Discuss the last section of IWBYJR!

-Lauren

All Roads Lead to Rock n Roll: I thought it was interesting how she thought she was just gonna call Regan and Tom to "jam" and pick up where they left off after she'd been gone for so long. I liked the way the author used this to demonstrate how difficult it would be for Louisa to return. The way Emily realized that time didn't stand still while she was away and how people would go on and continue their lives without her. And how she needed to accept whatever changes had occurred when she returned.

And yet, things were the same and she was able to pick up where they left off with the band.

I was glad her dad rushed to be with her and that he was finally truthful with her about her mother. But I didn't like the way they kept saying Eric deserved to die. Her father even said he would have killed him if he'd had the chance. And Emily boasted that had Johnny tried to kill her she would have stabbed him and killed him. Those are big words. Easy to say. I guess people say that stuff but actually DOING it is a different thing completely and I think that's why no one could understand what Louisa was carrying around with her. She DID kill him and she that was with her always. No matter what Eric did, she still ended his life.

"Don't know where you went, but I'm going home." I loved that.

I did not like how easy it was for them to get a music contract, tour and get on rolling stone magazine. It all just seemed so convenient.

LOL Midori Sour!! *clinks glasses with Emily*

And of course Johnny is still in the picture. I hope she doesn't end up killing him.

Other People's Daughters: 13 year old Nadia's brush with death was over the top again for me. Not everyone needs trauma in their life to make changes. I get the whole "I'm bad and when I'm around bad things happen" thing that Louisa has going but at the same time it's unnecessary. This is what I was saying earlier in the book. I really wish that these characters were allowed to have discoveries about themselves without all the extreme situations.

I wanted to punch Louisa in the face when she called Molly so selfishly just for an update on Emily and then hung up on her. She's very hard to connect with but I guess that's expected.

The Art of Bad Endings: LOL well that says it all, doesn't it. Enter Johnny and booze. The perfect formula for disaster. I was curious about how she KNEW what she was doing was wrong. She SAID it was a series of bad decisions and yet she did them anyway. I'm going to chalk that up to her age although I guess you can say that all people go knowingly forward even when they realize it's the wrong thing to do.

The discovery of the tattoo didn't seem so shocking to me as it did to Emily. Like that one thing clearly defined him as a stalker. I get that it was concrete evidence but at the same time I thought the word stalker was used rather loosely.

I'm gonna say one last time the way her music career unfolded so easily was not believable to me. I suppose for some bands it does happen that way but I know so many bands that struggle and struggle and just keep right on going. However, to give the author credit her dad was still in a band so there's an example of how it unfolds for most musicians.

I liked Ian. I did not like that pride and humiliation prevented Emily from pursuing that relationship. Although I guess it's the authors way of showing how Emily detached from people the same as her mother because of her own issues. Nothing to do with the ones who love her.

Eric = Johnny
Michael = Ian

How interesting that Louisa got remarried! I didn't know they got divorced. So how did she do that? I thought it was sad that she thought Michael had moved on when he was actually still hoping and waiting for her to return to him. I still don't get why. Why wasn't he more angry with her?

Rock n Ruin: Naturally her mother would witness her worst performance and embarrassing scandal. I was sad to see Emily implode like that I thought she'd overcome that with her little trippy dream. But I suppose regression is expected. But I'm tired of these bursts of self-destruction.

At least Ian and Emily had three months of bliss, necessary for the reader to believe that she had a shot in hell at a happy stable future.

The Lost Chord: (i like the way that kind of refers to vocal chords, like they would finally have their opportunity to speak) I was very pleased at the chance meeting at the bus station and I have to say that it was beautifully unfolded and the conversation between Emily and her mother and Louisa and Michael were all very believable and real.

"I don't understand how you or anyone could willing walk away from her child."
"The reason. Eric. Guilt."
"That's not good enough. Dad loved you. I needed you. There's got to be more."

Then later Michael had his chance:
"It's not a good enough reason to abandon your husband and child!"
"It has to be good enough."
"It's not. God Louisa – it never has been"

raw, real, beautiful

There was no more. And that was that. Emily and her dad had their chance to say what they needed to and I believed that they would move on and evolve. Louisa would continue on her empty journey consumed by her guilt and never experiencing life as she could have. Always punishing herself. That was her choice.

