Evening Readers Book Club
January 2015
January 2015
Night Road
Kristin Hannah
Readers expressed strong opinions about the characters and the storyline of this month’s selection. There were obvious favorites among readers while others had opposing opinions. Characters’ actions brought out strong emotions which may have been based on personal experiences but were not expressed as such. Some had a definite dislike of Jude because they believed that she could have been better as a mother. They said they could not have behaved as she did toward her children and their friend, Lexi. Others were more sympathetic and said that no one can judge behavior until they have experienced grief themselves.
One reader said she liked the characters and the dynamics of the story. She felt that the story radiated energy throughout the entire book. She saw a complex social issue and told the story in a realistic way. Even though the subject matter was dramatic she declared that it was a nice read. Some enjoyed the predictability of the events while others were aggravated by it and suggested that this story was more appropriate for adolescents and young mothers because the issue of teen drinking and driving would be more relevant.
This story is the story of a woman’s (Jude's) life and how she mothered her twins. Tragedy strikes and she deals with it in a manner destructive to herself and family. The author wrote about the character and the portrayal suits her. Jude did not want to be like her own mother, but she ended up behaving pretty much the same way without realizing it until the conclusion of the story when the back story of her own mother was revealed. Finally
Jude was able to embrace her family and her twins’ childhood friend. As
a result, she could feel joy and become an authentic daughter, mother,
and grandmother.
One member read an essay to the group from “The Art of Forgiveness, Lovingkindness, and Peace” by Jack Kornfield. “To remember the transforming power of forgiveness and lovingkindness. To remember that no matter where you are and what you face, within your heart peace is possible.” This brief essay was a perfect complement to the sentiments expressed by the group.
Do you agree or disagree? Please add your voice to the discussion by using the comments!
Do you agree or disagree? Please add your voice to the discussion by using the comments!
In the handout it was mentioned that there should have been a "take the keys" party. I wholeheartedly agree and can't stress enough that that is where the responsibility lies. I do not want to place blame so much, as to establish the need for responsible parenting/hosting of parties. Just as currently in real life situations bar keepers, party hosts, lounges, etc. can be held responsible for drunk drivers in the case of being the last place/establishment to have served a potentially intoxicated person past their limit and then permitting them to get behind the wheel. This is the most reasonable conclusion.
ReplyDeleteTo blame Jude for standing by her decision and/or her parenting skills, in essence, thinking she should have been able to predict results, is not credible. To ask if she should have been more lenient when her kids called for a ride the first time is also not appropriate. Everyone needs limits and we all have rules to obey.
I agree, during the discussion the group was only able to touch on the major themes the author was telling in the story. In my opinion the most predominant theme in the story was forgiveness. Once Jude was able to find forgiveness she was better able to live with her grief. The discussion also touched on grief after losing a child. A great point was made about how society as a whole can be unsympathetic towards the mental illness that can become debilitating during the grief process. While most in the group did not like the character of Jude because of her behavior I thought the author did a great job developing all the character as very realistic.
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