The Past versus the Present

I must first say I am really enjoying this book.  It is another intriguing book full of mystery and I find myself not wanting to put it down (but I have to when I'm reading it on my lunch break).

I feel bad for Emily for having to move back to her mother's hometown and live in her shadow.  It must be hard for her because she remembers her mother as one person and it turns out she was a completely different person in Mullaby.  I think its true for everyone that we were different people in high school verse now but for Emily's mother I think there was a dramatic difference.  I am wondering if her mother did feel guilt over Logan Coffey's death that she became this extreme activist determined to do only good and make sure her daughter was not like herself.

I am glad that some of the mystery has been revealed and Emily finally has some answers (but of course not all to keep us reading).  We still do not know what the Coffey family secret is, and I'm surprised her grandfather has not just told her since the whole town knows.  Maybe he knows that she wouldn't believe it like her wallpaper changing.  It might be too much information for her to handle.

Julia may be my favorite character, probably because she is older and I feel she is a more defined character.  She has such a loving heart towards Emily and Vance and even though Emily's mother tormented her in high school, she doesn't hold that against either of them.  Plus she bakes and that's my craving right now (and I don't know if everyone's book has this, but mine has her cake recipes in the back).  She's also struggling with her past in Mullaby and is desperately trying to escape all her old memories and feelings.

Again I'm glad we got some answers on her relationship with Sawyer. I was really shocked at Sawyer's confession that he wasn't able to have children and he regrets that he lost the only child he could ever have with Julia.  Before this I felt Sawyer was pretty flat as a character but he must have some motive to keep confronting Julia.  I am hoping Julia tells Sawyer about their child or that maybe their child will find them.

I feel like a major theme of this book is who we were versus who we've became.  Emily is battling this on behalf of her mother.  I think the townspeople assume she is just like her high school mother and not who her mother became.  Or they simply hate her because of her mother and don't care what she's like.  Julia is fighting her past by coming back to Mullaby and rekindling all the memories of her father and Sawyer.   I think Win Coffey might be in a similar situation as Emily.  He seems to be fighting against his family's past history with Emily's family.  He seems intrigued with Emily and doesn't have the hatred the rest of his family has towards her.  I think this makes him very much like Julia in that he sees that Emily is not like her mother and she's moved to her mother's hometown not knowing any of her mother's past.