Light on Snow discussion

[finn's mom]

11. "I know, as one does at twelve or eleven or ten, that I have witnessed something I shouldn't have witnessed, seen something I shouldn't have seen" (page 198). What has Nicky witnessed in this passage and how does what she has seen affect her?

12. Discuss the relationship between Nicky and Charlotte. How does each influence the other?

13. Do you think Charlotte's behavior with respect to her newborn child is justified? Do you think she takes appropriate responsibility for her actions in the end?

14. Although the novel's action takes place when Nicky is twelve years old, she is thirty when she recounts it. Why do you think the author has chosen to have a grown-up Nicky tell the story?

[finn's mom]

bumping this up...

[Cincy'sMom]

Overall, I liked the book. I liked Nicky, even though she seemed a bit of a know it all for a 12 year old...but having to deal with the loss of a mother and sister she had to grow up quick. She was forced to help her father get on with life, so she had to mature fast.

[finn's mom]

11. "I know, as one does at twelve or eleven or ten, that I have witnessed something I shouldn't have witnessed, seen something I shouldn't have seen" (page 198). What has Nicky witnessed in this passage and how does what she has seen affect her?

She's witnessed an adult grieve in an angry way, which she hasn't seen, really. Her father never really showed his anger at losing his wife and daughter. He never let her really see how upsetting it was, in any way. I think it scares her to see an adult look so out of control.

12. Discuss the relationship between Nicky and Charlotte. How does each influence the other?

Nicky learns a lot from Charlotte, and, gets a woman's perspective on things, which she's really been lacking. Charlotte I think learns trust, because these people let her stay in their home, even though she's a complete stranger.

13. Do you think Charlotte's behavior with respect to her newborn child is justified? Do you think she takes appropriate responsibility for her actions in the end?

I think her behavior as far as the actual birth and the child being taken from her was justifiable, because she was doped up. She was totally out of it, and, I think that's about how most people would act. As for the lead-up to it, I don't think it was justifiable at all. I think she should have handled it differently from the beginning. She should never have let it get to the point of birthing the child without a doctor present.

14. Although the novel's action takes place when Nicky is twelve years old, she is thirty when she recounts it. Why do you think the author has chosen to have a grown-up Nicky tell the story?


Not sure, maybe because it's easier for her to talk about it...she's able to see it for what it was, a learning experience...she's more insightful as a 30-year-old woman.

[finn's mom]

bump bump bump.

[Karen]

13. Do you think Charlotte's behavior with respect to her newborn child is justified? Do you think she takes appropriate responsibility for her actions in the end?

I think she was too doped up by the boyfriend to think clearly at the time of the birth and immediately afterwards. I don't like her character much because she took so little responsibility for the baby throughout her whole pregnancy, and was naiive enough to believe the boyfriend, and to let him lead her so astray from what she had planned for her life. It is not unrealistic for a your woman to act that way, but I still didn't like her lack of preparation - physically or emotionally, or her lack of much anger at the boyfriend. Yes, her tantrum in the woods in understandable, and I do think in the end she takes some responsibility, but in my mind, not enough.

14. Although the novel's action takes place when Nicky is twelve years old, she is thirty when she recounts it. Why do you think the author has chosen to have a grown-up Nicky tell the story?


Because she can appear more omnicient than she could have otherwise, and lend some perspective to it. I wish it had either revealed more or less or her current life (at 30), was uncomfortable with the amount that was revealed.

[kimboe]

ok, Little late but oh well.
i thought the book was alright. I didn't like how it was going back in forth in time. And I liked the characters, at first i did not like Detective Warren, but at the end he turned out to be an ok character.
I also felt that the end of the book was not enough, I wanted to know more as to what happened to the characters. It left me wondering and was not a proper ending for me.
But in all was an ok book.