There Will Come a Time

"They say grief is an ocean measured in waves and currents, rocking and tossing you about like a boat stranded in the middle of the deep. But this is not true. Grief is a dull blade against the skin of you soul. It takes its time doing its work. Grief will slowly drive you crazy, until you try to sever yourself like some kind of wounded animal caught in a trap. You'd rather main yourself and be free."

- Mark 

There were several books that deals about death and moving on without the other one. Those topic in general are very intriguing to me. Not that I enjoy reading characters dying. The idea that captivates me about death is about the people who were left behind after death. Simply because once someone lose a lover, brother, sister, friend or even the bartender they like, how can a person be able to overcome the pain of loss? To me, it is like I will slowly die. So I am really happy that There Will Come a Time is a book that is worth every minute of my time. 

Mark suffers with so much anger and guilt to himself due to the fact that her twin, Grace died in a car accident. It happened so quickly which feels very disorienting for him. If I were him, I will absolutely feel the same way. What I like about the author's interpretation of Mark's emotion is simple exceptional. Reading his point of view brought pain in my chest. It felt like there was a hole that was made on my heart. A hole that I don't know who can fill that up. I can almost feel how his life was wrecked from the sudden loss and emptiness when his twin died. And from that part, I can say that it was astonishing for me, as a reader, because the words are transparent and my mind easily grasped the thoughts. So it was precisely heart-aching. Good luck on controlling your feelings with this.

Now, the surprising part is the list they discovered from Grace's journal/notebook. The list were strange at first. On a first glance, it would just look like common fears anyone wanted to overcome. But as Hanna helped Mark to realize the essence of the list, it all makes sense. The list were not just for a simple recognition of herself that Grace did it.(If she was alive) But it's the concept of striving forward even with small steps. 

As Hanna and Mark gradually completes the list, they realized something important and new about Grace. Love, hate or jealousy, I felt those emotions even if Grace was dead. Because the idea of surviving for another person is already an achievement, this is the the thing that I've learned at the end of it. And I was holding back my tears at that time. 

What surprises me the most is the twist and turn of Mark's feelings towards Hanna. Mark was holding back and thinking what's the best and not for Hanna. By that, I feel very comfortable with the character of Mark. The guy knows when to control his feelings. (Still lives in fiction) And Hanna was the one who gives a never-ending support with Mark which I clearly see how Hanna is so mature from the start.

To even add more from this, the character is a Filipino. It is rare for me to read from a foreign author that their protagonist is a Filipino. I feel like I was inside a book and I feel at home. 

At the end, There Will Come a Time gave me a feeling of contentment. I was so relieved to see at the end how Mark realized the concept of living and leaving behind. The emotions were overflowing so really, good luck on controlling your tears. I really wanted to give a big hug for Carrie Arcos for writing such an excellent novel. I wish she will come here!