Week #1 Discussion: The Sundial (Chs. 1-7)

[Sue]

Ginny, I like that image of Jackson being a few steps ahead of us and cheering or taunting us on to figure out what is happening.

[Cindy]

Ken wrote: "Cindy wrote: "Ginny wrote: "Diane wrote: "Personally, I wouldn't want to restart civilization with any of these characters. ..."

I don't think anyone has mentioned yet the obvious parody of Christ..."

Ken, it's hard to like any of these characters. I think this is partly because the characters don't appear to like each other. The only thing that saves this story for me is its dark humor.

[Cindy]

Ginny wrote: "Cindy wrote: "Finally, there's the doll that Aunt Fanny buried in the maze. The doll ends up on the sundial with pins stuck in it. Was the doll a pin cushion originally and not just a toy? Or is th..."

Ginny, great observations. I especially like the image of trying to keep up with Jackson as if the reader were running through the maze trying to reach her. The clues lead us to believe that Fancy was the one who stuck pins in the doll likeness of her grandmother; but Mrs. Halloran was so unpopular so it could have been any of them.