While all three characters speak in the first person, Lennie speaks directly to his deceased partner, Joseph. Why do we sometimes see the worst in ourselves while others see the best? Which is the truth? Marnie says of herself, “Truth is I don’t hate anyone. “an amusing type of fellow and a real sport,” page 46. “Old guy’s full of remorse, full of shame…” page 44 “How you loved that crumble and I was so mean about it, I wouldn’t give you the recipe in case you left me and made it for someone else.” page 43. “You’d be ashamed of me, Joseph, so ashamed.” page 34 Each character is frequently self-deprecating, and often their best traits are revealed only through other characters. The interleaved viewpoints both move the plot forward quickly and overlap the narrative in welcome redundancy. Susie: Marnie’s friend, lives with her granny, terrific actress Discussion Topics Point of View Vlado: Immigrant and Mick’s drug supplier who hires Marnie to clean his apartment Mick: Married drug dealer who sleeps with Marnie Macdonald: Izzy’s father and recently resurfaced “Gramps” to Marnie and Nelly Izzy (Isable Ann) Macdonald: Marnie and Nelly’s mother, buried at the same time as their father.
Gene (Eugene) Doyle: Marnie and Nelly’s father, buried in their backyard in the prologue to the novel.
Lennie: Old man living next door to Marnie and Nelly, whose gay partner, Joseph, has died Nelly (Helen): Marnie’s 12-year-old sister who is “a wee bit touched” Marnie: 15-year-old protagonist living in poverty in Glasgow, who buries her parents in the backyard. She also talks about the wisdom and support of older people. Not only is it wonderful to hear the author’s voice, she shares her perspective on the trajectory of the 2 girls and how they each influence one another. NPR has an interview with Lisa O’Donnell starting off with talking about the first very dramatic lines of the novel. I recommend that you read the book before the guide. The trio of viewpoints from the three primary characters adds dimension to the novel and it's these slightly offset viewpoints that not only draw in the reader, but offer much to discuss.Īs with all of my guides, this following may contain spoilers. The multitude of traumas in which every character is seeped underscores the depth of resilience each character holds onto. Every character drags the weight of trauma, from childhood neglect to a brain tumor from drug use, alcoholism and drug dealing to sexual predation. Edition: Softcover, Harper Perennial, 2013Ī quick read with strong themes of drug abuse, resilience, secrets and lies, and relationships offers plenty for a good book discussion.
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