Drenched in Light

by Lisa Wingate

  3. Before her collapse, do you think Julia thought of herself as having a serious problem? Do women often live in denial of weight and other health problems until they’re faced with serious consequences? Why?

  4. Now that Julia and Bethany are adults, out of college and moving into lives of their own, they are both struggling to define grown-up relationships with their mother. Do many mothers of young adults have trouble releasing the motherhood role and allowing their children to move into the world? Do many young people have difficulty forming new adult identities and taking on the accompanying responsibilities? To what degree is a parent still a parent, no matter how old the children are?

  5. Even though Julia loves her sister, she finds herself jealous of Bethany’s new life with Jason. Are our relationships with other people, particularly our siblings, always clouded by envy? How can we overcome this?

  6. Often our lives are changed by one chance incident. How does Julia’s first meeting with Dell begin to change both of their lives?

  7. Julia, while realizing that there are far more problems in the school than she can conquer alone, becomes determined to help Dell. Why? Was there a special teacher in your life who made a difference?

  8. Granmae makes a show of putting “angels” on the shoulders of people she meets. Do you believe in guardian angels?

  9. Julia finally concludes: “We choose the things that fill us.” What things do you choose? How have your choices changed over your lifetime?

  10. The Costell family has never discussed the identity of Julia’s father. To what degree do families keep painful things beneath the surface in order to protect one another? Is this for the best? Why or why not?

  11. Do you think Julia will ever dance again? Should she? Why or why not?