Final Chapters

[Tarri]

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KxBurns wrote:

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bookloverjb85 wrote:

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COCOSPALS wrote:

I kind of felt that Mimi was thrown in as a way to finish up the story in a hurry. I felt the end was rushed, that Mr. O'Nan didn't quite know how to wrap it all together. I did not like how we were left hanging as to how Kim died.

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I agree with you COCOSPALS. At the end of the book I was wondering where the rest was. I wanted to know how Kim died, who took her, etc.

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But we do find out those things! Wade confessed and the discovery of Kim's butterfly pendant in one of his safe deposit boxes corrobrated his confession. I don't think O'Nan gives us any reason to doubt that this is true. Page 259 (second paragraph from the bottom) contains the details of the confession as related by Fran.

We also learn that Fran updated the website with Wade's confession and a map of the area along I-90 that the search was targeting, and that Mimi was a frequent visitor to the site. So presumably she used this info to aid her search, which leaves little doubt of a false confession -- in my mind at least.

To be honest, I was glad we were spared the grusome details!

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Me too, Karen.  I don't need to read how Kim was murdered or what happened to her in the hours before her death.  The introduction of Mimi seemed normal to me.  In fact, Dateline did a story about the search for a missing woman's body, that was orchestrated by a total stranger, while I was reading the book.  

I don't doubt that there are people who see things on television and can't rest until they "help".   Also, is it so farfetched to think that Mimi walks her dog and incorporates the search into her walks?  To me, it would have seemed strange if someone in the family or a friend/acquaintance had found Kim's body. 

[Everyman]

That is the most likely case, but far from certain. It is also perfectly possible that Wade found her body, took the jewelry, perhaps moved or reburied the body, perhaps performing some sexual acts on the dead body, then fantasized about killing her. He seemed unbalanced enough easily to have fantasized killing this good looking young woman whose body he found killed by somebody else. He would then know perfectly well where the body was. False confessions are almost inevitable in a case with so much publicity.

Since O'Nan has politely declined to reveal the truth he created for her, we'll never know for sure.

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KxBurns wrote:
But we do find out those things! Wade confessed and the discovery of Kim's butterfly pendant in one of his safe deposit boxes corrobrated his confession. I don't think O'Nan gives us any reason to doubt that this is true. Page 259 (second paragraph from the bottom) contains the details of the confession as related by Fran.

We also learn that Fran updated the website with Wade's confession and a map of the area along I-90 that the search was targeting, and that Mimi was a frequent visitor to the site. So presumably she used this info to aid her search, which leaves little doubt of a false confession -- in my mind at least.

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[mb312]

I felt that I was left hanging at the end, and was actually surprised to find myself reading the last paragraph. I expected to find out a little more about how Kim was abducted, not necessarily how she was murdered. I also wanted to find out a little bit more about each character, and how they coped with Kim's body being found. There wasn't enough information for me.

[bookloverjb85]

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Everyman wrote:
That is the most likely case, but far from certain. It is also perfectly possible that Wade found her body, took the jewelry, perhaps moved or reburied the body, perhaps performing some sexual acts on the dead body, then fantasized about killing her. He seemed unbalanced enough easily to have fantasized killing this good looking young woman whose body he found killed by somebody else. He would then know perfectly well where the body was. False confessions are almost inevitable in a case with so much publicity.

Since O'Nan has politely declined to reveal the truth he created for her, we'll never know for sure.

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I agree. I just felt that Wade was not her murderer. That is why I felt left in the dark at the end of the book. It is possible that he was...but there were some doubts by the characters in the book too.

[FrankieD]

The story was about the family and their reactions to Kim's disappearance and so I didn't feel a need for a neatly packaged ending. The small details of Kim's death weren't important...and so I didn't miss it  and was satisfied by the account of the family and their different ways of dealing with the trragedy. So I guess that just like their different ways of dealing with Kim, we all have our own ways of dealing with what we read.

