6. The two threads of the story, past and present, interweave throughout the narrative. How do these strands reflect and explain each other? How does the reader experience jumping from one to the other?
7. What are the advantages and disadvantages of structuring the novel as a journal? How does it affect the reading experience? How does it function in the pacing of the story? In the juxtaposition of Cora’s past and present life?
8. In the last chapter, Cora says, “When I die and you come to clean out my house, you’ll find [these journals]. You can do whatever you want. I’ve pictured you reading them and finding out the truth. If you see any mistakes—spelling or wrong words—you can fix them. You have my okay.” Whom is she addressing? What audience does she have in mind when she writes?
9. Why and how will Cora’s life be different when she returns to her house than when she left it? What is responsible for the transformation?
10. Susan Straight, author of Highwire Moon, says “Read this book to see redemption.” In what ways is Cora redeemed? What contributes to her redemption?
About the Author
LESLIE LARSON’S critically acclaimed first novel, Slipstream, was a Book Sense Notable Book, winner of the Astraea Award for Fiction, and a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award. Her work has appeared in Faultline, the East Bay Express, Writer magazine, and the Women’s Review of Books, among other publications. She has been a writer-in-residence at Hedgebrook and an instructor at the Macondo Writers Workshop. She lives in Berkeley, California.
What’s next on
your reading list?
Discover your next
great read!
* * *
Get personalized book picks and up-to-date news about this author.
Sign up now.
Breaking Out of Bedlam Page 32
