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Welcome to the final Online Book Club discussion of Five Feet Apart. 

Did the book end the way you thought it would? I have to say that I was really surprised by the ending. I thought that one of the characters would probably not make it to the end of the book, but I never expected the character that would pass would be Poe. I really didn’t expect Will to make it to the last pages. 

Were you surprised how quickly Poe dwindled? I couldn’t believe how he was seemingly healthy at the birthday party and then he stopped breathing. I wonder what made him decline so quickly. I understood Stella’s reaction to Poe’s death, but I hated reading about her reaction. I really disliked the fact that Poe’s death made her question getting new lungs, and I didn’t like how she put herself in such a dangerous situation with Will. 

What did you think of the fact that Will had to give Stella mouth to mouth? I really don’t understand how he did not pass his infection to her. I thought that was a little unbelievable since the whole time, they were worried that just being in close proximity to each other would hurt them both, but when he actually blew into her mouth, she was fine. Did you think it was believable that he didn’t get her sick? Were you surprised that her surgery seemingly went off without a hitch after her body had sustained such trauma in the water? 

If you’d like to learn more about double lung transplants, I encourage you to read this article from the Mayo Clinic. It explains the procedure and talks about eligibility for a transplant. And, if you’d like to read a first hand account from someone who has gotten a double lung transplant, check out this blog post. I encourage you to read the follow up blog post Caleigh Haber wrote in which she describes what she learned after her lung transplant. You can also check out Haber’s website to learn more about her fight to fund research for patients with cystic fibrosis. 

How did you like the ending? I liked seeing that Stella and Will were both doing well, and I was glad both were getting to travel and experience new things. Did you wish there was more closure about their relationship? Do you think they ended up approaching each other at the airport? Is there anything you would have changed about the ending? 

Is there anything from this section that I didn’t mention? What were your final thoughts? Did you enjoy reading the book? 

If you enjoyed reading the book and want to read and watch more things like it, check out this list I created of similar items. Please let me know if you check out anything on the list. 

Finally, check out the video link below if you want to learn more about what it took to bring these characters to the big screen. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cn1ijMyV60M

I hope you enjoyed reading along with us this month! Make sure to leave a comment to let me know your final thoughts. I can’t wait to hear from you in the comments section. 

And, please join us again next month as we read Artemis Fowl. You can access Artemis Fowl any time on Hoopla!

Welcome to Week 3 of the Online Book Club discussion of Five Feet Apart. 

How did you feel about this section? I felt like it was more emotional than the first section. Did you feel that way? I felt like I was better able to understand how much people with CF sacrifice on a daily basis through Stella’s character. 

This section started off with us learning about Abby’s death. She had an accident while cliff diving, and Stella was supposed to be with her. I can’t imagine the guilt that Stella carried—both for not being there when Abby died and for being the child who lived. I feel like I was able to understand why Stella was so strict about her medicine regimen and her care. She wants to make sure that she lives so her parents have at least one surviving child. 

What do you think about Will and Stella’s relationship? I’m finding it hard to cheer for their relationship since I see so much at stake. I just don’t want Stella to miss her chance at new lungs. What did you think of the date they had by the pool? I have to admit I was really glad that Poe texted them and interrupted them because I think they might have attempted to touch. I want them both to be happy and I want them to experience a positive relationship, but I just worry that Will is going to infect her. 

I was so glad that Stella made it through her surgery without any complications, weren’t you? I was a little scared that something was going to go wrong with the surgery. Did you know much about G-tubes before reading this section? I had a vague idea of what they were, but I didn’t know much. I thought this article from the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation was really helpful. Check it out if you want to understand more about G-tube feedings. 

Do you feel like Will showed growth in this section? I liked how he finally understood that his bacteria could harm Stella, and I was glad that he understood that his mom was being so pushy because she wanted to be able to spend more life with him. Did you feel like he became more mature in this section? I felt like he began to think about other people more than he thought about himself. 

