Just finished the book today. It was definitely a trip. My biggest shock came at the end with the father. It just left me breathless because he was his biggest enemy.
During the book, there are chapters labeled HIM(then). When I came across these, I thought it was Noah talking about his time at Marsh. In reality, it was the father Lucas. In the end, there is one labeled now, and the reader realizes it's the father who talked about being a pedophile. I don't understand if the father went on to hurt more girls or not, did he? How did he not hurt his own daughter, or had he? Why would he not help his son if he was able to do it?
I'm also intrigued by the mother. She was there for Noah no matter what, and I feel like that took a lot of strength more than most mothers. What did you guys think?
by sadlittlespy
6 Comments
Children who are being SAed do typically wet the bed, so I feel like it was a big red flag that Katie started wetting the bed when she was living alone with her father, and then stopped when Noah died. I feel like Lucas was projecting his fears of what Noah would do to his little sister and the dad was actually doing it the whole time
I think that Noah’s admission triggered Lucas and he started abusing Katie. Bedwetting, change in behavior and mood? At least it’s open to interpretation.
The exact reason why I am so mad at the dad. If he made it, then how come he won’t make the effort to help his son?
Just finished it. Sobbed from about 75% until 93% and when finished was so angry at the POS Dad. Ugh. & Noah came clean to his Mom, something the Dad did not do…. I guess he was just repeating how his father treated him… I feel the Dad was so much more of a predator/monster than Noah.
I thought the exact same thing when Katie was bedwetting. The Dad didn’t want to leave Noah alone with Katie yet he shouldn’t have been left alone with her. He molested family members so I think we can assume he would not rule his daughter out.
Recently finished the Audiobook and when I tell you, I cried… I CRIED!. Credit to Tik Tok for the discovery of this book. I saw thinking about how I would feel or think if my son was like Noah and truthfully… I am not sure how I would feel but, I know I would love him regardless and would do all I could to help him seek help. When I discovered that it was Noah’s father who was the one narrating HIM(Then), I was floored. As Noah’s mother was helping him with what he wanted to do, It killed me inside. There’s so much to unpack but this book is a must read.
Wow! I didn’t realize that. I just was waiting most of the book for the father to admit his own problem…now I read this & I’m like 🤯. It was there all along. Just finished last night & going back to read those chapters.
As a mother, I loved that she loved him almost no matter what. Adrienne worked hard to work through her own issues so she could be there for Noah. That was beautiful to me…aside from the assisted suicide. I don’t have an opinion on that, not sure what I’d do.