The ending delivers that satisfying resolution the reader has been waiting for. Our two main characters finally meet, and all the big mysteries are solved. It sounds almost too neat and tidy to be true, doesn't it? It also wraps up Bird's storyline, which operates a bit outside of the central narrative up until then.
In weaving together the parallels between the two main characters' previously separate paths (the two Almas, the trips to Isaac Moritz's house), the ending introduces questions of fate, destiny, and the things that connect us to each other and to the universe. More than that, though, the ending reaffirms the power of love (no not that kind). It sustains through the years and unites folks across decades, miles, and circumstances. We're left with a heapin' helping of warm fuzzies with the final image of Alma and Leo sitting together on a park bench.