What did you think of the novel's ending? Could things have turned out differently for Jeanette?

What did you think of the novel's ending? Could things have turned out differently for Jeanette?

I found the ending of the novel to be a very natural progression from the events that had taken place. I did not see growth in the characters or anything uplifting. All in all I felt the story was very depressing. It may have been real but I would have liked to see hope at least for Ana.

I was surprised that Jeanette overdosed. I had hoped she would be there to take Ana back in. I also feel like there was more to her father's actions than just touching although that certainly would be trauma enough. I didn't think it was realistic that Carmen had bought Jeanette's house. If that happened to my child, I think I would have wanted as little to do with the house as possible.

I was sad that Jennette had lost her life. However, Jeannette never thought her mother, Carmen, was really there for her. On page 102, Jeannette says to her mother, "I feel like all you care about is how people see you. How people see me. I feel like I'm constantly pretending, constantly afraid to say the wrong thing." Thus, Jeannette never felt she was good enough In her mother's eyes. I wish she could have found the acceptance and love she was seeking from her mother. Instead she lost herself to drugs.

Certainly things could have turned out differently for Jeannette, but her eventual outcome was not unusual or surprising.

I was rooting for Jeanette to make it, and sad when I got to the end. But I suppose it was inevitable. Addiction is so hard to overcome without a strong support system, and Carmen didn't provide that for Jeannette.

It was sad but not surprising. Addiction is difficult to overcome and she never had self worth. Look at me, see me, she often felt that she was invisible

I wasn't surprised by the ending either especially for Jeannette given the fact that during her trip to Cuba she did do a lot of drinking although her sponsor had warned her about smoking and drinking as drug replacements and therefore she was supposed to be abstaining from any and all addictive substances (even her cousin mentions it once). so when she broke that rule I kind of knew where that was heading.

Of course I hope things would turn out differently for Jeanette. I found it a little unbelievable that Carmen would have moved into Jeanette's apartment, answered the door and remembered Ana. It's not impossible, but not very probable.

I was sad that Jeanette died but not surprised. I was happy that Ana found a safe place to live and Carmen was willing to help Ana now which in turn helped Carmen move on.

Things could have turned out differently for Jeannette, but were never going to as long as she stayed with Mario. I don’t think you can blame all of Jeannette’s problems on her mother. I think Carmen tried to support her the best way she knew how. Jeannette, by her own admission, never told her mother what she needed from her. I agree that the story, however realistic it was trying to be, was thoroughly depressing.

I agree with gvieth. I didn’t feel Carmen was to blame for all of Jeanette’s problems. Jeanette had multiple trips to rehab paid for by her mother. Carmen tried to be supportive and yet Jeanette went back to Mario, contacting him when she knew he was toxic to her recovery. There is a thread in the book of responsibility and taking measures into your own hands to ensure your survival
and the survival
of your daughters - even at great personal risk. Whether it’s murder of a husband and burning his body to free and safeguard your life snd that of your children or daring to cross the border. Jeanette needed to step up and take responsibility for her recovery.

I didn't care for the novel and thought it was depressing. I felt that Jeannette's path was inevitable (and heartbreaking), but I didn't see her getting any support or strength from her life experiences. She continually made poor choices (although that goes along with her addiction), and kept relying on Mario rather than finding strength in more positive ways.

Jeanette was an addict and even thru rehab did nothing to try to help herself. Her death was inevitable. I didn't anything that was gonna save Jeanette - simply because she was not willing to save herself.

Carmen taking Ana in was more help to Carmen than to Ana. Ana was gonna survive regardless, but Carmen needed someone or something to restore her faith. Ana became that catalyst.

This was not a happy novel. I did not feel that it was written to the best of its potential. I felt that it was fragmented - both in timeline and in character development. I felt it started off well with Maria Isobel, but went down hill from there. Jeanette was the character that held the novel together, but she was just a pitiful character that you could not like. Maybe less characters and more fully produce the ones left would have made for a better novel.