Review of Once a Witch by Carolyn MacCullough

Join the Beaufort Book Club and the Teen Book Club to meet the author on Thursday, January 21 at 5:30 in the Children's Program Room.
It is a great honor for an author to be reviewed in Booklist, Publishers Weekly, and the former publication Kirkus Reviews. See below.
Review of Once a Witch.
“[MacCullough] has created an enormously sympathetic character in Tamsin, whose itchy relationship with her family will resonate with teens struggling to define themselves. Characters, setting, conflict—all develop nicely to create a light urban fantasy that goes down easy and will have readers asking for its sequel.”—Kirkus Reviews

“With the glut of contemporary romantic supernatural tales, this will be popular, but the action, drama, and great potential for compelling sequels set it apart from the crowd.”—Booklist

"MacCullough's writing is evocative without distracting from her story; readers will identify with Tam's desire to create a space away from parental expectations and take comfort that even extraordinary families make mistakes."--Publishers Weekly

January Meeting

I hope you have found a copy of Once a Witch by Caroly MacCullough.

It is a teen novel, but still very interesting as an adult read. If not, the library system has four copies of the book. If you would like to own one, Baystreet Trading Company was ordering copies when I checked.

The author is still planning to speak to the combined adult and teen book clubs on January 21 at 5:30 PM in the Children's Program Room at the Beaufort Branch Library, 311 Scott Street in Beaufort, SC. Even if you haven't read the book by that time, please come and learn about the writing process.

Carolyn's next novel, Always a Witch is in the works! Have read the first one, I'm looking forward to the the sequel.

Happy New Year!

Fran

October 15 Reading Guide

Caution! It is likely that the following reading guide will reveal, or at least allude to, key plot details. Therefore, if you haven’t yet read this book, but are planning on doing so, you may wish to proceed with caution to avoid spoiling your later enjoyment.

Book Group Questions
Pearl's narration is unique because of its level, calm tone throughout – even when the events she describes are horrific. One is reminded of Wordsworth's reference to "emotion recollected in tranquility." It is almost as if Pearl is writing in a diary. What was Lisa trying to accomplish in setting up this counterpoint between her tone and her narrative?

Pearl is a Dragon and May is a Sheep. Do you think the two sisters are true to their birth signs in their actions in Shanghai Girls?

Which sister is smarter? Which is more beautiful?
Each sister believes that her parents loved the other sister more. Who is right about this? Why?

Pearl says that parents die, husbands and children can leave, but sisters are for life. Does that end up being true for Pearl?

If you have a sister, to what extent does the relationship between Pearl and May speak to your own experience?

What's the difference between a relationship that's "just like sisters" and real sisters?

Is there anything your sister could do that would cause an irreparable breach?

Z.G. talks about ai kuo, the love for your country, and ai jen, the emotion you feel for the person you love. How do these ideas play out in the novel?

Shanghai Girls makes a powerful statement about the mistreatment of Chinese immigrants to the United States. Were you surprised about any of the details related to this theme in the novel?

How would you describe the relationship between Pearl and May?

How does the fact that both are, in a sense, Joy's mother affect their relationship toward each other?

Who loves Joy more and how does she show it?

Pearl doesn't come to mother love easily or naturally. At what point does she begin to claim Joy as her own? How, where, and why does she continue to struggle with the challenges of being a mother? Do you think this is an accurate portrayal of motherhood?

There are times when it seems like outside forces conspire against Pearl—leaving China, working in the restaurant, not looking for a job after the war, and taking care of Vern. How much of what happens to Pearl is a product of her own decisions and choices?

Pearl's attitude toward men and the world in general is influenced by what happened to her in the shack outside Shanghai. To what extent does she find her way to healing by the end of the novel?

Did your attitude toward Old Man Louie change? How do you feel about Sam and his relationship with Pearl and Joy? Did your impression of him change as the novel progressed?

The novel begins with Pearl saying, "I am not a person of importance." After Yen-yen dies, Pearl comments: "Her funeral is small. After all, she was not a person of importance, rather just a wife and mother." How do you react to comments like these?

