At the opening of the book, what type of relationship does Summer have with Cletus? Why do you think she is so threatened by Cletus and desperate to keep him away from Ob? What changes in Summer's mind in regards to her views on Cletus? Do you think Summer and Cletus will be friends in the future? Why or why not?

What do you think the significance of the town name, Deep Water, is? What relationship did May have to water when she was alive? How might May's relationship with water have affected her relationship with her hometown, before and after her death?

Describe Cletus' experience with the afterlife. How did his experience with life and death affect his relationship with Ob's? How did this experience further separate Cletus from Summer?

Throughout the novel, there is a parallel drawn between Summer and Dorothy from...