Louisa: "I'd like to write you when I get there. So you and Emily can reach me if you want to."

Emily to Dad: "Does she know that we're not searching or waiting for her anymore? That she has to come to us."
Dad: "I think she knows that."

I was uncertain about this because she said she wanted THEM to contact HER but at the same time she say she would let them know where she was which was a huge step for her. It was the most she could offer them. It was something, which was considerably more than the nothing she had left them with.

i forgot to say that i was reading the part about emily's meltdown on stage the same day shaant got drunk and melted down on stage in Vancouver. LOL. and i thought it was interesting because he sings about how disappointed his mother would be if she knew all the things he's done.

i'm late again. i know, i suck.

i liked the ending a lot. i was going to be mad if at the end louisa found emily through the music and they lived happily ever after (god, that makes me sound like a terrible person doesn't it? but it's just not realistic at all). i was really happy the way things played out even though i cried at the end because i'm a sissy like that lol.

i liked ian but we really didn't get to see much of him. i would have liked to find out what happened with him after the disasterous show. i didn't even think of the whole parallel to michael but maybe that's because he was more of a side note in the story. i didn't really like the whole second fight with johnny. up until that point i could see her little flirting with danger thing but...idk it just didn't work for me.

denise: eh i could see the whole nadia almost dying thing because they weren't really paying attention to her and she got out of control. it's a shame because i really don't see any change coming out of that. the "I'm bad and when I'm around bad things happen" thing got a little old though and it kind of made me want to smack her. it's obviously didn't happen as a punishment, it happened because no one is looking out for the kid. sheesh.

haha the johnny thing. people will always admit when they're making bad choices and then do it anyway. i was confused about the tattoo. maybe i was just reading through that part quickly or something but i wasn't sure what it said.

i don't think they ever did get divorced-they both wore the rings and everything and i couldn't imagine her contacting him and proceeding with everything so i'm not sure how the remarriage happened but that pissed me off. poor finn. now he's probably going to be lonely and kill himself. and it wasn't fair to michael either.

Emily to Dad: "Does she know that we're not searching or waiting for her anymore? That she has to come to us."
Dad: "I think she knows that."
i liked that one a lot too.

quotes...
"...when I took that vow, I told myself that I'd always be there for your mother. Even if it meant waiting twenty goddamn years for her to need me again."

"I'm the one that taught your mother that running away was the answer."

"We'd gone to several fancy dinners, but always left without signing contracts because no one had been able to talk music with us like Frank did, even if they did have shaggy hair and a few tattoos to seem authentic."

Denise: I definitely agree. When you leave somewhere, things do change. Just because you aren't living there, it doesn't mean that the other people don't continue on...which is true with what you said about Louisa. She couldn't just come back and go back to how it was before.

hahaha sorry, it was funny how you went "and yet..." I guess it does sort of work that way, but it won't totally be the same. Things are different, but I think for Emily and Regan, they are building a stronger relationship and it's normal to have things fall back into place at times with friends...they'll struggle i'm sure, but I don't know....

I agree. I think it was very hard on Louisa and nobody else really could understand that. It just sort of shines light on how her life was affected and that's why she felt she had to leave and couldn't go back.

And when you love someone, you often do wish harm on the person who hurt them...but to actually go through with it? Different story.

I get what you mean about it being a little easy for the band and how they all had this success all of a sudden...but just remember: Panic! At the Disco. It was a lot like that. It does happen.

Michael had a right to be angry, but sometimes you're hopelessly in love and you can't be that mad at them in the end....it's like a parent and their kid sometimes.

those are great qutoes from the end. i liked their meeting as well, and how it wasn't all "lets be a happy family now". It doesn't happen that way.

that's interesting you read that when the shaant thing happened. crazy. guess it shows it DOES happen, huh? LOL though i don't really know about this incident...the shaant one i mean.

Stephanie: Aw, it is sad...it's okay you cried. and I agree, it had to be realistic, like I said before, and I liked the ending as well.

My thinking about Louisa and how she thinks she brings bad things upon her and the people she is with...well, yes, it would get annoying and you do want her to see reason...but it's how people think sometimes. they have this crazy thought and it's irrational but they can't let it go.