                                                                                                 FrankieD

[AllieK]

Question: Isn't there usually a review thread up by now?? Where would you like them to go?? Just wondering! :-)

[Everyman]

The question -- well, a question -- is how closely O'Nan want to follow the traditional mystery/suspense format. His book isn't mainly in that genre, of course, since it doesn't focus primarily on whodunit but on the effect on those affected by the disappearance. But it also does have significant elements of mystery/suspense. In that genre, the scattering of false clues is obligatory. If this were pure mystery, the astute reader would be pretty certain that Wade hadn't done it unless the author is pulling a double bluff, which really isn't "fair" in the genre.

If he's going to adopt significant aspects of the general concept of a mystery/suspense format, he can hardly complain when readers read the book in that mode and suspect that Wade is a red herring.

Of course, then we never do get to know whodunit, which violates the mystery/suspense format (except that, as has been noted in the Mystery book club, Watson often leaves the endings of his reports of Holmes's cases uncertain). But I do think it's fair to doubt that Wade was really the killer.

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bookloverjb85 wrote:

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Everyman wrote:
That is the most likely case, but far from certain. It is also perfectly possible that Wade found her body, took the jewelry, perhaps moved or reburied the body, perhaps performing some sexual acts on the dead body, then fantasized about killing her. He seemed unbalanced enough easily to have fantasized killing this good looking young woman whose body he found killed by somebody else. He would then know perfectly well where the body was. False confessions are almost inevitable in a case with so much publicity.

Since O'Nan has politely declined to reveal the truth he created for her, we'll never know for sure.

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I agree. I just felt that Wade was not her murderer. That is why I felt left in the dark at the end of the book. It is possible that he was...but there were some doubts by the characters in the book too.

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[Portiabr]

To me the most significant change in the book was with Lindsay. How she went off to college (which Kim had never had the chance to do) and tried not to look back. She became so secure in her world and while she didn't seem to want to forget Kim, she tried to dissociate from being the "sister of the missing girl." Even going so far as to make people think it was her grandmother's funeral for which she was going home. The way she handled her coming and going to me was the most poinant and stood out to me.

Portia

[esutter722]

This book is now one of my favorite books.  It was very well written and captured you.  However, I agree with many of the other readers on the forum that the ending was too abrupt and seemed like O'Nan didn't know how to end it.  Throughout the whole book, there was a constant pace and the fact that the ending didn't seem complete and ended too quickly disappointed me.

[katknit]

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FrankieD wrote:

The story was about the family and their reactions to Kim's disappearance and so I didn't feel a need for a neatly packaged ending. The small details of Kim's death weren't important...and so I didn't miss it and was satisfied by the account of the family and their different ways of dealing with the trragedy. So I guess that just like their different ways of dealing with Kim, we all have our own ways of dealing with what we read.

FrankieD

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I agree, Frankie, the book is not about Kim. It's about those left hanging when someone disappears. The ending is typical of what many real families have to accept - there are no neatly packaged answers, and "closure" is only a beginning.

[LucyintheOC]

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caseylc wrote:
While I understand what others have said about Mimi's character being far fetched, I believe that she is based on a true person(s).  Such people exist albeit lonely or just obsessive people who get wrapped up in the media coverage.  I also think her character is symbolic of the truth behind such a murder, that sometimes the ending can not be predicted.  I also believe that she was not a major character because she discovered the body and the true story was the family and not the murder.  In so many ways I was anxious to get all the information and was so hoping that everything would be explained and fit into a neat and tidy conclusion.  Such is life, however and that is certainly not the way these things work out in real life.  I really liked the book.  It was a book that left me thinking and wondering.  I personally enjoy this kind of story because when you close the book you still tend to elaborate on the story. 

I will recommend this book, I only wish it was coming out sooner so I could use it as my book club pick.

