I didn't expect this book to be
as intense as it was. It was filled with the whole aspect of growing up and
facing challenges . Except Ginny’s adventures are a bit more forced as she
feels like she has to do what’s in the letters in the way once she gets to
England. She also feels like she owes to her aunt I think, but in fact she owes
her aunt nothing. More discussion of that in the character discussion part of
this spoiler. I think the best part of this book for me was the fact that she
actually doesn’t just sit at home and read them she goes on an adventure, and I’d
like to think that I’d do the same. I loved that this book lets us explore Europe
without actually having to go.
Characters:
Ginny: She seems like the shy, normal
high school girl. Until she gets a package with 13 notes from her dead
aunt. I think that everyone needs to do
in life. You need to talk to strangers sometimes, and travel on your own. But most
importantly, you need to be your own person. She was a fantastic main
character, who I think was in a way the
best person to tell this story. She’s strong and willing to fulfill her dead
aunt’s wishes but she also isn’t afraid of having to call Richard when
everything kind of went wrong (ex. Her bag getting stolen). I was shocked when
she ran away from him after she found out that he was her uncle, but I think
her aunt should have told them. All of them what was going on.
Keith: I think that he’s pretty
weird. I mean, how can you just think that stealing something is no big deal?
That’s a huge deal. I almost wonder if he’s just gonna use her for her money
that she inherited. I hope not, but worse things have been known to happen.
Aunt
Peg: I think
that she was irresponsible and should have told her family what was happening.
I’m disappointed that we didn’t get to read her last letter, because I’m sure
it would have explained a lot. She wasn’t responsible, but it’s pretty cool
that she got her niece to come out of her shell. I think that without Peg,
Ginny would always be pretty shy and just do as she was told.
Richard: I can’t imagine marrying
someone who hasn’t ever said I love you and taking care of them. Richard must
have truly loved her to take time off at Harrods, because I can’t imagine him
not taking time off and having to care for her 24 hours near the end.
Hopefully, he doesn’t have any regrets.
I know there are more
characters I could mention, but I don’t think they’re enough to go as deep as I’d
want to with them.
Moments
to Remember:
Pg.
19
“I
have to confess Gin… I get a little romantic about the old Empire State. Just
looking at it makes me want to play some Frank Sinatra tunes and sway a little.
I have a crush on a building.”
Pg.
26
“Aunt
Peg had some very unusual friends. Like the performance artist roommate- the
one who ate her own hair onstage. Or the guy who spent a month communicating
only through interpretive dance as a form of protest (against what, no one
really knew).”
Pg.
73
“Keith
walked briskly, his hands buried in his pockets. He occasionally glanced over
his shoulder to make sure Ginny was
still with him. She was just a pace or two behind.
‘You don’t have to follow me,’ he said. ‘We’re
a very advanced country. Girls can walk beside men, go to school, everything.’”
Pg.
140
“On
Vesta’s holiday animals used to be decorated with garlands of cake. Garlands of
cake! (Screw flowers. Can you imagine any garland better than a garland of
cake? I can’t.)”
