Annie and Emily’s close relationship deteriorates throughout the book as they are pulled in different directions. How did you respond to the breakdown of their connection? Why do you think Annie still chose Emily as Dorothy’s guardian?
I was disappointed with Annie’s attitude towards Emily. On the other hand I don’t think she realized that despite their closeness growing up, Emily was her own person as opposed to someone who wanted the same thing Annie wanted out of life. Annie always wanted Emily’s approval and therefore was angry when Emily didn’t accept “her secret”. Despite all of this Annie knew that Emily would care for her niece like her own child. Nell already had her hands full.
I thought it was a shame that the sisters grew apart. Annie married for security when it seemed like the man she loved would never return. I disagree with her continuing the affair after she was married. I think she made her choice, and she should have either given up Stregone or divorced John. But if she hadn’t married John, Emily and Henry would probably have never met. Even though Annie’s secret drove Annie and Emily apart, I think the fact that Emily knew is one of the reasons that Annie named Emily and Henry as Dorothy’s guardians. Emily had had interactions with Leonardo and, when the time came, would be able to tell Dorothy about her father.
Emily was more realistic than Annnie. Annie was a dreamer and swept up in a more frivalous viewpoint of life. She is swept of her feet by a circus performer, married another for security and money, then had an affair and a child with her first love when he reappeared. Emily had her feet on the ground. I think Annnie had regrets but their lives were so different and they lived far apart. Annie did know that Emily would be a stable parent for Dorothy if something happened to her. Annie and Emily loved each other but Emily lost respect for Annie and her choices. Annie’s secrets came between them.
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I think Annie and Emily wanted different things in life. Annie’s secret is what brought them apart. I thanked Annie really needed her sister in her life and was disappointed when Emily chose to move to Kansas .
I think Annie knew that Emily would take good care of her daughter if something happened to her.
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I think Annie chose Emily as Dorothy’s guardian because she knew Emily was a good woman with strong moral values and she knew she would take good care of Dorothy. I think although Annie loved the aerialist very much, her conscious bothered her that she had committed adultery. Maybe it was both ladies’ guilty conscious that drove them apart. Maybe Annie was ashamed of what she had done and maybe Emily felt guilty for not wanting to stay with Annie in the city. I think it was the first time Emily had chosen her own desires over other peoples desires.
I think annie knew in her heart, she could try her sister with her child. But she may not have felt that she coudl trust anyone else, especially considering the paternity of Dorothy. what if she died but her husband did not? Would her secret be revealed and her husband ( who didn’t seem like such a nice man) reject her daughter? Annie was the one to trust.
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Oops. Sorry, Annie was the one who needed to trust Emily.
It was a bit sad to see them growing apart, but that is not unusual for siblings as they grow older and are shaped by the events that come their way.
Emily found true love with Henry but Annie’s true love was more complicated. If the husbands had not been related, maybe Annie would have confided in Emily. In spite of the distance between them, they were connected in important and eternal ways. When Annie chose Emily to care for Dorothy, it did not surprise me - Nell already had a busy family and Emily had so much love to give. It was the right decision and I doubt that it was a difficult one.
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It’s sad when a relationship deteriorates. Unfortunately this is a fact as we move on with our lives and have new interests. I think Annie knew that Emily was the right choice and stuck to that even though the two of them were no longer close.
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I haven’t researched my theory, but I think with every generation, families become less and less close to each other.
Several reasons: it’s more common for young adults to move farther and farther away from “home”, most partners have less children than in the past and divorce/ second marriages are more common which creates “blended” families that aren’t always able to be together often.
Not that being less close is good or bad. It’s just a change in the same way that new generations have different lifestyles than older generations.
I hated that the two sisters grew apart but they were totally different people with different goals in their lives. Annie thrived on the approval of other people and Emily thrived on helping other people. I think Annie knew deep down that she was a shallow person and that her sister would do a great job of raising Dorothy.