Introduction

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Excerpt

Chapter 1

For a moment, I think I have made a mistake. My tweezers pause and shake over the yellow rose. I have already stripped the petals to expose the stamen, which will release the pollen from this father plant. But is this the rose I had put aside earlier? Or didn’t I want the white rose with orange-tinged petals, with a bloom so open it looks more like a daisy? These parents are known only by their codes: G120 and G10. I double check in my rose notebook. G120. G10. I do not breed the plants without writing down this information. That way, I can recreate an outcome, or adjust by breeding with another plant. My memory has been suffering lately, though I refuse to acknowledge this aloud. I adjust the lamp, calm my twitching hands, and continue. ... view entire excerpt...

Discussion Questions

1. Consider the title of the book —what multiple meanings might it convey?

2. In the early chapters, as we're getting to know Gal as a character, what is your opinion of her? Does her struggle with kidney disease affect your perception of her character?

3. Gal often views the world in black-and-white, and is inclined to stick to rules in the name of order and fairness. But at times, other adults in the story question or undermine her decisions, believing that individual circumstances merit a special response. Whom did you agree with during these conflicts? Do you see rules more as guidelines that should be flexible, or do exceptions make rules meaningless?

4. The book highlights the complex and fraught system of organ donation, where in the face of a limited supply of organs, potential recipients must be ranked according to criteria that may not always seem fair . . . and this ranking can mean the difference between life and death. Do you agree with Gal's implication that she's more deserving of a kidney than Mark? What criteria would you take into account if you were doing the ranking?

5. Riley comes to live with Gal at a fragile time during her teenage years, when she's still trying to identify interests, solidify skills, and find her passions. How does living with Gal help her grow in these respects? Which other adults and peers also influence her development?

6. Irresponsible, flaky Becky is an interesting foil to Gal, who is rigidly consistent in both her outlook and actions. Did your opinion of Becky change over the course of the novel? Do you sympathize at all with the struggles she faces and the choices she makes?

7. As we learn in the book, rose breeding and cultivation is both a competitive endeavor that can lead to financial gain and a collegial undertaking in which fellow hobbyists share tips and information for mutual benefit. How do Gal and the other breeders handle the fine line between sharing and competing? Do you think Gal's anger toward Byron was justified?

8. In what ways does Gal become transformed by the end of the story, as a teacher, sister, friend, and stand-in parent?

Weblinks

»	Author Margaret Dilloway's web site
»	Publisher's Book Info

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