This section ends really happily with Will’s birthday party. I’m afraid that that will be one of the last really happy scenes in the book. Do you have any guesses about what will happen in the last section of the book? I’m afraid that all of the characters won’t make it to the end. 

Is this story making you want to hear more real cystic fibrosis stories? I feel like I want to know more, especially since I want to know if Will and Stella are realistic characters. While researching about cystic fibrosis memoirs, I stumbled upon this article about a mother who published her daughter’s diary after her daughter died following a double lung transplant. Check out the article to learn more about the story and make sure to check out the book, Salt in My Soul, if you want to read the diary. 

Before you go, make sure you watch the video below to find out why the director, Justin Balboni, wanted to tell this story on screen. 

Make sure to leave a comment to tell me what you thought of this section. I’m excited to hear your thoughts. I hope you’re able to finish reading the book before joining us next week!

Welcome to Week 2 of the Online Book Club discussion of Five Feet Apart. 

How did you enjoy these first ten chapters? I thought they were really engaging, and I found myself flying through the pages. I really like Stella. I think she’s a really interesting character. She is definitely incredibly driven. So far, I don’t have too many feelings about Will. He kind of seems like a stereotypical bad boy in that he doesn’t really care or take things seriously. I’m hoping his character grows and changes as the book continues. 

An interesting thing to note about this book is that it is actually an adaptation of the screenplay for the movie version. That’s why there are three people listed as authors on the front of the book. According to this article on Publisher’s Weekly, the book actually came to fruition during the development of the movie. I think that’s pretty unusual, and maybe that’s why the book is so fast-paced and easy to read. Are you surprised that the movie was actually in development before the book?

There were so many medical things in this first section that I had never heard of before. One of the things that really stuck out to me was the AffloVest. When I was reading about it, I envisioned a vest that shook like a massage chair, but after watching this video, I think it’s less disruptive than that. But, it still seems restricting, and I’m sure it’s not super fun to wear. I had also never heard of B. cepacia. If you’d like to read more about B. cepacia, check out this article from the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. 

Did you feel so incredibly stressed every time Will and Stella interacted? I definitely did. I didn’t want him to accidentally spread his infection to her. I even felt nervous when she was in his room setting up his medicine cart. I was afraid that he hadn’t taken the necessary precautions to disinfect his room. What did you think of the scene where he was on the roof and had a coughing fit? I’m not really sure why he would risk being that close to the edge of a building in the first place. I was so scared that Stella would have to physically touch him in order to rescue him. Did you fear that as well? 

I was shocked when I read that Abby, Stella’s sister, had passed away. Did you suspect that at all? I had no idea, but it does help explain Abby’s dedication to her health regimen, and it explains the tension between her parents. Do you think Will will help Stella process her sister’s death? Do you think it’s fair that Stella feels like she has to live in order to keep her parents afloat? 

Who was your favorite minor character in this section? I definitely liked Barb the most. She seemed like the most nurturing woman, and I really liked reading about her relationship with Stella. I like how she’s so no-nonsense. I thought Julie, the nurse, was a fun character, too. I’m interested to read more to find out why Stella seems to be having a hard time talking to Julie, though. 

When I was researching the movie version of the book, I found out that a real person with cystic fibrosis helped to shape the character of Stella. According to this article on Refinery29, the movie’s director, Justin Baldoni was heavily inspired by Claire Wineland, a motivational speaker who passed away after a double lung transplant in 2018. Wineland consulted on the movie and helped movie makers understand why it’s so important for cystic fibrosis patients to stay away from each other. Check out one of Wineland’s videos below if you want to know more about her. 

Before we finish talking about this first section, I think it’s worth noting that May is Cystic Fibrosis awareness month, so take some time to click around on the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation website to find out more about the disease. 

