The Daughter She Used to be

by Rosalind Noonan

Reviewed by Heather Li

Fall 2016

REVIEW: The Daughter She Used to be by Rosalind Noonan

ISBN-13: 9780758241689

ISBN-10: 0758241682

THE STORY:

In the city of New York, Sully is well known as the cop who was forced to retire, but his children continues to follow in his footsteps. His daughter, Bernadette, is an assistant District Attorney, his sons have joined the best force in New York, and Bernie’s sister is married to a cop. From sitting at the table for years and listening to the stories told by the cops, Bernie has a clear-cut view of what is morally right or wrong. Lately though, she has been wanting a family of her own, but has never doubted her choice. Tragedy strikes when a man enters Sully’s coffee shop, killing three cops, and injuring one. Shock and a wave of sadness passes over the house. After grief passes for the death of her brother, Bernie discovers her views have shifted and the line between right and wrong have blurred to the point where she can’t look past people’s past and their stories to decide a punishment.

She realizes her father’s thirst for revenge differs from what she thinks is justice served. Bernie decides to work to protect the coffee shop killer, but in doing so, is disowned by her father. Instead of the menace of a killer, she finds a mistreated and broken man, struck down by abuse and misunderstanding. Peyton, the killer, is paralyzed on the right side of his face and walks with a limp due to his brother’s aggression and was accused of a crime because of the color of his skin. Anger builds in Peyton, though, because of the connection between Bernie and Marino, which will  provide an answer to Bernie to what it really means to be her father’s daughter. (283)

MY OPINION:

Throughout the book, I thought the build-up and the plot moved quite slowly, reaching the first enthralling point nearly halfway through the book. When I first started, it was quite hard to understand because of the different points of views it was told from, which later in the story became superficial. To me, this story barely connected to anything I could relate to. On the other hand, I felt Rosalind Noonan has a wonderful ability to describe the characters and their personalities. She is able to add many layers to a criminal and make him a beaten person, or create conflict inside of Bernie. It fully describes how families or individuals can change the moment your life is thrown out of balance and creates a picture of turmoil and struggle. In my opinion, the denouement was a let down since it contrasted what the book was leading up to. It was completely unexpected and dropped the action the book was finally starting to build, unlike the rest of the book which was predictable. I would recommend The Daughter She Used to be to middle schoolers although the topic may not interest them as much as an older audience. Overall I would give this book six stars out of ten because of the disappointing end and sluggish plot. (217)

STUDY QUESTIONS AND VOCABULARY:

FIRST SECTION

1. What was Ma’s goals for her daughters and does it relate to their jobs in the family?

1a. Ma’s priority was for her daughters to find the right man which would allow them to find their place in the kitchen, because Bernie always found a way to avoid the kitchen and talk with the men. (pg.27)

2. What is Bernie’s appearance?

2a. Her hair, the color of metals, was thick and bouncy, her Irish pug nose was offset by her strong cheekbones, and her eyes were a window of compassion, able to look past into people’s souls. (pg.38)

3. How was Peyton’s brother, Darnell, responsible for Peyton’s time in prison?

3a. Peyton was charged, for robbery, five years in prison when Darnell put a gun in Peyton’s hand, claiming himself innocent when Peyton took the guilt. (pg.57)

4. Why did Bernie and Keesh break up?

4a. Bernie’s father had judged Keesh on his name, finding his real name, and Armenian name, resembling one of a terrorist. (pg.68)

5. How did Sarah’s opinion change on pregnancy and how did Brendan’s situation affect it?

5a. Sarah started to accept the thought of a third child, but Brendan had been shot in Sully’s cafe shop. (pg.105)

waif (pg.4)

malingering (pg.46)

pragmatism (pg.62)

scintillating (pg68)

perverse (pg.121)

MIDDLE SECTION

6. What does Brendan’s voice say when Bernie visits the place where he was shot?

6a. Bernie imagines Brendan’s voice telling her to let it go, and move on, but she didn’t think she would take it. (pg.159)

7. Considering Tony’s action, what does Ma still want Mary Kate to do?

7a. Although Tony left Mary Kate alone when Brendan died to go skiing, Ma wants Mary Kate to forgive him and accept him back into the house. (pg.169)

8. What is the difference between Sully’s and Bernie’s view?

8a. Sully was delighted that the coffee shop killer was found, but instead of celebrating with her father, she felt ghoulish and sick. (pg.201)

9. How did Bernie feel when Peyton Curtis’s picture was put on the television?

9a. Instead of finding someone she could despise, she only found sadness in his eyes, without the malice of a killer. (pg.201)

10. Who did Mary Kate meet at the dentist and how did her life change for the better?

10a. Mary Kate meets Chris Schiavone, her son Connor’s friend, and his dad, Craig, and through Craig, realizes that there are new possibilities beyond Tony. (pg.219)

galvanized (pg.129)

petulant (pg.149)

vestibule (pg.178)

turnstile ( pg.208)

asbestos (pg.233)

LAST SECTION

11. Who did Peyton think Bernie was?

11a. In the hospital, after Bernie saved Peyton from her dad, Peyton, in his state of delirium, believed she was his angel who gave him the walking stick with the faux ivory rat carved into it. (pg.252)

12. How does Sully remember Bernie?

12a. The defiant Bernie followed him and copied his movements and catchphrases. (pg.291)

13. What does Peyton recall?

13a. He remembers someone, in the playground, stabbing him, but pushes the blame to Tony Marino since Darnell’s threat echoes in his ear. (pg.299)

14. How did Peyton react to Bernie’s association to Sully?

14a. He felt Bernie deceived him when she joined his defense, as the daughter of Sully and the brother of Tony Marin, the one that tortured him. (pg.320)

15. After Peyton’s death, how did Bernie change?

15a. Her heart had been broken by the evil, but she won’t stop helping people like Peyton. (pg.363)

morose (pg.267)

facetious (pg.290)

dreck (pg.320)

allegations (pg.344)

logistics (pg.359)