I have to admit—I didn't connect with this book as deeply as many other readers seemed to.
It's warm, funny, and beautifully written. I enjoyed reading it, but I didn't finish it feeling that it had changed me.
What stayed with me instead was something quieter.
Tova and Cameron were both trapped by the past, just in different ways.
Tova carried everything silently, keeping her grief to herself. Cameron, on the other hand, often blamed the world around him when he felt lost. Yet beneath their struggles, they were both kind people trying to find their place again.
Neither of them was good at asking for help.
And yet, somehow, there were still people willing to stay.
Friends.
Neighbours.
Strangers.
Even an unusually observant octopus.
It reminded me that we rarely know what someone else is carrying.
The person who seems distant may be protecting a broken heart.
The person who seems angry may simply be lonely.
Sometimes a small act of kindness, a conversation, or simply choosing to stay can quietly change someone's life.
Maybe that's why kindness matters.
Not because we expect anything in return.
But because we never really know how much someone needs it.
Be kinder than necessary. Someone may remember it far longer than you'll ever know.