I hope you enjoyed reading this first section, and I hope you’re able to finish the next ten chapters before next week. I can’t wait to hear your impressions of this first section in the comments. 

Welcome to May’s Online Book Club discussion. This month, we’re reading Five Feet Apart by Rachael Lippincott with Mikki Daughtry and Tobias Iaconis. (Available to download as an ebook or audiobook.)

The Online Book Club, if you’ve never joined us before, is a book discussion group that takes place entirely online. Each week, I write a new blog post that talks about different aspects of the book, and you can interact directly with me and other readers by leaving your comments. Check back each week and see what new topics we’re talking about.

Five Feet Apart is is a young adult fiction book that follows two characters as they navigate living with cystic fibrosis. Stella Grant likes to be in control of her medications and treatments, and she doesn’t want anything to jeopardize her ability to get a lung transplant. On the other hand, Will Newman can’t wait to turn 18, so he can stop treatment and live life outside of a hospital. At first, the pair are at odds, but as they get closer, they start to hate the rule that patients with cystic fibrosis can’t actually be physically close to each other—they must stay at least six feet apart at all times. Will the pair sacrifice their health and cross the six-foot boundary? 

If you want to follow along with us but you aren’t interested in reading the book, you can always watch the movie version starring Haley Lu Richardson and Cole Sprouse. Check out the trailer above if you want to get a feel for how the story plays out on the screen. Feel free to still leave comments on the blog posts, even if you’re only watching the movie and not reading the book.

Next week, we’ll be discussing the first ten chapters. I hope you’ll check back for the blog post, and I can’t wait to hear from you in the comments section.

Welcome to the fourth and final discussion of Julie & Julia. (Available to download as an ebook or audiobook.)

Were any of you surprised that Julie was actually able to finish the challenge in a year? I was really surprised. I definitely thought she was going to get too discouraged and would eventually stop. I’m glad she finished the project, though. It’s always so inspiring when people complete a big goal. 

This last section started with Julie attempting to make crepes. I couldn’t believe how strenuous the whole process seemed. I was a little confused about how she was able to make crepes so effortlessly at the beginning, but then as she continued, she struggled. Do successful crepes rely heavily on a well-oiled pan? I did think it was fascinating that she oiled her pan with a piece of bacon. I have definitely heard of greasing a pan with bacon grease, but I’ve never heard of someone using a piece of bacon in that way. Since Julie mentioned that Julia Child used to fling crepes in the air on her television show, I knew I needed to find a video of Julia’s crepe making process before I could really understand the chapter. Luckily, Smithsonian Magazine has a video of Julia Child making Crepe Suzette. Make sure you watch the video, so you can better understand why Julie had such trouble with crepes. 

What did you think about all of the attention Julie started getting from the media at the end of the challenge? It’s crazy that she was interviewed by so many major publications. I find it hard to think that a blog could receive all of that media coverage in this day and age, but I guess things were different in 2002 and 2003. After reading about the CBS interview, I really wanted to find the video, but I was unable to. I did find an article that features a still photo from the interview, and the picture, although it’s pretty grainy, did help me picture Julie’s kitchen a little better. Although I couldn’t find any cooking videos from Julie during the challenge, I did find a video from years later that helped me imagine how Julie would have looked as she cooked her way through the challenge. Check it out below if you want to get a taste of Julie’s cooking style.

One thing that I did think was interesting was that Julie seemed to have a great experience with people leaving her blog comments. When she lamented the fact that she was turning 30, many people gave her encouragement through the comments section. And they encouraged her through the whole project. I don’t usually read comments on the internet because they can be a little nasty, so I was surprised that she received so many positive comments. Do you think she got so many comments because it was still the early days of blogging and there weren’t as many internet trolls around? 

Were you impressed by Julie’s ingenuity when she described how she was able to cook with a flashlight under her chin when there was a blackout? Were you grossed out completely when she described how there were maggots under her dish rack? I think the maggots part was just horrifying. I really had a hard time reading after that section. I just kept thinking everything in her kitchen was probably tainted. What part of the book was the hardest for you to read? What was your favorite part? 

