Only the Pretty Lies
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In the wake of her mother dying, Ellis spends a lot of time with Amoris and her family. What responsibility does Amoris have in supporting Ellis through her grief? How does their friendship evolve during the novel? Does their relationship represent a greater societal conflict, and how so?
When Amoris first looks at the problematic mural, she doesn’t see Jamison’s issue. Why do you think the mural was ignored by the student body prior to Jamison’s arrival? Why does it take Amoris a moment to see the slave ship?
Jamison is a voracious reader and loves to write. He moves to Alder Creek so he can apply for a competitive writing program. Why is writing so important to Jamison? What do the computer and typewriter symbolize to him?
Toward the end of the novel, Amoris stops going to Black and Read to listen to records in the music booth, and she begins reading instead. Why does she think of music differently now? What does Amoris’s taste in music (or lack thereof) symbolize throughout the novel?
What do you think the author meant by the title Only the Pretty Lies? Why do pretty lies “destroy us the most”?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Photo © 2018 Kate Testerman Photography
Rebekah Crane is the author of several critically acclaimed young adult novels, including Postcards for a Songbird, The Infinite Pieces of Us, The Upside of Falling Down, The Odds of Loving Grover Cleveland, Aspen, and Playing Nice. A former high school English teacher, Crane now lives in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, where the altitude only enhances the writing experience. For more information about the author and her works visit www.rebekahcrane.com.