Speaking of Yen-yen, Pearl notes: "When we're packing, Yen-yen says she's tired. She sits down on the couch in the main room and dies." Why does Pearl describe Yen-yen's death in such an abrupt way?

After Joy points out the differences in the way Z.G. painted her mother and aunt in the Communist propaganda posters, May says, "Everything always returns to the beginning." Pearl has her idea of what May meant, but what do you think May really meant? And what is Pearl's understanding of this saying at the end of the novel?

Near the end of Shanghai Girls, May argues that Pearl and Sam have withdrawn into a world of fear and isolation, not taking advantage of the opportunities open to them. Do you agree with May that much of Pearl's sadness and isolation is self-imposed? Why or why not?

How do clothes define Pearl and May in different parts of the story? How do the sisters use clothes to manipulate others?

How does food serve as a gateway to memory in the novel? How does it illustrate culture and tradition both in the novel and in your own families?

What influence—if any—do Mama's beliefs have on Pearl? How do they evolve over time?

Pearl encounters a lot of racism, but she also holds many racist views herself. Is she a product of her time? Do her attitudes change during the course of the story?

What role does place—Shanghai, Angel Island, China City, and Chinatown—serve in the novel? What do you think Lisa was trying to say about "home"?

Questions provided by bookbrowse.com

Questions for American Wife

1. The novel opens and ends with Alice Blackwell wondering if she’s made terrible mistakes. Do you think she has? If so, what are they?

2. Alice’s grandmother passes down her love of reading to Alice. What else do they have in common? What does reading provide for Alice throughout her life?

3. Why does Andrew Imhof remain such an important figure to Alice, even decades later? Do you think they would have ended up together under different circumstances?

4. To what do you attribute Dena’s anger at what she calls Alice’s betrayal? Do you think her anger is justified? Are there other issues influencing Dena’s decision regarding their relationship?

5. After her confrontation with Pete Imhof in her early thirties, Alice states, “Long ago, I had become my own confidante.” What does she mean by this?

6. Is Charlie Blackwell a likable character? How did you feel about Alice’s decision to stay with him despite the problems they encountered in their marriage? Why do you think she continues to love him even though they are so different in so many ways?

7. Alice states that she lives a life in opposition to itself. What does she mean by this statement, and do you agree with it?

8. Does Alice compromise herself and her ideals by marrying Charlie? She tells him before they wed that she never wants to become a public figure. Do you think this has changed by the time he becomes president?

9. Were you surprised by the scene between Alice and Joe at the Princeton reunion? Why do you think it happened?

10. What would you have done in Alice’s situation at the end of the novel if you shared her beliefs? Do you think it was wrong of her to take the stance she did?

11. How do you think Laura Bush would react to this novel if she read it?

12. How is this book different from Sittenfeld’s previous two novels, other than in its subject matter?

August 20 Meeting

I think we all came away with a greater respect for Teddy Roosevelt after reading River of Doubt. One of our big questions was: why had we not heard of these major events from T. R.'s life? Was this a life so full of big moments that some had to be overlooked? Was the time after his presidency not considered important? Was the discovery of a river-course in South America deemed unimportant to North Americans? We could not decide.
We began the reading list for the coming months:

Sept. 17 American Wife by Curtis Sittenfield Facilitator: David

Oct. 15 Shanghai Girls by Lisa See Facilitator: Micki

Nov. 19 A Voyage Long and Strange by Toni Horowitz Facilitator: Fran

Dec. 17 Christmas Party -Kathy

Jan. 21 Combined meeting with Teen Book Club to meet the author:
Once a Witch by Carolyn MacCullough

Feb.18 The Food of a Younger Land by Mark Kurlansky Facilitator: Brenda

Mar. 18 Digital Fortress by Dan Brown Facilitator: Stuart

Apr. 15 The Scarecrow by Michael Connelly Facilitator: Tally Essman

May 20 South of Broad by Pat Conroy Facilitator: TBA

Jun. 17 Handle with Care by Jodi Picoult Facilitator: TBA

Jul. 15 Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell Facilitator: TBA

River of Doubt-Discussion Questions

Judy has agreed to lead our August 20 (5:30 PM) discussion of River of Doubt. Here are some questions to consider in the meantime. They come from http://www.readinggroupguides.com/.