Julie kind of touches on the fact that her blog was a little polarizing. It was really popular, but her writing style and subject matter did draw some critics. One of her critics was Julia Child—a fact that Julie touches on at the very end of the book. If you want to read more about some of the criticisms for Julie’s blog, check out this article on ABC News. Make sure you notice the comments that Julia made about Julie’s project. 

At the very end of the book, Julie and her husband go to Julia Child’s kitchen exhibition at the Smithsonian. Julie leaves some butter—a detail that I thought was pretty funny. I thought it was a nice homage to Julia. If you want to see the exhibit for yourself, check out this video.

What are your final thoughts about the book? Did you enjoy it? Do you think you’re going to watch the movie after reading? Are you going to attempt any of Julia Child’s recipes? If you enjoyed the book and are looking for more titles like it, check out this list I made. Let me know if you end up reading anything on my list!

I hope you enjoyed reading along with us this month! Make sure to leave a comment to let me know how you enjoyed the book. And make sure you join us next month as we read Five Feet Apart. I can’t wait to hear from you in the comments section. 

Welcome to the third Online Book Club discussion of Julie & Julia. (Available to download as an ebook or audiobook.)

How was your reading experience this week? Did you find yourself wanting to head into the kitchen after reading about Julie’s escapades? I confess that reading this section did not make me want to cook; instead, it made me feel a little stressed out. I just felt for Julie with all of the dirty dishes and plumbing problems. I can’t imagine cooking in that kind of space. Do you think you would have been able to keep up with the project after encountering any of the obstacles she encountered? 

Julie starts this section by talking about Samuel Pepys, a man who religiously recorded his life for nine years. Had you heard of him before? If you’re curious about his life, check out this quick biography on BBC History. And, if you want to read some of his diary entries, check out pepysdiary.com. I can’t really imagine recording everything about my life for nine years, but I admire those who do. Do you keep a diary? Do you think you’d be able to keep a diary without missing a day for years? 

Early in these chapters, Julie mentioned going to a grocery store called Western Beef. Had you ever heard of this chain? I had never heard of the store, but Julie made me think that it was a worthwhile place. Check out their website to see their interesting mascot. To me, the mascot doesn’t really scream grocery store, but I appreciate the creativity. Whenever Julie mentioned going to the grocery store, I couldn’t help thinking that grocery shopping in the city sounds impossible. I imagine that it would be so hard to get groceries home using mass transit, and I can’t imagine all of the lines and crowds. And I can’t imagine how much money she was spending on all of those supplies. The cuts of meat she used had to be really expensive. I was glad that she started getting some financial help on the blog by the end of the chapters we read. It’s interesting how early blogs could have a donate button so that readers could directly support the blogger. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that on a contemporary blog—it seems like blogs are self-sustaining with sponsored content and advertisements. 

Obviously, Julie spent most of these chapters talking about the food she made. Did any of the recipes stand out to you? The aspics sounded horrible. I wasn’t even sure what an aspic was, but it sounded like something I definitely didn’t want to eat. Every time Julie talked about it, I had a vision of cat food in my head. If you’re curious about what aspic is or what it looks like, check out “What is Aspic?” to learn more. I can definitively say that I will not attempt to make aspic, but I was intrigued by some of the desserts Julie mentioned. Julie mentions making a Bavarois à l’Orange, and her description sounded tasty enough that I ended up finding an online recipe for it. I don’t think I will actually make it because it feels past my skill level, but it looks like a gorgeous dessert. You might be more courageous than I am, though, so feel free to check out the recipe on La Cucina Italiana. Do you remember when Julie attempts to take that Charlotte Malakoff au Chocolat to work but drops it on the sidewalk and breaks her pan? I thought the Charlotte Malakoff sounded really good. Check out this blog post with the recipe—the dessert looks delicious, and the blog post contains pictures of Julia Child making the recipe. Based on the pictures in the post, it doesn’t seem like Julia Child was too fussy in her baking. She had some broken ladyfingers, too, but she still presented her dessert with pride.

