finally finished a book

i'm a slow reader. i have to read every single word and form pictures and scenes in my head, hear the people talking, feel like i'm part of the story. i don't get much time to read, either. some days i read a couple pages in bed, but put the book down because i'm falling asleep. about a MONTH ago, i started reading "firefly summer" by maeve binchy, one of my FAVORITE authors!!! (side note: i hate it that there is no "underline" feature on this blog. as an ex-english teacher, putting quotes around a book title instead of underlining it is VERY irritating. surprisingly, though, using no capital letters isn't bothering me too much.)

so first of all, how in the world can it take me a MONTH to read ONE book???!!!! but more importantly, i HATED the ending :-( i was SO into this book, the setting, the characters, the emotions, the action. **SPOILER ALERT** (not that anyone reading my blog really intends to read this book, but . . . just in case . . .) Patrick O'Neill moved to Ireland from New York to build a giant hotel on the land where a castle once stood. His father had worked in the castle, but was fired. Patrick wanted to "right this wrong" and "get back to his roots." In the process, though, an incredible woman was hit by a crane and paralyzed for life. And THEN, the entire hotel burned down at its grand opening! Instead of everything being explained or "wrapped up" somehow, it ended with Patrick saying that he was going back home. I can understand not getting a happy ending, but this was too abrupt!

so, yes, i'm letting everyone know how strange i am that i'd get all upset about a BOOK and then take the time to blog about it. :-) i'm going to make up "the rest of the story."

Patrick goes back to New York and finds Rachel (his mistress who went back to New York earlier in the book because Patrick wouldn't commit to her). They decide to get married and move back to Ireland, not to re-build the hotel but to build a normal home on that land. This is the ending I wanted because Rachel is a really nice person and because Patrick and Rachel had both made friends in Ireland. Kerry, Patrick's wayward son, recovers from the burns he got when the hotel burned down and becomes a sincerely good person. He and Dara, the girl who lives in the pub across from the hotel, get together. Michael, Dara's twin brother, and Grace, Patrick's daughter, get together. Eddie, Michael and Dara's wild younger brother, straightens out and becomes a productive, useful, respected part of his parents' pub.

i'm sure that this makes NO sense to anyone reading this blog, but that's ok -- i feel better now :-)