Saturday, March 24, 2012

The Yellow House... a read along Part 3


 Welcome to our third read-along discussion of The Yellow House by Patricia Falvey. If you’re following our schedule, you should have read the first six sections of the book, and be finished with the section titled “Passion, 1921.” (You can read our previous discussions here: part one and part two.)
Spoiler alert: We will be discussing the book in detail, so if you haven’t read this far and don’t want to read any spoilers, you should skip this post.
I'm a little late in posting my thoughts on this portion of the read a long, you see I couldn't wait, and I finished the book.  Carrie at Books and Movies is our hostess (Thanks Carrie).  Carrie asked us to post questions of our own.  Well Serena and Savvy Verse & Wit had some great thoughts as did Anna at the diary of an eccentric, I've posted my thoughts on these questions here, as well as on their blogs.  I'm thoroughly enjoying this book, so much so that I've ordered another of Flavey's books.

My only question continues to be, who is P.J. Mullens and why does he seem to be in charge, and why does he seem to know everything?  Could he be the "sin" Eileen's mother talked about? Or is he just a nice guy.  I've refrained from using the "Och" at he beginning of my sentences, my family was getting a little ticked off with it.  "give it a rest mom" is what I got.

Serena from Savvy Verse & Wit asks;
Here’s a question, do you think Owen has a right to ask Eileen for something in return for his kindness and do you think he goes too far asking her to give up her role in the Troubles and commit to volunteer work?

Also, what do you think Owen’s frankness with Eileen about her behavior say about their relationship?

my thoughts on this:

I like to think that Owen, is a good person and understands the troubles that Eileen has grown up with, and in this he thinks if he replaces that rage with acts of kindness she'll become who he thinks is hidden under that rage.  I like the frankness, let's face it she's not had a proper parent during those teen years, P.J. Mullens and his wife were substitute.  I also like the fact that the author has made Owen neither Catholic or Protestant.


Do you think Owen is right that confronting the past can help us heal? Do you think it will help Eileen?

I do think confronting the past will help Eileen heal.  She was a child, and now she's a grown up (as my little people would say) The conditions in the hospital should be part of the cause, after all she see the enemy as human and not just some idealistic dream. Right or wrong side, these are lives involved.

Anna from  diary of an eccentric  asks.
*Do you think Frank is justified in abandoning his family and in the treatment of his sister?
my thoughts:  I think from the beginning of the book Falvey establishes that Frank is different, so the behaviour is expected and perhaps if he and Eileen were closer as children, and if Eileen and her Da would have made an effort to keep in contact with him, things might have turned out differently.  So yes, I do think Frank's abandonment is justified.  Heck if a man I called my father and a girl I called my sister just left me to be with a man that hated me, and a mother that was clearly not well, I dump them too. Eileen just reached out to Frank when she needed him, and had little sympathy for what he needed. 
*Do you think finding Lizzie will help Eileen’s mom to heal?
No I think, once you've lost your marbles your done for. It might help Eileen.

*What do you think about Owen buying the Yellow House?
my thoughts:  I fully expected that.  Let's face it, who would have the money?  And Historically it would make sense as well. I'm not sure why he bought it, was it his wife he hoped to share it with, or was Eileen the reason all along? It certainly couldn't be because it was such a happy, and lucky place.

Photo of book I own. 

3 comments:

Carrie K. said...

PJ Mullen and Terrence are two characters that have me wondering - I am anticipating secrets being revealed about both of them! I keep wondering why Terrence is so faithful to visit Eileen's mom at the hospital...

Serena said...

I too wonder about PJ and Terrence. I think that Terrence could be the "sin" that Eileen's mother may have referred to?!

Anna said...

I keep thinking that Terrence is Frank's dad, especially since he keeps visiting Mary in the hospital. But there does seem to be something mysterious about PJ.

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