Reading Response #3

I had a very hard time putting this book down long enough to write this! I think Kate has become a bit lost well at school. I think she is starting to discover that what happened in the past is affecting every decision she makes.
Matt and Luke seem to be showing signs of their stress and anxiety. I can not imagine doing what they are doing. Matt manages to study so hard and do so well in school, even when he has to look after the girls. I know when I babysit I find that I am so tired at night, that the last thing I want to do is my homework. Matt never gets any time for himself. He seems to find comfort in Marie, but beyond that I don't really see him interact with any one outside of his family. Luke must be terribly lonely and overwhelmed at home with the girls. I doubt that his plans for the next year ever involved being a single parent to his sisters. What Luke and Matt have given up for their family is truly heroic. They clearly value their family.
Matt was clearly Kate's childhood hero. He was everything to her, and was completely perfect. I think Matt is still her hero, but she is having a hard time dealing with the fact that he isn't perfect. I think a lot of people have trouble with this realization when they grow up. I know that I personally found it hard when I got older and determined that my parents weren't perfect. As a child I may have got mad at them, but I was dead convinced that they knew the answer to everything and never made a mistake. Now I see them as humans who make mistakes. Sometimes I think we only see the good in the people in our lives who we look up to. When they disappoint us, we take it personally. As a child Kate clearly adored Matt, and always knew that he was the smartest person in the world. Matt would do anything for his sister. I think Matt has helped shape her life in more ways then she knows. Kate feels very passionately about education leading to success, just like Matt did. Even Kate's specialty in Biology is related to Matt; she picked her specialty because it reminded her of the ponds Matt used to take her to.
I am very glad that Kate has finally decided to take Daniel with her to Simone's birthday. It certainly took her a while! I find it interesting that Kate and Daniel are so similar when they were raised so differently. Daniel was clearly raised in an all consuming academic environment. His parents educated him in many areas. I think it is important that Daniel lets Kate know that there were still downsides to his childhood, and that he was often lonely. Kate certainly wasn't lonely, not with Matt. I think Daniel is rather pushy when it comes to her family. Clearly Kate has issues surrounding them, and Daniel, although I am sure he means well, often comes off as a little demanding. I see his point, but I also see how much pain Kate feels. It almost seems like Daniel wants to study Kate and her family, more like something in his biology lab, then he wants to genuinely get to know them. I am happy though, because I think Kate needs to see that all the parts of her life can fit together.