Discussion Questions

 Her Fearful Symmetry

by Audrey Niffenegger

First off, before you click on this link know that although I tried not to reveal too much in the questions there are spoilers so don't read them until you have read the book. Secondly, if you would like to post these questions to your own site please include a link to my site and give me credit. Thank you and enjoy!


Discussion Questions

Her Fearful Symmetry

In Audrey Niffenegger's first novel since writing the ever popular Time Traveler's Wife, two twenty-one year old twin sisters living with their parents in Chicago have their lives dramatically changed when they inherit an apartment in London from their recently deceased Aunt. Set on the edge of a cemetery the apartment not only changes where they are living but who they are becoming. As their once close bond begins to unravel so does the world around them. It is a novel about love and friendship as well as jealousy, mystery, death, and tragedy.

Forever Valentina thought, I will live forever with Julia in our apartment in London, which we have never seen, surrounded by people we haven't met, forever.

The novel has several major plot twists and to write too much more of a review would be giving away a huge amount. As an avid reader I get pretty upset when writers add spoilers in their reviews so I am not going to do that to you. I will say that ghosts are involved, sisters turn on each other, and identities are mistaken. Other characters will steal your heart, but the twins you won't always like. I started out feeling sorry for Valentina because Julia was always bossing her around and in the end it was Julia who I was able to relate to.

Having said all of that, as a huge fan of Time Traveler's Wife I was somewhat disappointed by this book. I went into it with high expectations and found it lacking. The novel was entertaining and well written, a definite page-turner. Once I picked it up I had a difficult time putting it down, but to me it was trying to mix too many themes and none of them really congealed. The plot had some definite holes in it, and I wasn't in love with the way it ended. Of course this is just my opinion and most of the other reviews I have read said this was the best book they have ever read. Many liked it more than TTW.  So I could be way off base. Like I said it was well written and certainly worth reading, I just expected more from someone who wrote TTW.  However, because of all of the many themes throughout the book it would be a good one for a bookclub to discuss and therefore a great pick for your next read. If you decide to check it out please comment and let me know what you thought. If I am way off base I want to know!

Stay tuned for discussion questions to go along with the book....

The Help

Kathryn Stockett's very first novel, The Help, was on my library's recommended read list and after reading it I understand why.

Set in the 1960's in Jackson, Mississippi it is a look at the racial tension that still existed even though slavery had been abolished. Miss Skeeter is a white woman who is tired of seeing injustice take place all around her and in an effort to cause some change she gets several black maids to share their stories and compiles them into a book. Along the way she loses all of her friends and is alienated by the town, but it is nothing compared to the risk the maids faced by speaking out. It is very well written, and easy to fall into each of her characters. It was one I could not put down until I read the very last page.

In pitch-perfect voices, Kathryn Stockett creates three extraordinary women whose determination to start a movement of their own forever changes a town, and the way women--mothers, daughters, caregivers, friends--view one another. A deeply moving novel filled with poignancy, humor, and hope, The Help is a timeless and universal story about the lines we abide by, and the ones we don't.

    - KathrynStockett.com
An excerpt from the book
"I come home that morning, after I been fired, and stood outside my house with my new work shoes on. The shoes my mama paid a month's worth a light bill for. I guess that's when I understood what shame was and the color of it too. Shame ain't black, like dirt, like I always thought it was. Shame be the color of a new white uniform your mother ironed all night to pay for, white without a smudge or a speck a work-dirt on it."



Aibileen looks up to see what I think. I stop typing. I'd expected the stories to be sweet, glossy. I realize I might be getting more than I'd bargained for. She reads on.

The Accidental Mother

But if what will we do then? If we can't stay here?

Six year old Bella looked at Sophie, her dry eyes burning.

There had to be a moment like this, Sophie thought, in everyone's life, when the very next thing you say might change you and the world as you knew it forever. She felt her stomach dip and churn as if she had just run headlong at a cliff edge and brought herself to stop at its very brink.

Then we'll work out what's best, she answered feeling like a coward.

This was the first of Coleman's books I had read, and what started out to be a light read quickly got deeper and much more touching. Sophie and Carrie are best friends all through school, but lose touch with each other. It had been three years since Sophie had heard from Carrie when a social worker comes to see her. Carrie had died in an accident and Sophie was left as the guardian for her 3 and 6 year old daughters. Sophie who had never wanted children learns an awful lot about life and love as the three of them struggle to figure out what is best.

Coleman's sequel to the Accidental Mother comes out September 29th 2009.

Harry Potter

Okay, so I know I am a little behind the times, but I am just finally reading all of the Harry Potter books. It was definitely my rebellious side that kept me from from joining the ranks of the Harry Potter craze that started a few years ago, but I am never one to let that interfere with a potentially great read. So a week or so ago I picked up the first book and I am now halfway through book 7. I have to admit J.K. Rowling can definitely write! I have had a difficult time putting these books down, and have even taking to having dreams about them. I don't think I will be rushing out to see the movies, but I am certainly glad I took the time to read the books!

A Missed Connection

I feel like one of those people who post a message on Craigslist that says something like, "I saw you at the intersection of main street and 1st on Saturday. You were wearing a red dress and had your hair up. If this is you write back I wanted to meet you." I have always thought these were ridiculous on so many levels, but now I slightly understand. Slightly. "I saw you sitting in the passenger side of a black Honda Accord. You were wearing red and black checkers..." Oh did I mention this is a book. This is what I get for snooping in someone else's car window, but they were parked next to me and I wouldn't have looked except the book caught my attention. The problem is I felt guilty looking in someone else's car so I only had time to get the name of the book. Which I have forgotten and am now obsessed with finding out. It probably is a terrible book, but I still continue searching. So... if you happen to know of a book that has a red and black checkerboard design on it and I believe the authors last name begins with an F, I would be so grateful.

A Must Read

After reading a string of disappointing books (not worth mentioning here) I finally struck upon one that satisfied my craving, for a few days at least. Kate Morton's book The Forgotten Garden, was a recommended read I got from my library's website. I wasn't sure what to make of it at first because it jumps from character to character and from the early 1900's to 2005, and back again. But it was everything I love in a book. It revolves around the mystery of how a four year old little girl came to be standing on a wharf in Australia in the mid 1900's with nothing but a white suitcase and no one to claim her. It wasn't until she was 18 years old did she learn that her mother and father were the ones to find her that day and she was not biologically theirs. She spends the next 50 years of her life searching for her family, and it is left to her granddaughter to finally uncover the truth. It has love, sorrow, friendship, a few fairy tales, and a little bit of magic woven throughout and I had a hard time putting it down once I got started. I am excited to read some more of her novels, as this is my first one! For more on Morton check out http://www.katemorton.com/