Great thoughts, caseylc.  So many of you all are saying that the ending felt rushed and contrived!  But I agree with caseylc that the story is about the family and tries to reflect "real life."  Sometimes life is fast, sometimes slow, and sometimes random.  Mimi's character acts as a contrast, or a foil, to the family--Ed in particular--in her obsessive continuation of her search.

Mimi is considered "odd" by everyone but she is the only one that has not given up.  If Fran or Ed or Lindsey had been out looking for Kim with the family dog (what's his name--don't have my book in front of me!) would they be called odd and obsessive or reacting normally?

Ann, bookhunter 

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I agree with caseylc and bookhunter. I also lhave tended to like all the ends tied up at the end of a book, and kind of almost expected that an author SHOULD provide that for me, his/her reader. But, as I've branched out in reading, I'm learing that this isn't always the best ending and this doesn't always suit every story best. 

I loved the randomness of Mimi's character and discovery because it's realistic. It's how many endings of this nature happen in real life. As for the book wrapping up so fast -- again, that's what happens in real life sometimes. As for why Wade -- why anything random? Some people are sick/not right/truly twisted in their minds, and they live among us (think: The Stranger Next Door). Thank God the majority of us never come to be their victim! As for Wooze, I kind of feel sorry for him, although he sort of brought it on himself because he didn't exactly try to live a clean/straight-forward life. But he was a young guy adoing what a lot of young guys do and he took advantage of what Kim offered and randomly (hmmm, here's that word again), his "personal" life gets tied into a murder/suspicously missing person's case and he falls under some suspicion that he could potentially be a murderer. While he's not saintly, that's a really scary thing for a young man who, despite the stupidity of youth, may or may not have been a decent person (we don't know much about him, but it must say something redeeming that he visits Kim's grave and brings a token with him).

[bentley]

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katknit wrote:

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FrankieD wrote:

The story was about the family and their reactions to Kim's disappearance and so I didn't feel a need for a neatly packaged ending. The small details of Kim's death weren't important...and so I didn't miss it and was satisfied by the account of the family and their different ways of dealing with the trragedy. So I guess that just like their different ways of dealing with Kim, we all have our own ways of dealing with what we read.

FrankieD

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I agree, Frankie, the book is not about Kim. It's about those left hanging when someone disappears. The ending is typical of what many real families have to accept - there are no neatly packaged answers, and "closure" is only a beginning.

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I disagree very politely about this book not being about Kim. Without Kim and her disappearance and the effect that her disappearance had upon those who knew and loved her; there would not have been a book. What happened to Kim is as important in the book as it is in real life; the writer did not have to dwell on it; but the details that he chose to include should have added up.

I agree that some families never find their missing members; and that would have more believable than how O'Nan handled it.

I see no closure for any of them aside from finally getting the few remains back of Kim so that they could have a proper burial for her; this of course helps out a great deal; but the family will always be second guessing themselves and will never have true peace without letting go. I do think that Fran gained the most from the remains being found; while oddly enough this worsened Ed's internal conflict.

I think it is wonderful that some folks liked this book; that is what it is all about; sharing personal reading experiences about a First Look book. The discussions are always interesting.

Bentley

[fordmg]

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Everyman wrote:
That is the most likely case, but far from certain. It is also perfectly possible that Wade found her body, took the jewelry, perhaps moved or reburied the body, perhaps performing some sexual acts on the dead body, then fantasized about killing her. He seemed unbalanced enough easily to have fantasized killing this good looking young woman whose body he found killed by somebody else. He would then know perfectly well where the body was. False confessions are almost inevitable in a case with so much publicity.

Since O'Nan has politely declined to reveal the truth he created for her, we'll never know for sure.

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And neither does the family.  That is part of the style of the book.

MG

[booser]

I feel like you do. I felt the book was very drawn out and it was hard for me to stay focused reading it because of that. I was disappointed in the ending, and I felt like the story had to many loose ends left.

