Do you as a reader become more or less sympathetic toward Maura when she is forced to increase her interaction with Ginny after Brian's heart attack?

Do you as a reader become more or less sympathetic toward Maura when she is forced to increase her interaction with Ginny after Brian's heart attack?

I understood Maura's concerns for Wendy, but felt she handled them in a cruel way, especially given Ginny's condition. The fact that she got glimpses into Ginny's intentions toward Wendy and realized she didn't want to hurt her did not make Maura more sympathetic to me. It made her more pathetic. She chose her birth daughter over her adopted daughter in the harshest way possible, even trying to send Ginny away to an institution. How do you forgive the way she turned her back on Ginny so completely?

No, I wasn't at all sympathetic toward Maura. I thought she was mean spirited and thoughtless. Even though Ginny's birth mother and aunt were not responsible adults I believe they truly loved her and wanted to be together as a family. Maura didn't seem committed to Ginny at all.

I, I felt Maura was understanding and kind until she had her baby...I understand she was feeling very protective toward the new baby but I thought she was unkind to Ginny...in a way she lost the close feeling that Ginny had with her "Forever Mom" so I think it was quite sad that she changed so much toward her.

I think that there was more sympathy for Maura when Brian had his heart attack. She did try to interact a little more with Ginny, and to her credit she was under the stress of a new baby and a sick husband.

Maura was totally overwhelmed with her husbands illness and new baby and Ginny. She did the best she could. She's tired.

Apparently, Maura did not expect to be able to have a biological child of her own, hence the adoption. What started out to be good situation for Ginny became an intolerable situation for Maura. I do feel that she became mean spirited towards Ginny, and allowed this to color all of their interactions after Wendy was born. I felt for her, but thought she overreacted and stopped looking for the reasons behind Ginny's actions.

I became less sympathetic toward Maura. I understand that she now has a sick husband to care for and after the baby's arrival, she has an additional new situation to adjust to and learn, but I do not see these as reasons to so totally abandon Ginny. One cannot decide to accept, forever, the love and care for another and then when it become difficult or inconvenient decide that it will not work. I felt she could have searched for additional sources of support for help with her situation rather than turn on Ginny as I felt she did.

I never did understand why Maura consented to adopt Ginny. She certainly did not seem to understand her and really seemed to be afraid of her. I did not see anything that made her want to be a Mother to Ginny.

I agree with susiej that Maura should have asked for more help to relieve her intense stress. I was sympathetic but only to a certain point.

Initially I was not sympathetic to Maura when she totally rejected interactions with Ginny after Wendy was born. Brian had the sole role of parenting Ginny which wasn't fair to him. I felt that her behavior was extreme and unrealistic. However, when we learn that she had struggled with infertility and had finally been successful in having a baby, I was a little more understanding of her extreme protectiveness. After Brian's heart attack I felt that Maura at least made an attempt to be a mother to Ginny, so I was hopeful that the family could eventually bond again.

As others have said, Maura was a tough character to evaluate.

On the one hand she was truly awful, but I also understood she was going through a tough time. I suspect she may have had some postpartum depression and/or anxiety on top of the external stresses.

I found her easier to forgive because Ginny was so detached from her - she had an entirely atypical reaction to her cold behavior. I cringed at her bad parenting, but Ginny wasn't as impacted as most children would be.

I became more sympathetic toward Maura. I would have felt the same way Maura did, concerned about my infant being hurt. The hardest part of parenting is knowing some obstacles cannot be overcome, only time and a child's maturity or intellect or growth may change certain behaviors. I think Maura was a realist, but I do think Brian's absence gave her the opportunity to see Ginny with a different perspective.

Unfortunately I just didn't like her - had little reaction one way or the other although I did worry a bit more about Ginny and whether or not she would get any kind of support.

I really didn't understand Maura. She took in this child. Then she really rejected her and was afraid of her. That part didn't make sense to me. I think Patrice should have helped Maura more with building a relationship with Ginny. Ginny seemed to be the only one that had to fit in. And she was obviously trying and being misunderstood.

Less sympathetic. Maura's behavior was misplaced. Her treatment of Ginny was extremely disappointing. Ready to pawn Ginny off over her inflated fears left me shaking my head. Maura wasn't a character I enjoyed, too cold and harsh in my eyes. She never thought very high of Ginny, never talking to Ginny to ease her unwarranted concerns. Cold

After having the baby, Maura lost her initial commitment to Ginny. Her reaction showed a definite loss of attachment to her. This really made me dislike her. Toward the end of the book, Maura found herself again and began to bond with Ginny. The whole institution issue could be irreparable as far as her relationship with her adopted child. Someone as intuitive as Ginny may forgive, but will probably not forget.