Before And After
POSTED AT 09:07 AM in Reading for substance

 

It was actually a story of a normal family. The characters: a father (Ben), a mother (Carolyn), a son (Jacob) and a daughter (Judith). Set in a small, quiet and not so busy town in New England, the story revolves around the simple, not so ideal, yet all-so familiar lives of the four Reisers which all came to a shattering nightmare after a blond teenage girl was found budgeoned to death.

The crime, which was sensationally called as the year's crime of passion and profound intrigue, changed the lives of the family members forever. The book shows what and how they were before and after the crime.

I never really liked the thought that the murderer was able to get away with his crime. It's just a pain to realize that justice wasn't serve. But then, the family person in me wanted to give him another chance in life... It was just.. UNFAIR though. But life is never fair, it never was, it never will.

After reading the book, I find myself caught among different thoughts: Will I be like Ben, who's love for his son came above and beyond the law? Will I be like Carolyn, who will be suffering all the guilt, who will feel pain for other people more than for my own son? Will I be like Judith, who always see things as black as white, a sin is a sin and therefore should not go unpunished?

Sigh... so many things to consider. One thing is for sure though... I learned just how difficult it is to stay good when your loveones do the bad things. Also, I realized the impact of having my own children to raise, God! How difficult it is to raise your own family. I now see my Papa in a different shade. I now understand things that I never understand nor try to understand before. I realize how lucky I am to become my Mama's daughter as well . She who struggled between right and wrong, yet never ceases to show just how much she loves me. It's certainly a difficult balance but somehow my parents were able to tip the scale once and for all...

Thanks Rosellen Brown for this beautiful and realistic portrayal of family attitude and loyalty on their struggle for survival and keeping the things as they were before, after something unforgivable has happened...

Go get your own copy now, read the book, get lazy.... Or you can watch the movie (starring Meryl Streep, Liam Neeson and Edward Furlong.

It's a great way to relax & learn...

Reading: Before and After on Rotten Tomatoes (http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1070061-before_and_after/)
Listening to: Family by Dreamgirls
Feeling: contemplative

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