What did you think of Frank and Cora's relationship? Did you want them to get away with it and live happily ever after, or did you want them to fall apart and get caught?
They were terrible people, but they were acting terribly in love, mostly. (Not an excuse.) So I wanted them to make peace and then be punished, which was, sort of, how it came out. To the end I didn't know whether Frank would drown her but sort of grasped the depth of her crazy love to put herself and her baby at his mercy just for the peace of mind to know how it would be.
I was a little charmed that they married in the end, that they had thrown so many morals out the window to get what they wanted, but Frank's gut response to a pregnancy was to do the right thing and marry Cora. Sort of a knee-jerk response to the conventions of the time. And fitting, I guess, that he'd then be suspected of the wreck on purpose since he benefitted from her death.
What did you think of that bit in the end where his cellmate gave him the idea that he might have murdered Cora after all with his subconscious? Chosen the accident? I thought not, actually. I didn't think they'd live happily ever after, but at that time he seemed to be a great peace with clearing their complications.
Interesting question! For me the relationship felt doomed from the start. The part in Chapter 12 is quintessential - when Cora talks about the mountain and how "We were up so high ... And then we fell down."
Like cl, I also thought they were going to be punished, somehow. It reminded me of a modern-day Garden of Eden. And as for the subconscious part, I also thought it didn't fly either.
I'm not sure what outcome I was rooting for, but I never expected them to live happily ever after. I doubt a couple can murder someone together, then get caught, then betray each other, and then move on like it never happened. I expected some kind of blow-up, maybe another murder, or maybe for Frank to run off for good.
Cl, good question about the subconscious bit. I didn't really buy that either. I didn't think Frank wanted her dead at all. But I guess by the time he's locked up and reviewing all the bad things he did in the past — some for good reason, some for no reason — just about any crazy idea might gain a little traction.
Great point, Shanxi, about the mountain. I was pretty moved by that: Cora's vision of their grand love being sullied by human pettiness.
I doubt a couple can murder someone together, then get caught, then betray each other, and then move on like it never happened. Oh Erin, ye of little faith! (hehe)
Also, I really liked this line from Cora, because it so nicely summarized her predicament: "I fell for you because you were smart. And now I find out you're smart. Ain't that funny? You fall for a guy because he's smart and then you find out he's smart."
They were terrible people, but they were acting terribly in love, mostly. (Not an excuse.) So I wanted them to make peace and then be punished, which was, sort of, how it came out. To the end I didn't know whether Frank would drown her but sort of grasped the depth of her crazy love to put herself and her baby at his mercy just for the peace of mind to know how it would be.
ReplyDeleteI was a little charmed that they married in the end, that they had thrown so many morals out the window to get what they wanted, but Frank's gut response to a pregnancy was to do the right thing and marry Cora. Sort of a knee-jerk response to the conventions of the time. And fitting, I guess, that he'd then be suspected of the wreck on purpose since he benefitted from her death.
What did you think of that bit in the end where his cellmate gave him the idea that he might have murdered Cora after all with his subconscious? Chosen the accident? I thought not, actually. I didn't think they'd live happily ever after, but at that time he seemed to be a great peace with clearing their complications.
Interesting question! For me the relationship felt doomed from the start. The part in Chapter 12 is quintessential - when Cora talks about the mountain and how "We were up so high ... And then we fell down."
ReplyDeleteLike cl, I also thought they were going to be punished, somehow. It reminded me of a modern-day Garden of Eden. And as for the subconscious part, I also thought it didn't fly either.
I'm not sure what outcome I was rooting for, but I never expected them to live happily ever after. I doubt a couple can murder someone together, then get caught, then betray each other, and then move on like it never happened. I expected some kind of blow-up, maybe another murder, or maybe for Frank to run off for good.
ReplyDeleteCl, good question about the subconscious bit. I didn't really buy that either. I didn't think Frank wanted her dead at all. But I guess by the time he's locked up and reviewing all the bad things he did in the past — some for good reason, some for no reason — just about any crazy idea might gain a little traction.
ReplyDeleteGreat point, Shanxi, about the mountain. I was pretty moved by that: Cora's vision of their grand love being sullied by human pettiness.
I doubt a couple can murder someone together, then get caught, then betray each other, and then move on like it never happened. Oh Erin, ye of little faith! (hehe)
Also, I really liked this line from Cora, because it so nicely summarized her predicament: "I fell for you because you were smart. And now I find out you're smart. Ain't that funny? You fall for a guy because he's smart and then you find out he's smart."
ReplyDeleteD'oh!