The aspic chapter was gross, but I think the hardest chapter to read was the lobster chapter. I just don’t think I could cook a lobster, and I definitely know that I couldn’t cut into a live one. What did you think of the parts where Julie was describing killing the lobsters? Do you think she was being dramatic? Do you think you could follow one of those recipes? 

Near the end of these chapters, Julie almost abandons the project but decides to keep going. I admire her commitment to the project, but I wonder if she is really doing it for herself or if she’s doing it for the validation she receives. What is your take on her motivation? Do you think she would have lasted more than a couple of weeks if she hadn’t gotten positive comments? I just feel like the project adds so much stress to her life, and I’m not seeing that it adds much joy. 

Has this section convinced you to watch the movie yet? Do you want to see how all of Julie’s mishaps play out on screen? If you haven’t seen the movies and are curious about what it took to get all of these dishes to the big screen, check out this article from LA Weekly about the movie’s food stylist. 

Before you head into the last section of the book, take a moment to watch this video in which Julia Child cooks with Martha Stewart. 

I hope you enjoyed these chapters and are excited to finish the book for next week. Make sure to leave me a comment to tell me a recipe that you would like to try. Or, tell me a recipe that you would definitely skip! I can’t wait to hear from you in the comments section. 

Welcome to Week 2 of the Online Book Club discussion of Julie & Julia. (Available to download as an ebook or audiobook.)

Did you enjoy reading the first five chapters this week? I found the reading to be really easy, but I didn’t always enjoy the writing style. What did you think of Powell’s writing? Did you enjoy the way she talked about things, or did you find her candor off-putting? When I was first reading, I was a little confused about the little vignettes about Julia Child. At first, I assumed those scenes were taken from Child’s writings, but when I looked at Powell’s author notes at the beginning of the book, I realized she imagined those scenes from research she did about Julia Child. What did you think about those scenes? Did you notice the author’s note? 

In this first section, Powell talks about her day job often, and at one point, she mentions how the company she worked for had the responsibility of figuring out what to do with Ground Zero, the area left behind after the Twin Towers fell. She doesn’t mention the government agency by name, but she does mention that her company ran a memorial site called the Family Room. I could not imagine what this room really looked like, so I immediately attempted to find pictures of it online. Luckily, I found that the New York State Museum has an online exhibition of the space. Make sure you check out the panoramic virtual tour because I don’t think you can really understand the breadth of this memorial without taking the tour. The space is so overwhelming, but I can see how it could provide a sense of connection and closure for people who lost a loved one in the September 11th attacks.

One thing I thought was really interesting was Powell’s first blog post. She recounts her entire post at the very end of the first chapter—it’s a short little post, and it feels completely different than blogs we have now. From what I understand from reading the blog archives, Powell didn’t include any photos in her original posts. Can you imagine a blog now that didn’t feature a lot of visuals? I think readers now would expect a photo of each recipe attempt. Do you think Powell’s blog would have gained as much notoriety if it had come on the scene now instead of in 2002? 

What did you think of the chapter in which Powell recounted how hard it was to find a marrowbone? Do you have any idea how you would go about getting a marrowbone? I don’t have the first clue how I would go about getting that kind of ingredient. But getting the marrowbone didn’t end up being the worst part of the process. I think the worst part was actually cutting the bone apart to access the marrow. Have you ever done any complex cooking that would require sawing apart a bone? I definitely haven’t, and I don’t think I could do it. What’s the weirdest ingredient you’ve ever cooked with?

