Question A

[Jonetta]

The story begins with the last minutes of Faith Chastain’s life. Were you able to separate illusions from reality in those moments? Did it provide any clues as you later navigated the story?

[Lisa - (Aussie Girl)]

Female characters with mental health issues seems to be a bit of a theme in this series. In this case it was pretty clear to me the circumstances of where Faith was, she was in a facility and seemed confused. It wasn't clear who was in the room at the time of her death so this was a clue going in.

[Sharon]

I agree. I was looking for a doctor or another patient at this point.

[Anita]

Faith was afraid of whoever she was in the room with and I thought it was either a doctor or another patient. It wasn't clear if she was just paranoid or if there was a real threat.

[Jonetta]

I struggle trying to figure out what was real and imagined. It seemed Faith was also having trouble doing the same. They never really said what was wrong with her or how she came to be mentally ill.

[Anita]

With my very limited knowledge of mental illness, I think she was basically Bi-Polar with strong paranoia. She also could have had bad reactions to the drugs they were using on her.

[Lauren]

As this is a thriller, I accepted that she was not alone in the room. My question rather was whether she leaped out of the window of her own accord to escape her tormentor or whether he pushed her.

[Lisa - (Aussie Girl)]

Lauren wrote: "As this is a thriller, I accepted that she was not alone in the room. My question rather was whether she leaped out of the window of her own accord to escape her tormentor or whether he pushed her."

Yes, either scenario could have happened reading the prologue.

[Lauren]

Anita wrote: "With my very limited knowledge of mental illness, I think she was basically Bi-Polar with strong paranoia. She also could have had bad reactions to the drugs they were using on her."

I can't remember if there are descriptions in the book of manic episodes or paranoia before being hospitalized.

The only scene I recall is Abby finding her mother after she tried to commit suicide. It is possible that Faith was suffering from severe depression rather than bipolar disorder. Either way, she would have been on medication that could have resulted in paranoia although I did not think she was imagining her abuser.

[Jonetta]

I just don’t recall her condition being talked about in depth.

[Sharon]

Lauren wrote: "As this is a thriller, I accepted that she was not alone in the room. My question rather was whether she leaped out of the window of her own accord to escape her tormentor or whether he pushed her."

Lauren, I never thought that she went out the window on her own. I thought she was pushed or jumped to get away from the other person.

[Lauren]

Sharon wrote: "Lauren, I never thought that she went out the window on her own. I thought she was pushed or jumped to get away from the other person"

Yes, my impression was that she jumped to get away from him.

[Jonetta]

I thought he pushed her. That’s what Abby recounted when she regained her memory.

[Lauren]

Jonetta wrote: "I thought he pushed her. That’s what Abby recounted when she regained her memory."

Yes, I think that is how it's explained in the memory - I don't have the book with me to check. But in the prologue, I think it was described as a fall while she was backing away from him.

[Lisa - (Aussie Girl)]

There may have been some suggestion also that there was no one in the room and it was all in her mind and she jumped as I recall. Just to muddy the waters.

[Sharon]

We like muddy waters.

[Jonetta]

But that wasn’t the truth.

In the prologue, Faith was clearly seeing eyes in the closet and feared the hands that were reaching out to her. Then she called out to Abby (calling her Hannah). Turns out it was all reality but she couldn’t discern if it was or not.

[Sharon]

I couldn't tell from the prologue if what she saw was real or in her head. I questioned the scene until Abby got her memory back.