Letting Go

The concept of letting go of the past in order to enjoy the present and look into the future is the fundamental point of the novel. Dalva has spend forty-five years living her life in the past. After losing her father at age nine, Dalva spends much time trying to replace him in her life. She begins with her grandfather, who also dies. She then uses Paul and Lundquist, her uncle and farmhand, as male role models in her life. Instead of accepting her father's death and moving on, she remains forever searching for his memory. Similarly, Dalva does the same with her lovers. When she finds out that her only love, Duane, was her half-brother, Dalva loses the ability to let another man into her life fully. While Dalva is able to love, she is not able to shake the past of Duane and move forward...