Review: The Agony and the Ecstasy
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 05 5, 2014
I love how emotionally complex this book turns out to be. This is not a quick read, there are nuances and things to ponder. Two sisters, the children of a deadbeat dad and junkie mother, grow up next door to Joe "tiny", whom they both come to love. This triangle leaves one sister pinning for her unrequited love, and the other getting the guy-but unable to keep him due to her junkie and cheating ways. This is not an instant love story. The story largely revolves around Joe and his "fatherly" love for Amy(Maria the junkies daughter). Beth is "the good sister", the one who always sacrifices for others. Most of the characters in this story(except Maria) want to see Joe/tiny with Beth; Joe is simply hung up on Maria a lot longer than he should be. Maria being the pit viper, sorry sack that she is eventually kills most everyone's love for her. This is a tumultuous journey for all involved.I'm really not a fan of a love triangle, in fact I hate them. I don't feel this qualifies as a love triangle because he doesn't love them at the same time. There is a good deal of time spent apart, and developing the story. I have to disagree with reviewers who feel Joe was settling, that's not the feeling I walk away with. I do feel he reached his limit-also the scene with the syringe ultimately shows who is in his heart. This is at times a gritty and despairing story, some serious "sh#t goes down".Although there are alternating points of view, ultimately this is Joe's story. It's amazing to me that the great love of his life is the young girl who is not his biological child, their relationship is beautiful and real with its ups and downs. This story broke my heart and mostly put it back together, yes there is a happy conclusion-but the author makes you work for it. Great story. ENJOY READING.