1. Chapter one, “Defeat,” depicts dramatic scenes from Roosevelt’s final election. What parallels exist between a risky political career and a risky Rain Forest expedition? What enabled him to survive both?

2. Compare Rondon’s and Roosevelt’s leadership styles. In what ways did these co-commanders complement each other? In what ways were they at odds?

3. Discuss the very concept of survival as it shapes The River of Doubt. In choosing provisions, what items did Roosevelt’s team consider necessary for survival? What aspects of survival (greater quantities of dry, mildew-free clothes, for example) did they overlook? What intangibles (especially in terms of emotions) are also necessary for such an expedition?

4. What aspects of humanity were represented by the various personalities in the group, ranging from exploitive Father Zahm and the rational Cherrie to the volatile Julio? Can such varied people coexist? How did you react to Roosevelt’s belief that it was necessary for Julio to be found and shot after he murdered one of the team members?

5. Do any contemporary American politicians possess Roosevelt’s public-speaking style? Why did he believe it was important to debate the former Chilean ambassador and deliver speeches refuting the protestors there?

6. Discuss the extraordinary medical history included in The River of Doubt. How was Roosevelt able to survive so much in his lifetime --- from gunshot and disease to a train wreck --- with only rudimentary medical care? What aspects of modern medicine would have made his expedition safer? Would safer conditions have undermined the thrill?

7. What did you discover about the intricate, sometimes surreal ecology and geography of the Rain Forest itself? What is the significance of the ancient history of South America’s formation, such as the plate tectonics that sculpted the Andes Mountains? What was it like to read descriptions of a region where few humans have adapted to the environment? Why is it important to preserve rather than develop these ecosystems?

8. In the end, what do you believe Roosevelt’s true missions were in this expedition? What was revealed about the nature of some geographic explorers when his success was met with deep skepticism? What motivates any explorer --- from ancient nomads to NASA scientists? What separates Roosevelt’s brand of adventurousness from that of contestants on television shows such as “Survivor”?

9. Share your observations about the Cinta Larga, ranging from nutrition and family life to warfare. Does their self-sufficiency make them noble?

10. What did you discover about Roosevelt’s parenting style? Is his approach–particularly his insistence that his children learn to conquer rather than avoid obstacles --- prevalent in many American schools today?

11. Do you believe that Kermit’s later despondency, which eventually drove him to suicide, was related more to genetics or to his life’s circumstances? Did his father expect too much of him? How did their relationship shift throughout this father-son expedition? How would you have fared on a similar mission with your mother or father?

12. How might Roosevelt respond to current concerns about the environment and climate change? How might he and his Progressive “Bull Moose” Party have fared in recent elections?

13. What separates The River of Doubt from other presidential narratives you have read? What writing techniques enabled the author to weave together science, travelogue, and history? What do the Notes and Acknowledgments sections reveal about her research techniques? If someone were to write a biography of you, what narratives could be constructed from your collection of letters and other memorabilia?

14. Discuss the historical context of Roosevelt’s trip, in terms not only of South American history but other aspects of world history from this time period, such as the sinking of the Titanic in 1912? Would World War I have unfolded differently if Roosevelt had defeated Wilson?

15. How were the first chapters of Roosevelt’s life, which were marked by poor health, resolved by this final South American chapter? Do his triumphs of endurance, from boxing at Harvard to valiant service during the Spanish-American War, form a timeline of progressively more dangerous challenges throughout his life? If so, did he finally meet his match with The River of Doubt? Why do you believe this expedition was, until now, less well known than his other triumphs?

Saints at the River-Jan 2008

We have just had a query from a reader asking who we would consider the "saint" on the drowned girl's behalf. We had earlier considered the environmentalists or the parents to be, at various times, the saints mentioned.
Comments from the group?

