Friday 12 April 2013

Connected by Kim Karr

Where to start...

fudge!shitakemushrooms!donkeyhole!mo-foandallthatisholy!*

Ok, I feel marginally better.

This book was recommended to me by someone whose opinion I hold in high regard. And now all I want to do is have a ‘discussion’ with her to find out WHY in god’s name she would inflict this kind of turmoil on me. WHY?!?

I finished this book in 6 hours and I can honestly say that I loved every second of the 360 minutes that were dedicated to the amazing story of River and Dahlia.

The beginning of the story tested my patients. Every moment after the bar, I wanted Ben gone. I didn’t necessarily wish death upon him, but he was trying my patience because every moment that he was with Dahlia meant that she wasn’t with River.

Then something shitty happens, and I feel bad for one nano-second (and only because it hurts Dahlia), but I know in my gut that what’s about to unravel will be the epitome of all that is delicious-rock-star-who can-love-like-no-other-and-makes-the-readers-want-to-kick-their-husbands-out-and-drive-to-LA awesomeness!

It doesn’t take a genius to realize that River and Dahlia are still insane for each other even after all these years. I can only speak for myself, but I really appreciated how Dahlia still had some internal struggles being with River. I think is she had been like ‘well, Ben’s not here but River is’, in a very nonchalant way, I would have actually hated this book. Sure I thought Ben was an arrogant d-bag (btw – LOVED that!), but no one deserves to be tossed aside like a banana peel after one’s demise. Even if it is for River Wilde

As for River...

Swoon. Sigh...more swooning. Looking at flights to LA. Wondering how to explain a trip to see a completely fictional character to my husband. Sigh. Swoon some more. Sigh a lot more. Try to sleep. Think how hard is it to play a guitar. Sigh. Wonder if sitting near a river this summer while re-reading about River will be poetic. Try to sleep again but realize that Holy Hell! River Wilde is now on my list of ‘Fictional Characters Who I Get a Hall Pass For’. This is huge because I’m very picky about who goes on this list.

I’m reading, and reading, and I’m starting to pick up on things that I was content to be in denial about. My mind started telling its own story about some of the things that seemed to have happened, and I didn’t like the direction it was going.

I have the paperback, and as the remaining pages begin to dwindle, I was getting frantic. Shit was about to hit the fan – I could feel it in my bones. But surely, the person who recommended this book doesn’t wish ill-will on me so there’s no way that she told me to read something that would cause me serious heart palpitations, dizziness, and nausea? WRONG!

Then Dahlia’s cell phone rang with Amazing Grace and I think ‘well, there are a few more pages to go...’, and as I flip the page and I see the chapter, I lose my effing shit! Or at least as much as I could on public transportation during rush-hour. I still hold out hope that it doesn’t go as far as it does. But it does and I’m convinced that the book-gods are conspiring against me (and all others who adore this book).

I’m so utterly angry that I love this book with such fierceness. If I felt luke-warm lust towards it, I might be able to make it through until the fall, but as it stands right now, I’m a lost cause.




*tamed the string of expletives as not to offend anyone.

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