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From the very beginning of the book, Louise had been suspecting Larry of infidelity. She evwn thought of cheating. Even after his death, she kept thinking that he cheated. Soon after his death, she came to know that Larry had always been faithful to her. In fact, he had been talking to the lawyer to dredge up some sort of bequest. When Louise came to know this, she was sad only for a short time. She became elated to find that Larry's death had left her with a lot of money with which she could pay off the mortgage, and give the crew their paychecks.

What do you think about her true feelings for Larry? Do share your thoughts.

It seemed like Louise had such a hardened heart. She didn't really show much remorse of the accident in which she had a part in. I don't understand how she didn't seem to even want to go and be with Larry after the accident. She just seemed to hang on to her anger towards Larry and her suspicions of him having an affair.

LV2R wrote: ↑01 Apr 2019, 23:14 It seemed like Louise had such a hardened heart. She didn't really show much remorse of the accident in which she had a part in. I don't understand how she didn't seem to even want to go and be with Larry after the accident. She just seemed to hang on to her anger towards Larry and her suspicions of him having an affair.

Exactly my point. If we keep aside her relationship with Larry, she seems to be a formidable woman. However, her treatment of Larry or rather her lack of feelings for him makes her a hardened woman.

I felt that the love had died in their marriage, that they weren't really right for each other anymore and that she resented him for it. Even though she was angry over his supposed affair, it almost felt like she was in some way relieved, or at least vindicated - something like "I knew he was a terrible person! I just knew it!". She seemed to be tired, and looking for a way out.

I think they must had been really in love for Louise to get so angry at the thought of him cheating. If she didn't care, then she wouldn't be so worked up. Something must had happened between them in the past for her to lose all trust for him. Their past was never mentioned in the book, unfortunately.

To me, I would say that the fears before hearing that Larry was talking to the lawyer to sort some issues were well-founded. However, after being told about this, Louise still doubted Larry. I think that somehow her feelings for Larry were not true.

Louise thought Larry was cheating on her. She had already started hating him for it. So, she was distancing herself from him. I think her feelings betrayal were still there even when she found out who Larry was seeing. It would be hard to go from hating back to love in that short of time. I think for her to believe he was cheating was heart-wrenching for her.

I think Louise went through a lot of upheaval during her time with Larry that it rendered her kind of indifferent to the whole situation. Rather than questioning what she truly felt for him, it is apt to say that she was already gearing for a new beginning.

TuyetMai wrote: ↑02 Apr 2019, 23:33 If she didn't care, then she wouldn't be so worked up.

This! When others are saying she didn't love him or care, all I can think is, "she cared!" Someone who doesn't care just moves on and does what they need to do get out of the marriage.

I imagine it is very hard to go from hating someone, thinking that they are cheating on you and feeling that betrayal, wishing them dead, and thinking of cheating yourself, back to a loving wife in a matter of hours or days. It’s like when a child disappears in a store and is then found. The parents have a mixture of anger for the child running away in the first place, guilt for having lost the child, and sheer relief that the child is okay. Those feelings take awhile to sort out. Louise was already moving on in her mind, then the accident happened. This threw everything into a tailspin. I think Louise loved Larry, but was so angry and confused by all of her emotions that she couldn’t react. She also seems like the type that wouldn’t react in front of people. She would wait until she was alone and cry her eyes out. Like many women who lose their husbands, she was putting her feelings to the side and doing what had to be done in the moment.

Right off the bat Louise seemed unhappy. One of those people who are in a perpetual rut which bring all those around them down.

Her relationship with Larry seemed superficial. Maybe at one time her feelings had more substance, but over time things must have changed. Maybe it was because she thought he was cheating?

Even when she knew the truth all she seemed to care about was money. For a woman who just lost the love of her life, she sure got over it quickly!

Louise loved Larry, it's only that she expressed it differently. You notice when Larry got an accident, she somewhat freaked out. She even regretted wishing Larry a tragedy, which unfortunately happened.

Stephanie Elizabeth wrote: ↑09 Apr 2019, 07:42 Her relationship with Larry seemed superficial. Maybe at one time her feelings had more substance, but over time things must have changed.

I agree. One of those marriages in which the vows are more binding than the feelings. I think she was already looking for a way out.

evraealtana wrote: ↑12 Apr 2019, 10:10

Stephanie Elizabeth wrote: ↑09 Apr 2019, 07:42 Her relationship with Larry seemed superficial. Maybe at one time her feelings had more substance, but over time things must have changed.

I agree. One of those marriages in which the vows are more binding than the feelings. I think she was already looking for a way out.

Agree!
Yes, obviously her feelings had changed along the way and she was grasping at straws to try and find a negative.

I think that she cared and even loved him, but was also a realist and antagonist. The stress of their dying business might have played a part in their arguments and the thought of being cheated on made her thirsty for revenge. I can certainly see why so many readers think that their marriage was at an end, the reader didn't get much time to see why they got married in the first place, there's no recap of their first meeting and affection shown in the present. What we are given are two tightly wound up adults who have turned into themselves instead of each other during tough times.