the group and Hanna

[Sue]

This was the part(one of) that puzzled me throughout the story. When she told of the reason they were chosen, which I think still a bit puzzling. Were they future 'hits' for Hanna, was she just 'researching' them all along?

[Chuckell]

I guess I didn't get to that part--it must have happened after the part, about a quarter of the way through, when I finally flipped to the half-title page, got out my Sharpie, wrote "To Whomever Finds This Book: Good luck getting through this cutsie-pie nonsense!", and dropped the book on a garbage can lid on my way to work. Ugh, I hated this.

[Lilly]

I think they were all impressionable kids from a privileged background and they were potential recruits?...

[Christine]

I think it wasn't any of these. I think Hannah was severely lonely and the kids kind of picked her out, and she went along with it.

[Rebecca]

i agree with christine. i think she was lonely and saw these kids as a potential way out of that loneliness. it may have been to keep up the appearance of her teacher persona as well.

[Elise]

They were needed for the murder of smoke harvey - and possibly hannah herself, (see pg 451-453) Blue describes how a group of individuals are needed to perpetrate the perfect murder - none of them actually knowing their role - Only the "engineer" knows the whole story and each of the others is used in a delicate dance to create the murder - I think maybe Blue got it wrong - Jade was the One (she was at the pool at witnessed the murder) and Hannah the engineer - the other played their roles unwittingly - the kids were drawn to the party by Hannah, and Hannah lied about Evita being invited - although, I am still not sure weather Dad was there or not.. but i think so and he must've played a role as well.

[Nick]

I don't think so. Blue makes note of the fact, can't remember the page, that adults who seek out kids are unbalanced. Never has a more true sentence been written. Hannah's lost it. She killed, indirectly, her best friend. She's been involved with a revolutionary since she was fourteen. She drinks like a fish. She finally kills a man she finds enchanting and who has done nothing wrong.

In fact Smoke I think is key. He's concerned about the sins of the past. He keeps the tree. He's innocent except by heritage. He drives Hannah over the edge and forces "Dad" to step in.

[Sarah]

Lilly wrote: "I think they were all impressionable kids from a privileged background and they were potential recruits?..."

They were too shallow and selfish to be potential recruits. Maybe she recruited Charles and asked him not to tell the others. That might explain his infatuation with her. Running away caused her to miss out on her high school years. She tried to relive her own childhood through the blue bloods.

[John]

I have 2 agree with Christine, I think Hannah was a lonely woman and was looking 4 friends. I have 2 say that I have read MARISHA PESSL'S new book, which comes out in August - NIGHT FILM, and it is stunning, a totally-immersive experience, as I said in my GOODREADS, review. Do not miss it. It is the MAJOR LITERARY EVENT OF THE YEAR!!!

[Kimberly]

I found Hannah's relationship with the kids very unsettling, almost like a pedophile who is "grooming" a future victim. I think she was using them for something, but I am not sure what. But it was definitely creepy.