Beach Music Discussion

We had a lively discussion of Beach Music on June 18. Brenda gave us a short biography of Pat Conroy and lead the discussion of this complicated work. We also read excerpts from the text and commented on the language, structure, and themes.
Brenda brought fabulous crab cakes from the Pat Conroy Cookbook, and Judy brought his delectable white chocolate pistachio cookies. Several others brought goodies to see that the group was well fed.
We will not meet in July. At our next meeting, August 20, we will discuss The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt's Darkest Journey by Candice Millard. Would someone please volunteer to lead the discussion? Contact me at fhays@bcgov.net, or come by the Beaufort Branch Reference desk.
Below are highlights of Brenda's presentation from last evening.

We heard from his publisher that Pat Conroy had had surgery recently [unspecified] and would be unable to accept our invitation for the monthly book club discussion. We wish him a speedy recovery, all best wishes for health, and much success with his forthcoming novel. Mr. Conroy, we want you around a long time!

This month’s selection, Beach Music, features Jack McCall, a South Carolina Lowcountry native, who flees the South for Rome with his daughter, Leah, after his wife commits suicide. There he tries to find peace and escape the drama of his dysfunctional family. Jack is an author of cookbooks and a restaurant critic. But his search for solitude is disturbed by his sister-in-law, and by two school friends who want his help in tracking down another classmate who went underground as a Vietnam protestor and never resurfaced. The novel explores Jack's younger years during the Vietnam War-era, the lives of his in-laws who survived the Holocaust, and coming of age in the twentieth century. Beach Music a complex and rich story that covers three generations and explores a cornucopia of themes and subthemes: sibling and parent/child relationships, orphans and orphanages, emotional abuse, mental illness, alcoholism, class differences, politics, man against nature in a test of survival skills, self-discovery, faith and religion, patriotism, and peace. You’ll find Holy Mother sightings, nunneries and monasteries, a tree house, mental asylums, communication with dolphins, immigrant stories, Appalachian terror, seafood recipes, a manta ray devil fish, collegiate rivalry, military brashness, Southern traditions, speech and food ways, turtle conservation; a love letter, a suicide letter.
Many in attendance had not seen images or even heard of the monstrous manta ray. Brendagael showed an 1858 engraving from our South Carolina Room of the creature, who had been struck by William Elliott’s great harpoon, as described in the novel. The group of fourteen in attendance were split on the literary success of the novel overall, but agreed there were exquisite passages to be enjoyed again and again. Some embraced the novel without exception, while others were distracted and annoyed with some of the tangential stories that veered from the immediate circle of Jack’s friends and family. Brendagael passed around examples of the beautiful language from various parts of the book, and each had a turn in reading Conroy’s poetic meter aloud. This brought up points of discussion such as who was ultimately responsible for Shyla’s suicide, and Jack’s love/hate relationship with the South, and how the South was personified throughout the novel as its own character, illustrating Jack’s conflicted world view. Also discussed were Conroy’s recurring themes and characters in the larger body of his work.

Since its inception three years ago, the Beaufort Book Club has read a Conroy novel each year. We look forward to discussing South of Broad (available in libraries and bookstores everywhere, August 11, 2009) in the near future. “Per la vostra salute,” Mr. Conroy.



Brendagael Beasley~Forrest, MA, MSLS

Questions for Beach Music

1.) Did you like it? Yes, no, or neutral and (briefly) why?

2.) Who was your favorite character and why? Your least favorite?

3.) Jack both reveres and reviles the institution of family. On the one hand, it is understandable that after the pain of the custody trial, he would want to remove both himself and Leah from the association of his in-laws. But what of his own family? What evidence is there to explain his refusal to maintain contact with them when they acquitted themselves so well in coming to his defense?

4.) Who does Jack blame for Shyla's death? Whose failing do you see as being greater and/or who do you hold most accountable: the individual, the close family and friends, or society at large? Further, Jack feels personally that had he known of Shyla's obsession, he could have helped her more. Is this just a typical survivor's reaction, or do you find some merit in this?

5.) Jack blames Shyla's parents for her sadness and his own parents for many of their children's problems. Dallas asks: "Can you ever forgive Mom and Dad for being exactly who they were born to be?” Is the wish to have one's parents be something different a futile desire? How do you assess Jack's own talents when it comes to child rearing?