I love the quotes you listed as well. The last one is awesome! So great!



Oh, and I guess the general thread isn't totally needed...lol but you can use that or this one to brainstorm questions for Stephanie Kuehnert...she'll probably be able to come on soon. Want me to ask her?

Same here:

10:
I'm glad Emily found a reason as to why her mother never came back. I'm sure she doesn't accept it, but I'm sure in time she will.

It's so nice to see Michael come and get her. I really like him. He doesn't seem breakable at all, and forgives easily...and I guess someone in his position would need to be like that too.

I think it's nice that the band wanted her back- it's good to see that they still cared, and were able to help her back up.

It's good to see that Emily go a pretty complete (I hope) story of why here mom left. She really deserved to hear it.

It's good to see that the band was able to get back and even get a deal in the process.

Good for Emily to stand up to Johnny. He really deserved it! I honestly hope that this is the last time Johnny is here.

11:
Wow, it's scary to see the way that Nadia turned out. I mean, it was kind of expected with the state of moving around, and the control her mother had over her, but I just didn't really expect to see it happen.

I'm glad that Nadia lived- hopefully Cloette will learn, and raise her daughter right (or at least better.)

I wish Louisa would have said more to Molly! Or at least got Emily's address. I want to see Louisa at least try to make contact with Emily!

12:
I'm glad they were able to tour strong, and get a good start. And getting the Rolling Stone is great as well.

Ghosh, Johnny! Regan is right- he is a stalker creep. I mean, a tattoo too? I wish she wouldn't have gone off to see him like that, especially as drunk as she was. At least she had sense enough to not sleep with him again.

I really like Ian, he seems sweet and protective. I hope Emily sees this eventaully too.

This time, I hope Johnny goe away for good. Especially because Ian is there, and sees a whole of a lot better!

13:
I kind of wish Louisa would have stayed because she seemed to be like a second mother to Nadia, and a guide to Cloette.

It's nice to see, though, that she got a job and continued to follow the music.

Oh no! I don't mind Finn as a friend- he's nice. But Louisa getting married to him? I really hope she doesn't go through. Sure, it's been 22 years, but I would think she still cares a bit for Michael, right?

14:
Aw, I think it was cute of Regan to dedicate the song to Ian. Ian's really sweet. I'm glad Emily's found someone she's really happy with.

Oh goodness, that TV show sounds so bad! And it's really creepy that they got all the apartment stuff too.

It sucks that their show went so badly, but under the circumstances, it's perfectly okay.

Why Louisa's blonde? As she gets closer to Louisa, Louisa seems to get fauther away.

15:
Louisa marrying Finn made me sad- I would think she would still respect her family in Emily and Michael, even if she wasn't here.

I'm glad Louisa finally found She Laughs, and attended a show (Even if it was bad). I though it was cute that she followed them, and read about them- even the Johnny issue. And throwing Johnny out of the bar was great too!

I'm really glad to see that Louisa and Emily finally met. I do feel with Emily about not taknig to her right away- especially because of the ring and all, not seeing her...ever, and stuff too. Though, I do wish she was a little more accepting towards her. But then again, I can see why she wasn't.

In the end, I'm glad that Michael took the books- I hope that Emily reads them soon to find out about everything.

Overall, the book makes sense as to why Emily can't accept Louisa how she is. I hope everything works out for her, and that She Laughs continues, that Tom and Regan stay happy together, that Michael and Emily can move on, or that Louisa can come back with a good reason to allow everyone to come back into her life. Finally, I hope that Emily finds happiness- in Louisa, Ian, or the band.

Whew! I'll respond now...

Again, just a bit:

Denise: Oh, I like your comparison of Johnny/Eric/Ian/and Micheal. I wouldn't have even though of that! And it totally makes sense too. Ha ha, that's crazy about the Shaant thing.

Stephanie: Oh, I like you're quotes, again.

Is it sad that I wanted the cliche, happy ending? I mean, I like this one, a lot, but a part of me still wants the 'let's all like together again' thing.

Yeah, I know there is a ton more, but I think I just covered it all in my monster post above this...