Miracle Beach (40 page)
Authors: Erin Celello
5. Daughter-in-law/father-in-law/mother-in-law relationships weave through the novel. Which are the most complex? Which are the most comfortable?
6. The author takes pains to explain the sports of show jumping and salmon fishing. What purposes do these elements serve?
7. Macy and Jack each question how well they knew Nash. Is it possible for someone to really “know” someone else? Why or why not? Have you ever had a similar experience of feeling as though you didn’t know another person when you thought you did? How did you reconcile the person you thought you knew with the other “version” of him or her?
8. The history of Jack and Magda’s marriage runs parallel to Nash and Macy’s. What similarities and differences do they have? Had Nash not died, do you think each of the relationships would have had similar outcomes? What did you enjoy most about the depiction of their relationships? How realistic do you think each depiction is?
9. Magda struggles with the loss of herself to marriage and motherhood, and longs to rediscover her former self. Is her struggle indulgent, or is it valid? Can you relate to it? Have you witnessed others struggling in a similar way?
10. Who is your favorite character, and what do you like about him or her? Which character is your least favorite, and why?
11. Reconciliation seems to be a theme that runs through this novel. What issues are grappled with and reconciled, and which are left unresolved?
12. Much of the novel explores how our pasts and memories shape us. What do you think might be in store for each character as their lives progress?
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