Did you have a hard time picturing the apartment that Powell and her husband moved in to in this first section? It didn’t seem like a very pleasant place. But, hearing about her small kitchen made me remember that so many cooks make great things in really small spaces. I read an article about Joy Wilson, creator of the website Joy the Baker, a long time ago, and I found it really inspiring that Wilson was able to create so many recipes and bake so many things in such a small space. Don’t you love looking at people’s kitchens? I really do. To see pictures of Julia Child’s kitchen, check out this post on Bon Appétit‘s website. 

Were there any other things in this section that really stood out to you? I’m really excited to see how the project gets more complicated as the book progresses. Do you think Powell will struggle with anything in particular? 

I hope you’ll check back next week as we discuss chapters 6–10. I can’t wait to hear what you think of the next section. Before you go, check out Julie Powell’s list of top kitchen tools. Do you have all the tools needed to start cooking like Powell? 

I’m excited to hear from you in the comments section!

Welcome to April’s Online Book Club discussion. This month, we’re reading Julie & Julia by Julie Powell. (Available to download as an ebook or audiobook.)

The Online Book Club, if you’ve never joined us before, is a book discussion group that takes place entirely online. Each week, I write a new blog post that talks about different aspects of the book, and you can interact directly with me and other readers by leaving your comments. Check back each week and see what new topics we’re talking about.

Julie & Julia is a memoir in which Julie Powell recounts her experience of working through Julia Child’s cookbook Mastering the Art of French Cooking. For her project, Powell attempts to cook every single recipe in the cookbook in only one year. Throughout her journey, Powell learns much more than just cooking skills and recipes—she also learns a lot about herself and her relationship with her husband, and finds a new purpose in life. 

If you want to follow along with us but you aren’t interested in reading the book, you can always watch the movie version starring Amy Adams and Meryl Streep. Check out the trailer above if you want to get a feel for how the story plays out on the screen. Feel free to still leave comments on the blog posts, even if you’re only watching the movie and not reading the book.

Next week, we’ll be discussing the first five chapters, so make sure to read through the chapter “…To Make an Omelette” before reading the blog post next week. I hope you’ll check back for the blog post, and I can’t wait to hear from you in the comments section.

Welcome to the final Online Book Club discussion of The Firm. 

Were you physically exhausted after reading the ending of this book? I felt like I had been tracked by the FBI just like Mitch. Which part was the most stressful for you? The part on the dock was the hardest for me to read. 

I think my favorite part of this section was that Tammy worked as a cleaner so she could get closer to all the secret things happening in the law firm building. I can’t believe she was so happy to do all of those jobs, and I hope she realized that Mitch would have been killed without her. We know, too, that he would not have been able to escape without Ray. It was really lucky that Ray was with them and not still in prison. 

How shocked were you that the FBI actually allowed Ray to leave prison? I was surprised that they allowed him to leave, but I was more surprised that he left by “escaping.” I think I believed that they would just let him go, like he was paroled. I never expected him to have an assisted break out. 

Did you ever believe Abby and Mitch had really separated? I thought that her being away was part of their final plan, but I did wonder if maybe she had had enough of Mitch and his work. I wasn’t sure about the status of their relationship until they finally met up. Was there a part of you that thought that they might not end up together? 

Obviously, the FBI informant hurt Mitch, and the information the informant leaked forced Mitch to escape earlier than he thought he would. He’s lucky he was so organized and was able to drop everything and put his plan in motion. I was confused why Mitch decided to run instead of go to the FBI, but by the end of the book, I saw how his escape was all part of his plan to live life after the firm under his own terms. Did you believe, at any time, that Mitch was going to take the FBI’s money and not give them any information? I definitely thought that was a possibility. 

Mitch got money from the FBI, but he also stole from the firm, right? He did a money transfer of $10 million, and then transferred $1 million each to his mom, his in-laws, and Tammy. I’m glad Tammy was rewarded, since she was so helpful.

