Abducted by my first Binchy

When my friend Kate, midnight book girl, moved to Virginia in the fall of 2008 we started an online book club to make sure our friendship would survive the distance. In March of 2009, Kate selected Heart and Soul as our book for the month

and that was my first Binchy.

Kate had been a fan of Binchy for years, but this was my first taste of what she had to offer.

What I remember most vividly of when I was reading it was my reaction after the second or third chapter. I was so happy reading about how these two characters were coming together, but at the end of the chapter something tragic happens and I remember I was literally shaking. I was crying hysterically and had to put the book down and walk away for a few hours before I could pick it back up and keep going.

That moment has stayed with me over these last few years as a testament to Binchy's ability to make you care for her characters. When you think about it, the first chapters of a book are meant to introduce you to people, but Binchy had me caring for them so intensely and so immediately.

I later wrote on our online book blog website; "...this was the first book that I have read in a long time that I didn't want it to end...I didn't want to leave these people."

I have since read several of her other novels and have continued to become more invested in the characters she created. If you read her novels you get the feeling that Binchy, herself, cherished her characters and didn't want to leave them either. That is why she would bring them back in different novels in supporting roles.

When Kate called me earlier this evening and told me that Binchy had passed away, I was very affected by it. I will truly miss her, but I am grateful that she had the career that she did. There are still many of her books to read and several more characters to fall in love with.