Synopses & Reviews
Following the success of The Secret Between Us, a book the Boston Globe hailed as “one of her best,” Barbara Delinsky returns with another moving and deeply satisfying novel, this one about the unique and emotionally complex world of siblings.Molly and Robin Snow are sisters, and like all sisters they share a deep bond that sustains them through good times and bad. Their careers are flourishingMolly is a horticulturist and Robin is a world-class runnerand they are in the prime of their lives. So when Molly receives the news that Robin has suffered a massive heart attack, she couldnt be more shocked. At the hospital, the Snow family receives a grim prognosis: Robin may never regain consciousness.
As Robins parents and siblings struggle to cope, the complex nature of their relationship is put to the ultimate test. Molly has always lived in Robins shadow and her feelings for her have run the gamut, from love to resentment and back. The last time they spoke, they argued. But now there is so much more at stake. Mollys parents fold under the devastating circumstances, and her brother retreats into the cool reserve that is shattering his own family. Its up to Molly to make the tough decisions, and she soon makes discoveries that destroy some of her most cherished beliefs about the sister she thought she knew.
Once again New York Times bestselling author Barbara Delinsky brings us a masterful family portrait, filled with thought-provoking ideas about the nature of life itself, how emotions affect the decisions we make, and how letting go can be the hardest thing to do and the greatest expression of love all at the same time.
About the Author
Barbara Delinsky is a New York Times bestselling author with over thirty million copies of her books in print. She lives with her family in New England.
Reading Group Guide
The questions and topics that follow are designed to enhance your book clubs discussion of Barbara Delinskys
While My Sister Sleeps. We hope they will enrich your experience of this deeply moving novel. For special reading group features, visit the authors Web site at www.barbaradelinsky.com.
A master storyteller, bestselling author Barbara Delinsky has captivated millions of readers worldwide with her emotionally powerful novels. While My Sister Sleeps takes the intensity to new heights. This is the story of a family forced to confront difficult truths, while finding the courage to love each other enough to let go.
Molly and Robin Snow, sisters who are incredibly close yet incredibly different, are in the prime of life. Robin has always
been the hard-working star, an elite marathoner in peak condition, even training for the upcoming Olympic trials. She relies on Molly in countless ways, though Molly must also maintain long hours at the family business, a plant and tree nursery. When Robin suffers a massive heart attack, the roles are reversed, and Molly finds herself having to be the one in the spotlight, speaking up on behalf of her sister. Though the doctors dont expect Robin to recover, her mother is not willing to accept such a grim prognosis. As she tries to deny Robins fate, the discovery of a hidden journal forces her to
confront reality–and the lifetime of secrets that kept the Snows from truly connecting as a family.
Raising provocative questions about family ties, repercussions of the past, and the toughest choices a parent could ever
have to make, While My Sister Sleeps is a novel that will give you much to discuss.
1. How would you characterize the relationship among Robin, Molly, and Chris? Does Chris play a different role because he is a son? How does the Snow family compare to yours?
2. How is Molly transformed during the week after Robins heart attack? What does Molly discover about herself and about the range of emotions she and her sister evoked in each other?
3. What is at the root of Kathryns controlling behavior? How did her past, including her experience with her own parents and her art teacher, influence her personality? Who has more power in the marriage: Kathryn or Charlie?
4. Discuss Snow Hill and what it means to Mollys family. What makes the Snows good at nurturing plants but not as good at nurturing one another? What kinds of healing does Molly experience through her work at Snow Hill?
5. What do Charlies religious beliefs say about him and about the differences between him and the other members of his family?
6. As parents, what family memories do Chris and Erin create for their daughter, Chloe? How does their approach to parenting compare to Charlie and Kathryns?
7. How does Alexiss illness shape the novels storyline? What parallels exist between her situation and Kathryns state of denial?
8. How much is Nick entitled to know, as a reporter and as a friend of Robins? Is Robin entitled to less privacy because she is a public figure, with a wide circle of fans who are concerned about her?
9. What determines whether Liz will be a threat to Chriss marriage? How is Lizs role in the novel different from Peters? How much does the past matter in a marriage, especially events that took place before the wedding?
10. What was it like to read Robins journal after hearing so much about her? Captured in her own words, how does her life compare to other peoples impressions of her?
11. What does Kathryn have to do in order to let go? What does it take to help her see the truth about her circumstances–and Robins?
12. How is Marjories family affected by her dementia? What do the connections among Marjorie, Kathryn, and Molly show us about mothers and daughters? What traits, emotional and otherwise, are passed from one generation to the next in While My Sister Sleeps?
13. Why is David willing to look out for Alexis? What makes him such a caring teacher? What makes him such a tough opponent against Nick?
14. Ultimately, what legacy does Robin leave for her family? What intangible gifts does Molly inherit from her sister?
15. Discuss the medical issues raised by Robins story. Is it unethical to keep a child from knowing the identity of his or
her biological parents? How would you have handled the end-of-life-care questions raised by Robins heart attack?
16. How do secrets affect the characters in While My Sister Sleeps and in Barbara Delinskys other novels? When is it best to let a secret remain hidden? When is it best to reveal the truth?