6.) John Hardin's brothers, in their quest to deal with his emotional problems, make free use of their characteristic sarcasm, caustic wit, and irony. What effect, if any, do you believe this treatment has on John Hardin? In what other ways might you imagine them treating him differently, and what effects do you imagine such changes would make? Are family members' behavior more a cause or an effect of mental illness?

7.) There were a lot of topics addressed in the book... the old South, Vietnam War, the Holocaust, mental illness, cancer, etc. Was it too much for one novel? Did all the different issues make the story more realistic or less realistic for you?

8.) In the first portion of the story, Jack seems tired, bored--even annoyed--with Ruth's and George's repeated references to the Holocaust. What value does the telling of these unspeakable tales hold for Jack, and further, what value do they hold for the modern reader?

9.) Conroy’s plot winds and weaves, backward, now forward again, repeating on itself, and taking on the texture of waves. What effect does this technique contribute to the tale? Is there something that would be lost had Conroy adopted a more linear approach in the telling?
10.) To what extent do you believe that Jack's views are Conroy's views? At what points, if any, do you feel that they diverge? Finally, can you find instances where Conroy steps back and is actually critical of Jack?

11.) Virtually all of the characters here are affected in some way by the concept of masks--both metaphorical and literal--and the converse issue of nakedness. At one extreme, we have Lucy calling for her makeup first thing after waking from a near-death coma. At the other end of the spectrum, we have John Hardin talking to the turtle ladies on the beach while stark naked. Is the relative ability to don masks or abide one's own nakedness an asset or a hindrance to these characters? How is the mask/nakedness issue related to both the physical and emotional survival of other characters, particularly the Foxes?

12.) Jack speaks of his own sense of helplessness as a child when witnessing violent acts. Yet, in a sense, he subjects Leah to the same emotions when he beats up Mimmo DeAngelo, even if it is in defense of Mimmo's wife, Sophia. Is Conroy perhaps showing us here, with brutal honesty, that it is impossible to escape our own genetic/environmental past? Do you believe that it is possible to break out of our familial molds, or is each generation doomed to re-create in some fashion the wrongs of its predecessor?

13.) It can be said that "place" almost functions as another character in this book. What do you make of Jack's choice of Italy as a refuge for himself and Leah?

14.) It is interesting that Capers--arguably one of the least sympathetic characters in the novel--is often granted the discerning vision of the realist. "`Yours, Jack, is a world of either-or, all or nothing'" (153). With one sentence, he nails the fact that the very same fault that Jack finds with Catholicism, Judaism, and zealous patriotism--the extremity of it all--is one that he is guilty of himself. Is it just human nature, or is it a tragic flaw peculiar to Jack, this inability to see the thing we hate in ourselves, and so turn it outward on humanity?

Questions for The Art of Racing in the Rain

1. Some early readers of the novel have observed that viewing the world through a dog’s eyes makes for a greater appreciation of being human. Why do you think this is?

2. Enzo’s observations throughout the novel provide insight into his world view. For example:• “The visible becomes inevitable.”• “Understanding the truth is simple. Allowing oneself to experience it, is often terrifically difficult.”• “No race has ever been won in the first corner; many races have been lost there.”How does his philosophy apply to real life?

3. In the book's darkest moments, one of Zoe's stuffed animals --- the zebra --- comes to life and threatens him. What does the zebra symbolize?

4. Can you imagine the novel being told from Denny’s point of view? How would it make the story different?

5. In the first chapter, Enzo says: “It's what's inside that's important. The soul. And my soul is very human.” How does Enzo's situation --- a human soul trapped in a dog's body --- influence his opinions about what he sees around him? How do you feel about the ideas of reincarnation and karma as Enzo defines them?

6. Do you find yourself looking at your own dog differently after reading this novel?

7. In the book, we get glimpses into the mindset and mentality of a race car driver. What parallels can you think of between the art of racing and the art of living?

8. The character of Ayrton Senna, as he is presented in the book, is heroic, almost a mythic figure. Why do you think this character resonates so strongly for Denny?

Questions are from ReadingGroupGuides.com