I flew through the pages in which Mitch, Abby, and Ray were hiding and recording because I was so worried they were going to be found. I really expected to read a bloody shootout scene. Thankfully, we didn’t have that. The dock fight was enough for me. 

Did you imagine that life after the firm would end up the way it did for Mitch. I didn’t expect them to end up sailing around and living life on the run. Do you think they will ever come back to society? Do you imagine that the would be able to hide from the Mafia forever? I feel like money would eventually run out, but I don’t really have any idea what it would be like to have millions of dollars. Were you satisfied by the ending? What would you have done differently? 

If you liked the book, you may not like the movie. I found the movie to be really, really different than the book. To see more about the differences, check out this article from Entertainment Weekly. It explains how screenwriters adapted the story. You might also want to check out this article about the filming locations for the movie, if you’re curious to know how much of the movie took place in the settings mentioned in the book.

Finally, make sure to check out the John Grisham Room at Mississippi State University. You can see pictures of some of the memorabilia they have, and some of his papers, too.  

If you liked reading The Firm this month, check out this list of similar books and movies that I created. Make sure to tell me if you check out anything on the list!

Thanks for following along with us this month. Next month, we’re reading Julie and Julia by Julie Powell. I hope you’ll join us then!

Welcome to Week 3 of the Online Book Club discussion of The Firm. 

This section was intense, wasn’t it? So many things happened, it feels almost impossible to talk about the chapters! I was really glad once we finally realized what illegal activities in which the firm participated. Once I knew about the Mafia and money laundering, I finally understood why the firm was so intent on sending lawyers to the Cayman Islands all the time. What other pieces clicked into place for you once you realized the firm was helping the Mafia? 

Lomax was a pretty sad character in this section. At the beginning of the section, he lets Mitch know that the deaths of the lawyers are suspicious. But, then, he is assassinated. His death has to be connected to the firm as Tammy, the secretary suggests. It’s so sad that Lomax was killed—he was just trying to help out Mitch. 

Tammy was my favorite character in this section. First, she rents that office space so she and Mitch can make copies of Mitch’s files. Then, she seduces Avery and drugs him so she can make copies of the secret files. She and Abby were so brave throughout that whole scene! Tammy showed no fear when talking to Avery or when walking back and forth with the documents. Finally, she flies back and forth with the files and organizes them for Mitch. He could not have done anything without her.

A lot of this section follows Tarrance and Mitch as they iron out the details of Mich’s deal.The FBI wants copies of files and bank documents, so they can build a case against the firm. Mitch, at first, just wants money and assurance that he and Abby can walk away from this whole experience safe. But, he eventually decides that he wants the FBI to break his brother out of prison. It seems like the FBI will pay Mitch however much money he wants, but they are resisting getting Ray out of jail. Do you think they’ll end up doing it? 

Which of Tarrance and Mitch’s interactions did you think was the most stressful? I thought the time when Tarrance approached Mitch out in the open in downtown Memphis was the most concerning. Why would Tarrance put Mitch in so much danger? The firm was so suspicious of that encounter, even though Mitch tried to play it off like he wanted Tarrance to leave him alone. I also thought their meeting on the Greyhound bus was pretty cool. All of their evasive tactics to lose Mitch’s followers were pretty ingenious. 

Did you feel like Mitch was being honest with the FBI in this section? Did you ever feel like he might double cross the FBI? There’s just something about his demeanor and actions that makes me feel like he’s hiding something. Do you think he’ll end up helping the FBI in the end? 

This section ends with an FBI mole telling the firm that he will give them information about Mitch. How do you think this will come to affect Mitch? Do you think he’ll be able to escape before the mole rats him out? 

Are you enjoying Grisham’s writing style? If you’re curious about his writing process, check out the video below. He talks about his regimented routine, which I find fascinating. 

I’m sure I missed so much in this section, so make sure to leave a comment to tell me about your favorite part that I skipped over. 

We’ll be finishing up the book next week. I hope you’ll join us then!