** spoiler alert **

I read this book once and thoroughly loved it. Then, reading it again years later, I still enjoyed it but was affected a little differently by some of the characters. I wondered, in this age, can people really be so obtuse over others' disabilities? And why was Claire so grossed out by Nick's prostheses? Well, let's chalk those details up to imperfect humanity.

On another note, Claire's "conversion" in Europe was a bit weird. The story seemed to imply in the beginning that she was a Christian, albeit with a lagging prayer life, but after Europe, she's "a new Christian." Does this mean she wasn't one at all before? And the prayer that changes her is strange: she starts out talking to Nick (who is nowhere present, except in her heart), and after the prayer, she feels a greater bond to Nick, from overseas--and a bond to God too, by the way. In this spiritual moment, is Claire coming to a saving knowledge of Christ, or of...Nick? The line there is blurred.

All in all, though, I still think it's a beautiful story. ( )