[katknit]

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bentley wrote:

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katknit wrote:

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FrankieD wrote:

The story was about the family and their reactions to Kim's disappearance and so I didn't feel a need for a neatly packaged ending. The small details of Kim's death weren't important...and so I didn't miss it and was satisfied by the account of the family and their different ways of dealing with the trragedy. So I guess that just like their different ways of dealing with Kim, we all have our own ways of dealing with what we read.

FrankieD

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I agree, Frankie, the book is not about Kim. It's about those left hanging when someone disappears. The ending is typical of what many real families have to accept - there are no neatly packaged answers, and "closure" is only a beginning.

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I disagree very politely about this book not being about Kim. Without Kim and her disappearance and the effect that her disappearance had upon those who knew and loved her; there would not have been a book. What happened to Kim is as important in the book as it is in real life; the writer did not have to dwell on it; but the details that he chose to include should have added up.

I agree that some families never find their missing members; and that would have more believable than how O'Nan handled it.

I see no closure for any of them aside from finally getting the few remains back of Kim so that they could have a proper burial for her; this of course helps out a great deal; but the family will always be second guessing themselves and will never have true peace without letting go. I do think that Fran gained the most from the remains being found; while oddly enough this worsened Ed's internal conflict.

I think it is wonderful that some folks liked this book; that is what it is all about; sharing personal reading experiences about a First Look book. The discussions are always interesting.

Bentley

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I disagree very politely about this book not being about Kim. Without Kim and her disappearance and the effect that her disappearance had upon those who knew and loved her; there would not have been a book. What happened to Kim is as important in the book as it is in real life; the writer did not have to dwell on it; but the details that he chose to include should have added up.

I agree that some families never find their missing members; and that would have more believable than how O'Nan handled it.

I see no closure for any of them aside from finally getting the few remains back of Kim so that they could have a proper burial for her; this of course helps out a great deal; but the family will always be second guessing themselves and will never have true peace without letting go. I do think that Fran gained the most from the remains being found; while oddly enough this worsened Ed's internal conflict.

I think it is wonderful that some folks liked this book; that is what it is all about; sharing personal reading experiences about a First Look book. The discussions are always interesting.

Bentley

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Not a problem, Bentley. I believe, however, that if the book had been about Kim, it would have been written at least in part from her point of view. After the first chapter, she's gone except in the minds of others. And she was not making choices about what happened to her. But, as my tagline says...........No two persons......
Best,
Linda

[bentley]

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katknit wrote:

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bentley wrote:

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katknit wrote:

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FrankieD wrote:

The story was about the family and their reactions to Kim's disappearance and so I didn't feel a need for a neatly packaged ending. The small details of Kim's death weren't important...and so I didn't miss it and was satisfied by the account of the family and their different ways of dealing with the trragedy. So I guess that just like their different ways of dealing with Kim, we all have our own ways of dealing with what we read.

FrankieD

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I agree, Frankie, the book is not about Kim. It's about those left hanging when someone disappears. The ending is typical of what many real families have to accept - there are no neatly packaged answers, and "closure" is only a beginning.

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I disagree very politely about this book not being about Kim. Without Kim and her disappearance and the effect that her disappearance had upon those who knew and loved her; there would not have been a book. What happened to Kim is as important in the book as it is in real life; the writer did not have to dwell on it; but the details that he chose to include should have added up.

I agree that some families never find their missing members; and that would have more believable than how O'Nan handled it.

I see no closure for any of them aside from finally getting the few remains back of Kim so that they could have a proper burial for her; this of course helps out a great deal; but the family will always be second guessing themselves and will never have true peace without letting go. I do think that Fran gained the most from the remains being found; while oddly enough this worsened Ed's internal conflict.

I think it is wonderful that some folks liked this book; that is what it is all about; sharing personal reading experiences about a First Look book. The discussions are always interesting.

