This is how it always is
By Laurie Frankel
This book made me see through someone else’s point of view, someone who has a life far different than what I have. Who’s struggle is opposite than what I am going through. There are books whose character we understand, we root for , we envied. But this one , it completely opened my eyes, it made me see colors. And although I may never experience the life of its protagonist, maybe we are , as humans, are more alike than we are different.
A black and white line of thought does not have a place in the modern society. Somethings. Many things actually fall around the edges, like strings spilling out of labeled boxes. And so, this new age keeps telling us to be more tolerant, to erase boundaries because lines are starting to blur. We can learn to adjust, albeit in slow hesitant pace but how about them. The ones who’s one toe is already off the cliff? The ones who hold their breath, shaking with fear waiting for us to truly accept?
Do we really have to hold their fate in our hands? Why do we have to be the one’s to give them validity? Why do we have that privilege? Why do they have to stand underneath the rain as they wait for us to offer them an umbrella?
This book is a fairy tale. Not just because of Poppy but because of her parents. I may not agree with all of their parental choices but they are in the process of learning the ropes of life as well. Having five boys is a circus. Chaotic, overwhelming but its an adventure. It made me want to have five rowdy boys in the future. Poppy was sure of herself from the very beginning. But the real world just wasn’t ready for her, not ready for her tea-length dress and fairy wings. This shows that society could really ruin someone, create doubt, instigate confusion and fuel self-hate. Society could not deal with color. Although her family have really been her shield, she has to leave their womb. She needs to bruise in order to heal. She needs wounds so that she can have scars. Scars, marks that will help her learn. We all need to be let down, to learn lessons from gravity.
Penn’s book was truly the pleasant surprise for me. Of course it would make sense that Grumwald was Stephanie. Why didn’t I see that. It was obvious , kudos to the writer.
