Review Questions for Katya

1. What did Katya need to

Review Questions for The Tutor

1. What would you have done in Natalie’s situation? (You suspect your spouse has traumatized your child, and he is a powerful man.)

2. How did the island help Matti become stronger both mentally and physically?

3. How was Izzy a good role model for island women?

4. Despite their inappropriate actions, why did the love affair between Diego and Izzy feel so satisfying to us as an audience? And if not, why not?

5. Were you rooting for Diego, or Nic, to win Natalie’s heart? Why or why not?

6. How did Natalie grow as a person on the island? What caused that growth?

7. What demonstrates these themes in the book? Truth versus Perception, Emotional Need versus Moral Resolve.

8. What do you think it would be (or is) like to have a negative, controlling person in your life?

9. Why is it sometimes necessary to completely change your immediate environment? What are the advantages and disadvantages to this? What were the advantages for Natalie and Matti? For Nic? What were the disadvantages?

10. How do you think setting affected the mood of the book?

11. How do you think dialogue affected the tone of the book?

12. What symbolism did you discover while reading?

(Example of symbolism in The Tutor) The island represents isolation and the need to develop strength and fortitude within one’s self. Our individual gifts can only be recognized, and then utilized, through self discovery. This rang true for both Matti and Natalie. Who else on the island wrestled with weaknesses but ultimately found inner strength and overcame their obstacles?***What else did you see as symbolism in the book?

Review Questions for Olivia’s Ghost

1. Why is it so difficult for Jackson and Olivia to find solace in one another, regarding their daughter being tossed overboard?

2. Is Andrew being selfless, or selfish, in his attempt to help Olivia find her daughter?

3. Is Jackson wrong to continually dismiss Olivia’s belief about what happened that day, or is he right to stand by his own conviction of what happened?

4. Is the ghost in the lighthouse real, or Olivia’s imagination?

5. Is the medium sincere, or using an ideal situation to help maintain her reputation and earn a living?

6. Like Olivia’s friends in Seattle, have you ever felt badly for someone, but had no clue how to help them through a difficult situation?

7. Why do you think Olivia’s father, Morgan, kept the story of the Ryan’s from her while growing up in the lighthouse?

8. Is it easy to understand how grief can be so crippling that the thought of death is less horrible than the pain of living without that person?

9. When was Olivia weak, and when was she strong in her actions? Were her weaknesses forgivable? Why or why not?

10. When was Jackson weak, and when was he strong in his actions? Were his weaknesses forgivable? Why or why not?

11. Like Olivia, have you ever wanted to return to a past relationship when things are difficult in a current situation?

12. What demonstrates these themes in the book? Truth versus Perception, Emotional Need versus Moral Resolve.

13. How do you think setting affected the mood of the book?

14. How do you think dialogue affected the tone of the book?

15. What symbolism did you discover while reading?  The ocean? (Wildly unpredictable, mysterious, and as unrelenting as Olivia, or Olivia’s  catalyst for solace and reflection? The lighthouse? (Did it represent Olivia’s isolation, because no one understood her belief Ava was alive, or was it an odd place to be, much like Olivia’s new normal?

Review Questions for Journey

1. Why is Kylie so compelled to raise her sister’s child?

2. Why doesn’t Kylie necessarily believe Grayson is Alana’s father?

3. Why is Kylie suddenly torn about her feelings for Chase?

4. What demonstrates these themes in the book? Truth versus Perception, Emotional Need versus Moral Resolve.

5. What did you admire, and what did you find frustrating about Kylie, Grayson, and Chase?

6. What feelings did Chenlei arouse in you?

7. How did secondary characters contribute to the story? Please comment on one or two: Elise, Quinn, Taylor, Gwyneth, Alana

8. How do you think setting affected the mood of the book?

9. How do you think dialogue affected the tone of the book?

10. What symbolism did you discover while reading?

The sea? (How our lives are sometimes calm and other times stormy)

Sailing? (The way we react/steer our course differently, depending on outside influences and circumstance beyond our control)

Rum? (How it dangerously warms us from the inside out, and seduces us to obscure reality – much like love/lust when presented out of context from our daily routines, goals, and perceived purposes)

The cliff steps? (How they represent ‘the always present danger’ in life, whether it be stumbling morally, emotional, psychologically, or physically)

Review Questions for Benjamin

1. How does maternal (protective) love influence Tori’s decision-making both positively and negatively?

2. Do you believe in angels? How else might you explain Daniel and Benjamin’s healing powers, if you witnessed them in action?

3. What demonstrates these themes in the book? Truth versus Perception, Emotional Need versus Moral Resolve.

4. What did you admire, and what did you find frustrating concerning each of these characters? Victoria, Jonathan, Daniel

5. What feelings did Benjamin arouse in you?

6. On a scale of 1-10, how creepy did you find Peter? Explain your answer.

7. How do you feel secondary characters contributed to the story? Please comment on one or two:  Wil, Rachel, Miranda, Maggie, Sarah

8. How do you think setting affected the mood of the book,?

9. How do you think dialogue affected the tone of the book,?

10. What was your favorite scene or scenes in the book and why?

11. What symbolism did you discover while reading?

Doves? (How they represent innocence and gentleness; everything Benjamin represented)

Cathedrals? (How they are intimidating buildings depicting God wanting influence in our mortal lives, and the reality of sin infiltrating our self-imposed wall of faith)

Stained glass windows? (How they are a maze of emotion-filled faces and scenes that equally illustrate clarity and confusion, peace and turmoil, joy and suffering; everything we all struggle with)

Wine? (How it represents a pouring out of confessions, while also a means to forget the pounding of reality pressing in)

Tea? (How it comforts and consoles, and encourages meaningful conversation, to put things into perspective)

Visit Amazon’s Kathryn Mattingly Page

Visit Kathryn Mattingly at goodreads

Visit Kathryn’s author page: wintergoosepublishing.com/authors/kathryn-mattingly