Random thoughts

Oh, wow, let's pretend that I haven't been the huge book club partner slacker that I actually have been this month. Oh, goodness. I'm still not finished with the book, but I'd say I'm 2/3 of the way through, so I thought I'd better share some of my thoughts.

I am really wondering who the big mystery man is behind Ed's missions. I'm sometimes a bit confused because for most of the missions I feel like I'm watching an episode of Touched by an Angel but for others (like the rapist husband) I feel like Ed is being groomed into a hitman. I understand that in every mission there is a person or persons being helped, but then I'm thrown again when two masked men come and beat up Ed. What is that about? Suddenly, he has to perform all of these missions or he's dead? I think that puts a bit of a dark edge on his saintly deeds. Of course, I'm also wondering how these mystery people or mystery man know about all these people in need (not to mention the rocks where Ed and his brother fished). Anyway, I'm excited to find out who they are--then again, maybe we never find out . . .

It's a real bummer about Audrey, and stinks even more when he does finally get the nerve to make a pass at her and she pretty much turns him down flat. Ouch. I agree with you about the similarities between his love for her and the love of the characters in The Book Thief. So my guess is that they don't end up together. I also agree about the similarity between the mother figures. Interesting.

I wonder what Marv is saving all that money for . . . Oh, and I love that all these scrappy young people are such wonderful friends to each other. Their banter is great.

Have you noticed all the references to women's legs? It seems that whenever Ed notices an attractive woman, he describes her beautiful legs/thighs/etc. I'm not sure this is actually important, but I noticed it all the same.

Okay, I'll report back when I'm finished.