The Middle of Somewhere(105)

5. Along the trail, Liz and Dante encounter and sometimes befriend other hikers. What role did these characters (Brensen, Paul, and Linda) play in the larger story?


6. The story was told from a single point of view: Liz’s. What would have been added, or diminished, by adding other perspectives?


7. The Root brothers became more and more of a threat as the story progressed. Did you see the stress they caused as a mirror of the conflict between Liz and Dante? At what point did you realize just how dangerous the Roots were? The reason the Roots pursued and threatened Liz and Dante was never completely clear. Did this bother you, or did you draw your own conclusions?


8. The barren splendor of the Sierra is central to this book. What did the landscape mean to Liz, and did that change over the course of the hike? Can you imagine this story in a different setting? In other words, how dependent was the unfolding and resolution of Liz and Dante’s journey on the physical surroundings, including the weather?


9. If you have been on an outdoor adventure, did that experience cause you to reflect on your life in a new way? In general, does “getting away from everything” or deliberately jumping out of one’s comfort zone promote new thinking? Is this something you’d welcome in your life?


10. Why do you think Liz chose to go on the hike? What was she looking to accomplish? Did she succeed?


11. What do you believe happens after the book ends? Do Liz and Dante marry? Do they have children? Does Dante reconnect with his estranged sister, Emilia? Do you foresee any changes between Liz and her parents?