The Eyes- (p. 1-2)
Two boys, Johnny and Tom were looking at a husky. They were trying to figure out what color its eyes are, while the hound stared back at them. Other dogs, from the 'pack' were wither howling or making noises, hyperactively. But the dog the two boys looked at was different- it was quiet and calm, having eyes that don't resemble a dog. Johnny and Tom remembered that their friends had dogs, with all of them having proper eyes, unlike the one they were looking at. They thought that maybe those were a human's eyes, instead of dog's. The two shared theit thoughts about the strange dog, until they took a few steps back, and found out that there was a very tall man standing behind them, asking, in beginner english 'Why are you here?-
My thoughts:
It looks like it was some kind of an introduction to the book, though it never explained who the two kids were, what were they doing, why were they there etc. I'm not really used to that kind of "chapters". But, it was a nice touch, since it was something I've never seen in other books.
Chapter One: (p. 3-21)
Johhny, a twelve year old boy, and his younger brother Tom- aged ten, were living in Dublin with their parents and step-sister. They were ordinary boys, and so they were aswell, when their mother made an announcement. On one rainy day, they were in the kitchen, doing their homework, not hearing their mother keying the door and stepping into the hall. They loved it when she came home, so wet that there was a pool underneath her. She 'announced' that she was a little bit wet, and the boys came running to her, hugging her tightly. Tom laughed, but Johhny didn't. He didn't want to hug that much, and shouted to her to let him go. Soon, she did- to both of them.
She said that they'll be going somewhere, where there is no rain, but snow- Helsinki, Finland. She also lied to them, that she had been seeing a travel shop, with a cute poster on it, so she ordered three tickets. (Actually, she had a plan to go to Finland for a long time, but never told anyone.) The boys took their map, and searched for Finland. Their mother explained that they were going to Manchester, first, and then to Finland. The boys liked the sound of the place, and repeated it, happily. She also said that they'll be going in two weeks, and that she had talked to the school's principal. Johhny and Tom's mother was called Sandra Hammond. She told them that their father and sister won't be coming with them, for good reasons (sister didn't want to, and father was too lazy).
Their sister was called Gráinne.
The boys heard their father coming home, as they heard loud music from the car, which was meant to anger their rude neighbour. It was a long time ago, when their father- Frank, came to live in that place, when Gráinne was little. The neighbour- Mrs Newman, was cutting he bushes, and almost got Frank's finger off, when he tried to greet her.
Frank had been married before, to Rosemary, who now lived in America. She was Gráinne's real mother. They had fights over stupid things, which included yelling at eachother and the neighbours calling the police.
Sandra was talking to the boys, when Frank came in. She told him the news. He was a little surprised, and went to talk with boys all about the trip.
Gráinne, the oldest child in the family, had a rough childhood. When her mother left, she had been staying with her father, not knowing where she had left, and for how long. Her father had only told her lies, which she believed in. Frank had met Sandra, afterwards, and had gotten along with her very well. Sandra had her boyfriend in a cinema, when they fell in love. So, they married and Sandra met Gráinne. One night, when she was still little, shetried to get in bed with her father- to get warm, but Sandra was 'in the way'. Every day, she felt lefout, and replaced. She also knew that she was going to have a sibling- and two.
Gráinne didn't quite like Sandra. She wasn't like her real mother. She missed her, and still does. But she was still pretty friendly towards Tom and Johnny. Then, when she got older, she was very dodgy, angry, rude and solitary, bearly speaking to anyone. She slammed doors everywhere she went, and stayed in her room for the most of the time.
Frank felt guilty, he thought he was a bad father. There were times when Gráinne shouted at him and her step-mother, usually slamming the door on the way back. Sandra kept encouraging Frank that this would last only a few years, even thought she felt bad and sad, too. Frank stayed away from her, respected her solitariness and only wished her the best. He hoped that he was doing OK in school and at weekends, and at night, that she would be in bed. But it was hard to do so.
Gráinne had been caught mitching from school and shoplifting. Luckily, the guards weren't called, and Frank apologized. Gráinne had left school two months before Leaving Cert exams, and she wouldn't obey to go back. Her father couldn't even make her. Now, she was a monster, and a terrible child. So, Sandra and the boys decided to take a break.
Frank wished that he had the 'good old days' back, and Sandra kept making herself guilty for it. They argued about money, and Frank promised to talk to Gráinne. Sandra wasn't convinced. They stood out of her way, and she stood out of theirs- as simple as that. One day, Sandra saw the three children lying on the couch, cuddled up, but as soon as Gráinne noticed her watching them, she got up and glared at her, leaving to her room.
Finally, the news came, that Rosemary was coming for a visit. Frank told Sandra that it was probably not for good, and she decided to go on the planned trip with the boys anyway, which she anounced to them th next day. She didn't want to meet Gráinne's mother.
My thoughts:
The whole chapter pretty much gathered up the basic information I needed; the family, their history, their personalities and ways of interacting with each other. The writer gathered it all up very nicely into one chapter, which surprises me, since I've never read a book where in one chapters it explains everything I need to know. So, another new experience. So far, I can see that the family has had rough times, and that they're going to face more. I can't wait to read the next chapter!
(Minor note: Since the mother's name is Sandra, every time I read her part, I feel more mature, for some reason. It's just so funny, and ironic.)
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