The Winter Sister(102)

She squeezed her eyes shut, her lids wrinkling with the effort, and it was then that I knew why she’d been drawn to that book in the first place.

“It reminds you of Will, doesn’t it?”

Her hands, still gripping mine, flinched when I said his name. It had been almost fifteen years since I’d read Wuthering Heights in school, but I remembered the gist of it well enough—two lovers, from vastly different circumstances, spend much of their lives with other people, their obsessive love for each other still raging around inside them, turning one ill, the other withered and bitter.

“I don’t want to read that story ever again,” she repeated—and I nodded, relief filling up my lungs.

“Then let’s do this,” I said.

I led her to the tray of paint on the floor, and I bent down to roll the brush in the shallow pool of Blossoming White. When it was fully saturated with paint, I handed the roller to Mom, watching as she took it with a shaking hand.

“I don’t know,” she said softly, staring at the stars on the wall, her eyes wide and fearful. “I don’t think I can.”

“It’s okay,” I said. “I’ll help you.”

Placing my hand on top of hers, I felt the bones beneath her skin, felt the wrist I used to bring to my nose and smell when I was a child, inhaling her perfume as if it were the scent of a delicate flower.

Then, our hands holding on together, we touched the brush to the wall, and we painted.





acknowledgments


Thank you to my extraordinary agent, Sharon Pelletier, who has been an enthusiastic champion of this novel since I first pitched the idea to her. Without her guidance and expertise, this story would not be what it is today, and I am immeasurably grateful for all the time and effort she has invested in my work.

Thank you to the entire Touchstone team, especially my editor, Kaitlin Olson, whose sharp, insightful edits and thoughtful questions pushed me in ways I did not know I needed to be pushed. I am thankful that my book has been in such masterful hands.

There are not enough words to properly thank Maureen O’Brien for everything she has given me in this journey. From teaching me about the path to publication, to making me laugh after disappointing rejections, to sending me cheerleading emojis as I stared at the blinking cursor in a Word document, she has offered me unwavering support. Thank you, Maureen, for your artistic integrity and partnership.

Thank you to my colleagues in the Creative Writing/Media Arts department at the Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts. I love you all like family, and I am continuously inspired by you, both as teachers and artists.

Thank you to the incredible writing teachers I have had, especially Sue Standing, Deyonne Bryant, Robert Pinsky, Rosanna Warren, and the late Derek Walcott. I still can’t believe how fortunate I am to have studied with you all.

Thank you to Sue Murray, who first taught me the myth of Persephone, and who instilled in me a passion for Greek mythology, without which this book would not exist.

I also want to express my immense gratitude for my family, particularly my sister and my parents, who never once told me that my dream of being a writer was an impractical one. I know what a gift that is, and I do not take it for granted. Mom and Dad, thank you for everything you’ve done to get me to this point, and for always being sure, especially when I wasn’t, that this would happen.

Finally, thank you to my husband, Marc—my first reader and best friend. Thank you for your spot-on feedback, your game-changing suggestions, and your unparalleled support and encouragement every step of the way. I don’t think I could have done this without you, but even if I could have, I’m so glad I didn’t have to.





An Atria Reading Club Guide

The Winter Sister

Megan Collins

This reading group guide for The Winter Sister includes an introduction, discussion questions, ideas for enhancing your book club, and a Q&A with author Megan Collins. The suggested questions are intended to help your reading group find new and interesting angles and topics for your discussion. We hope that these ideas will enrich your conversation and increase your enjoyment of the book.





Introduction


Sixteen years ago, Sylvie’s sister, Persephone, never came home. Out too late with the boyfriend she was forbidden to see, Persephone was missing for three days before her body was found—and years later, her murder remains unsolved. In the present day, Sylvie returns home to care for her estranged mother, Annie, who is undergoing treatment for cancer. Prone to unexplained “Dark Days” even before Persephone’s death, Annie let her once-close bond with Sylvie dissolve in the weeks after their loss, making for an uncomfortable reunion all these years later. Worse, Persephone’s former boyfriend, Ben, is now a nurse at the cancer center where Annie is being treated. Sylvie’s always believed Ben was responsible for the murder—but she carries her own guilt about that night, guilt that traps her in the past while the world goes on around her. As she navigates the complicated relationship with her mother, Sylvie begins to uncover the secrets that fill their house—and what happened the night Persephone died. As it turns out, the truth really will set you free, once you can begin to look at it.


Topics & Questions for Discussion

1. The title of Megan Collins’s debut novel is The Winter Sister. Which sister do you think the title refers to—Sylvie or Persephone? Why do you think Collins chooses to leave this interpretation open to the reader?