Mixed feelings

If I could describe my thoughts on this book in only a few words, I would say “mixed feelings” is very suitable.

This story is made up of several things I both like and dislike.

First & foremost, I don’t like the description of all things wild & nature. I do understand though that it is very important to get a sense of Kya’s personality, because nature is what drives her. It’s all she has ever known since everyone she knew & loved left her behind. But as I have experienced before, I get bored easily by these descriptions, especially since I’m not particularly interested in the mating differences between, let’s say for example, a firefly or a cricket.

I read in some reviews, before eventually deciding to read the book, that some people struggled to get through certain parts. It was the EXACT same for me.

After Kya’s brother Jodie leaves & is left with her father, the story gets a little bit boring & tiresome, with descriptions of how her father is a shameless drunk, decides all of a sudden to “get his life back on track”, while smacking the crap out of his daughter only a few pages later. The part where she tries to make a living for herself is far too long for my taste. This was the part where I juggled with the idea to not even read it to the end.

Ah, a lot of people tell me that they think the part of Kya & Tate’s love is too cliché for words. Well.. yeah okay, I cannot deny that, but it is also so sweet. He is the only one who fully accepts her the way she is (even though he just ghosts her when he doubts that she will ever fully fit into the “real world”). But it takes a real man to admit his mistake & apologise for it, so I really really REALLY like Tate.

I was soooo convinced that Kya would be released & set free from the murder on Chase. The way she speaks & acts in jail, during the court session.. it really made me so angry that people would just judge someone by their heritage, what area they come from or even worse, what they look like. I was so happy & relieved that she was saved & reading the rest of the story made me feel like love saved the day & they (Kya & Tate) would live happily ever after.

BUT THEN. Oh boy, was I angry. Angry, disappointed, YOU NAME IT. Kya died at the age of 64, after having lived a full, wholesome & peaceful life with Tate in their cabin. By sheer coincidence, Tate discovers a hidden place beneath the kitchen’s wooden floor with a lot of poems by Amanda Hamilton & HERE IS WHAT HAPPENS:

1) Apparently, since Tate had taught her how to read & write, she wrote some poetry of her own, but didn’t have the guts to put her own name on them. So she went by the name Amanda Hamilton.
2) Tate discovers 1 particular poem which reveals that she DID kill Chase (not too obviously of course, it’s still poetry, but some elements in it make it very clear). Not to mention the shell necklace with the leather strap that goes with it. WHAT?

& I get it you know. Chase was a douchebag #1, but it still blows my mind that Kya got away with murder. Even though she was a victim of sexual abuse. I think it finally gave her some peace, knowing that he was not around anymore to ever do that to her again.

The ending made a very interesting twist-plot, but knowing I would have to struggle through some of these parts AGAIN? I would not be reading this once more in the future.