I loved the Wednesday Sisters so much and couldn't wait to read the sequel. I bought it right away. And when I started to read it and discovered where we were and what had happened to some of the sisters and daughters, I was just not ready. I was devastated. (no blatant spoilers, but the course of this story was definitely not what I expected.) I put it down. For a long time.

Earlier this summer, I decided to re-read The Wednesday Sisters and then start the sequel again right after finishing. I felt I was a bit more prepared, though probably no less disappointed.

I've read some of the reviews and a lot of folks struggled with this book. Some said they couldn't keep track of the characters. That wasn't my issue at all. It was more that I wasn't sure this was how I thought they would behave. And, for me, the time between getting to the Lake District and the end was slow at times. Though to be fair, I picked up two books in between reading this because they came available at the library. I definitely prefer uninterrupted reading. As I was reading, I thought I would be giving it 3-4 stars because i struggled a little with a lack of movement.

But then I got closer to the 3/4 mark. And I started highlighting passages in my Nook. The beauty of some of the words blew me away. And I realized the book paced well with the process the narrator was going through. It isn't fast and easy. It's complex and comes in waves and you feel like you are just stuck in the mire of your sadness and uncertainty.

And just at the end, I found myself crying, just as the prequel had done all those years ago.

Well done, Meg Waite Clayton. I know a sequel comes with a lot of pressure. And after reading your author's interview at the end, I know some of the characters didn't do what you wanted them to do either. I struggled with the losses at the beginning of this book because I've experienced them. But in the end, I was grateful for the healing - a healing that also touched my own still grieving heart.