Finding Closure: Who can move forward without it: 1

Product Information

I'm surprised that I never wrote a review for this before, but apparently I read it last summer, when I was away from Goodreads, so consider this a catch-up. This novel is told from the perspective of Caitlin, a 5th grader with Asperger's, who has just lost her older brother to a random school shooting. In addition, her mother has died of cancer years before, so now it's just her and her father in the house, and her father is taking the loss extremely hard. Caitlin, however, is struggling to understand the changes that have suddenly taken place in her life, and in addition to having to make it through each day with her condition, she now also has to face the prospect of life without Devon, the only other person who truly understood her, and who made it possible for her to face the world. With the help of a school counselor, some new friends, and her father, Caitlin attempts to find Closure to the events that took Devon out of her life.

As an adult, I found the story to be about so many things, among them primarily autism and a view of the world through a different lens, but also grief, empathy, closure, support, and relationships. I love any story for kids that fosters understanding and acceptance of others. That was, in my opinion, this book’s redeeming quality. I found the main character well fleshed out and very lovable. Though the ending felt rushed, this was a story worth reading. I would just caution parents that regardless of the careful treatment of the subject, this is a difficult subject. Having read it, my daughter’s words ring in my head: “No child wants to read a story about a school shooting, Mom.”Mitchell, D. (2013). Some shooting victims attend Aurora theater reopening event. Fox News. Retrieved from http://www.kdvr.com/2013/01/17/some-shooting-victims-attend-Aurora-theater-reopening-event/

When you don’t have the answers you seek, it’s easy to go into a downward spiral of sadness and despair. But the reality is that you won’t always get answers to questions you seek, making it difficult to find closure. The following tips are for those times when you might not get the closure you seek or desire. 6. Focus on moving forward Finding truth doesn’t equate to the end of your pain and suffering. And, reasons don’t always mean that it makes a positive difference in your grief journey.Throughout the novel I had to remind myself that Caitlin was eleven as opposed to five or six; this isn’t a bad thing, and in fact it shows Erskine’s talent for character development. To see her grow by learning about empathy and closure by the end of the novel was truly touching – I almost cried, but I finished the book while in journalism class, and crying in public isn’t exactly socially acceptable. I enjoyed this when I first read it 10 years ago, but my experiences with autistic people, and as an autistic person, have changed massively since then. I wanted to re-read this to see if the book did portray autistic people well, and unfortunately it did not. Instead of going into great detail, Zusak uses short chapters that feel more like sneak peeks into her life. Additionally, it serves the purpose of joining Liesel, the main character, with the narrator, Death, and allowing them to converse on more equal terms.

An ambiguous ending leaves the reader wondering about the “what ifs.” Instead of directly stating what happens to the characters after the book ends, it allows the reader to speculate about what might come next — without establishing a right or wrong answer. Things don't feel quite unresolved, more just open to interpretation. Koss, M. (2014). The RESTORE program of restorative justice for sex crimes: Vision, process, and outcomes. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 29(9), 1623-1660. doi: 10.1177/0886260513511537 His hand closed automatically around the fake Horcrux, but in spite of everything, in spite of the dark and twisting path he saw stretching ahead for himself, in spite of the final meeting with Voldemort he knew must come, whether in a month, in a year, or in ten, he felt his heart lift at the thought that there was still one last golden day of peace left to enjoy with Ron and Hermione. Rodogno, R. (2008). Shame and guilt in restorative justice. Psychology, Public Policy, and Law, 14(2), 142-176. doi: 10.1037/a0013474Erin Morgenstern uses this ending in her book The Night Circus, where she tells of a duel between two magicians that takes place within Le Cirque des Rêves, a traveling circus and, arguably, a character on its own. When asking yourself if you could’ve done things differently, look at all the things you did do right and give yourself credit for them. If another person was responsible for your loved one’s death, look for ways to let go of the circumstances leading up to your loved one's death and accept that you can’t change the outcome. 3. Keep a journal