1. Critic Jean Fritz claims that Bridgers has too much movement back and forth between different characters' points of view. Analyze her shifting perspective throughout the novel and respond to this critic.

2. Should young adults read about suicide, mental illness, and divorce?

Some critics claim it is too depressing while others agree it is a reflection of the real world. How do these topics, as woven into the novel by Bridgers, affect readers?

3. Read another novel by Sue Ellen Bridgers. Then analyze and compare the significance of setting in both novels.

4. The lives of Bliss, Karen, and Wren might be used to trace the history of the women's movement in contemporary American life. Use these three fictional characters to illustrate what is happening in American society in regard to women's rights and roles.

5. The mental illness of a major or minor...