--- In MichelleWest@yahoogroups.com, Tchula Ripton <tchula@...> wrote:
>
> Jennifer wrote:
> > Hidden City isn't *about* starving, abused kids. It's about kids
> > (and one rather important one in particular) growing up and figuring
> > out how not to be starving, abused kids. It gives rather important
> > background on several key characters, and quite a bit more insight
> > on how Rath and Duster affected Jewel so much.
>
> Well, let us say that there is far more to the book than starving,
> abused children, and I'll agree with you. Wholeheartedly! :-) But for
> me, the early chapters--before Jewel became comfortable living with
> Rath, and when Lefty and Arann were still living on the streets--in
> particular, were hard for me to read.
>
> I liked the book, truly, and I know I'll be rereading it eventually, but
> it's got an emotional rawness to it that I really have to be in the mood
> to tackle, you know?
>
> I went back and reread my original post about HC, just out of curiosity,
> to recall my mindset after reading it. It's #3516, if you're interested.
>
> Tchula
>

I do know what you mean. The Aaron/Lefty situation didn't have a tremendous
emotional response for me. It was the mental picture of Jewel living under a
bridge but still trying to maintain some form of dignity that effected me the
most.
I am constantly amazed how Michelle can write in such a way as to elicit such a
devastatingly visceral response from a reader.

Ralph