Synopses & Reviews
In the heart of every family
lie shattering secrets,
and a love that lasts forever...
When war and its aftermath take Josh from Natalie and her children, she must find a way to heal her broken family. And so Natalie begins writing letters from Josh that she hides for young Anna and Toby to find—notes from heaven that attempt to explain why he left, to offer comfort and wisdom. But when Anna suddenly reveals that her father has been speaking to her from heaven, divulging stories only Josh could know, Natalie must uncover the secrets of her husbands past—secrets he hid to protect his family.
As Natalies search brings her closer to her own parents and reunites her with a love from long ago, she and her children will discover just how much of a hero Josh actually was—and that only by finally revealing the truths theyve hidden from each other can they find peace, a fresh start, and the promise of a hopeful future….
Synopsis
In this beautiful, heartbreaking, and captivating novel from the author of the "USA Today" bestseller "Pieces of My Sister's Life," a family comes together in the face of loss when it appears that a young woman can communicate with the spirit of her dead father. Original.
About the Author
Elizabeth Arnold was raised in New York, and has degrees from Vassar College and Princeton University. She lives with her husband in Hopewell, New Jersey, where she is at work on her next novel.
Reading Group Guide
1. Discuss the yellow lavender-filled heart that Josh gives to his children before his death. What did this gift mean to him, and to them? Describe a special object that you received from a loved one. How has its importance changed over the years?
2. How did secrecy affect Natalies marriage and the aftermath of Joshs death? How honest do adults need to be when helping children cope with extraordinarily traumatic events? Are they helped or harmed when we “promise them the moon”?
3. What was the effect of the novels shifting points of view? What are the most significant differences between the way Toby and Anna respond to their fathers death?
4. Why did Natalie feel such shame over the way Josh died? Why would society make a distinction between a soldier who died in combat and a soldier who died on the home front as the result of mental anguish? How is the grieving process different when mourning for a suicide victim?
5. How did it affect Natalie to return to her childhood home and live a dual role as mother and daughter? How does her mothers illness affect the family dynamic? Is there anyone besides her father who can give Natalie support and unconditional love?
6. Cams father overstepped his bounds by publishing the story about Josh without Natalies permission, and without sufficient fact-checking. Yet his actions led to several positive outcomes. What role should the media play in reporting on the military? What kinds of coverage should be off limits? What kinds of coverage should be permitted, even if a family member objects?
7. How did your image of Josh grow and change as you learned more about his childhood, his service, and his suffering? In the end, what were his greatest accomplishments?
8. Discuss the experience of American armed forces in Iraq and their loved ones on the home front. What makes the recent military presence there different from the Gulf War (the conflict that took the life of Joshs father)? What common ground exists for all veterans and their families, regardless of the time period?
9. Anna resists Seth, and Natalie questions her fathers friendship with Marlie. What is the best way to help a child who feels as if a parent is being “replaced”? How does Natalie help Anna cope with that experience?
10. What emotions does Anna express when she takes things that dont belong to her? In her mind, how will these gifts (and the dream that they were given by her father) comfort her and those around her?
11. How was Natalie affected by her encounter with Joshs mother, Hannah? What was restored by that reunion? What could not be restored?
12. What did Natalie discover about her husbands pain, and about his heroism, when Nick told her the truth about Leylas death? How did Leylas “honor killing” permanently change the way Josh saw the world and his place in it?
13. How did you respond to Joshs letter in chapter fifty-two? How did his true voice compare to the imitations of it appearing in the imaginary notes from him?
14. What themes of healing appear in this novel and in Elizabeth Joy Arnolds debut, Pieces of My Sisters Life? What is special about Arnolds approach to the idea of kindred spirits?
Elizabeth Arnolds instant nationally bestselling debut novel,
Pieces of My Sisters Life, proved that she possesses a rare gift for sparkling storytelling. In
Promise the Moon, she delivers another poignant portrait family life, depicting the aftermath of war through the eyes of a young widow and her two children.
As Natalie tries to rebuild her life after the death of her husband, she and her kids must confront unexpected challenges on a daily basis. Josh left behind a legacy of heroic acts in Iraq, along with troubling secrets that only emerged after he died. Though she is only a little girl, Anna claims to have found an extraordinary solution to grief. She insists that her father has spoken to her from heaven, revealing details of his life that only he could have known. As Natalie begins a painful search for answers, her story becomes both a riveting quest for truth and a stirring tribute to the cherished bonds of parent and child.
The questions and discussion topics that follow are intended to enhance your reading of Elizabeth Joy Arnolds Promise the Moon. We hope they will enrich your experience of this mesmerizing novel.