiting” after now that I am done reading the book. I guess she’s waiting when she’ll ever forgive herself let the past be past. When she’ll let go of repeating everything that happened to Zach’s in her memories of him that ended him once and for all. Waiting for the moment to be loved by the people she loves so much, she have been waiting for like eternity to get the love return back to her and be happy again, alive, loving living life. Waiting for something that it’ll be the same way like it had before the tragedy. Waiting for someone to say to her that none of it was her fault. No ones fault of what happened.
I can relate one thing though and I agree with the book, that if one family is gone, i don’t know if it ever be whole again. I don’t know. Here’s the quote from the book: “When the best part of a family dies, everyone falls apart…” Like everyone is affected by it all. Can’t seem to move on. Time can heal not everything but most of it. I can much say that. It’ll be scars one day and to my wounds, it’s now scars and I know it will be too, for London and her family.
Goodbye quotes (not from the book) that I like and probably what London feels:
“You never leave someone behind, you take a part of them with you and leave a part of yourself behind.”
“Life wouldn’t be the same without you and all the memories you have given me.”
“Every goodbye makes the next hello closer.”
“You know that you are in love when the hardest thing to do is say goodbye.”
“The song is ended, but the melody lingers on.”
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