Bentley

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I disagree very politely about this book not being about Kim. Without Kim and her disappearance and the effect that her disappearance had upon those who knew and loved her; there would not have been a book. What happened to Kim is as important in the book as it is in real life; the writer did not have to dwell on it; but the details that he chose to include should have added up.

I agree that some families never find their missing members; and that would have more believable than how O'Nan handled it.

I see no closure for any of them aside from finally getting the few remains back of Kim so that they could have a proper burial for her; this of course helps out a great deal; but the family will always be second guessing themselves and will never have true peace without letting go. I do think that Fran gained the most from the remains being found; while oddly enough this worsened Ed's internal conflict.

I think it is wonderful that some folks liked this book; that is what it is all about; sharing personal reading experiences about a First Look book. The discussions are always interesting.

Bentley

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Not a problem, Bentley. I believe, however, that if the book had been about Kim, it would have been written at least in part from her point of view. After the first chapter, she's gone except in the minds of others. And she was not making choices about what happened to her. But, as my tagline says...........No two persons......
Best,
Linda

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Hello Kitkat,

I think the book was all about Kim and the effects her disappearance had upon "everyone" and how they grew and got over it and/or not. Without Kim and her disappearance, there could never have been a book about the effects of her sudden departure. Kim lived more strongly in the hearts and minds of those around her than she had ever done when she was not missing. It is highly likely that the choices that Kim made before she went missing; had everything to do with her disappearance as random as O'Nan made it appear. There were actually quite a few comments about the confusing points of view within even a single chapter (in terms of the other characters).

I do not think that what I stated is in the minority; and I also have no problem with any conflicting opinions (it is all in good fun); believe me that is what is the most enjoyable about these discussions; seeing the varied and different logic flows out there. I think this First Look is now winding down and everyone can take a breather.

Take care..

[KxBurns]

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Portiabr wrote:

To me the most significant change in the book was with Lindsay. How she went off to college (which Kim had never had the chance to do) and tried not to look back. She became so secure in her world and while she didn't seem to want to forget Kim, she tried to dissociate from being the "sister of the missing girl." Even going so far as to make people think it was her grandmother's funeral for which she was going home. The way she handled her coming and going to me was the most poinant and stood out to me.

Portia

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Yes, I was just posting about Lindsay's secrecy about the funeral on another thread -- it's very revealing. Her choice of her grandmother as the stand-in for Kim was indeed poignant, as it highlighted the tragedy's subversion of the "normal" order of things -- children outliving parents and grandparents, etc...  It was additionally meaningful since Grace herself sees so many similarities between herself and Kim (p.159).

[Peppermill]

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bentley wrote:
...It is highly likely that the choices that Kim made before she went missing; had everything to do with her disappearance as random as O'Nan made it appear.

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Ah, that wonderful question: when is it appropriate to blame the victim?

[bentley]

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Peppermill wrote:

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bentley wrote:
...It is highly likely that the choices that Kim made before she went missing; had everything to do with her disappearance as random as O'Nan made it appear.

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Ah, that wonderful question: when is it appropriate to blame the victim?

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Not sure that there is any implication that she is to blame; but the choices of friends, activities, type of job, etc. could have placed her in view or in contact with the killer with or without her knowing it.

[fordmg]

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bentley wrote:

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Peppermill wrote:

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bentley wrote:
...It is highly likely that the choices that Kim made before she went missing; had everything to do with her disappearance as random as O'Nan made it appear.

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Ah, that wonderful question: when is it appropriate to blame the victim?

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Not sure that there is any implication that she is to blame; but the choices of friends, activities, type of job, etc. could have placed her in view or in contact with the killer with or without her knowing it.

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Her friends had nothing to do with her disappearence.  There might have seemed like some blame because they kept secrets, but those secrets didn't enlighten the situation and help anyone find Kim.   The disappearence also was not related to her job.  She wasn't alone at the station all night, she never got there.

I also get frustrated with public opinion that says the victim should have known better. 

MG