Young Adult Book Reading Challenges discussion

Throughout the book Alice talks about trying to kill herself. How did this sit in your mind?

It felt realistic considering what she went through. I kept wondering why she didn't try to escape, but reminding myself she was kidnapped so young, and the threats he made against her, I can understand how paralyzed with fear she must have been. He manipulated her so much, it makes sense she would think to escape by dying.

Part of it was her great fear of what Ray would do to her family. He seemed to have successfully follow through with his last "Alice" by not only killing her, but her family as well. He made sure to keep track of her family and relay any new information on them to her. She had tried to escape at least twice in the book. If she had killed herself he may have gone after her family and new sister in revenge. Or, my belief, kidnap and raise her new sister himself. With his mentality I could see him doing just that.

Deborah, I never even thought of him being able to kidnap her little sister. That’s a really good point.

I thought that it kind of tortured her to see her sister have a life she didn't have, one free of abuse. I think this also helped Ray manipulate her more, by showing her what she couldn't have. That she is replaceable to the people she thought loved her.

Ray is a sick sick man, that is all i can say.

In a way I kind of felt relieved for her. It's not that I wanted her to die; it's just that I saw death as something that would bring her peace. I don't see her death as tragic. I see her as a hero. In her mind she was talking about a girl who would replace her. She seemed "okay" with it. But as the story goes on Ray will keep Alice alive to witness and abuse this new girl. Because of this she starts to believe that if he's not going to let her go then he can't have the other girl too.

I thought this an interesting question:

Ray plans to abduct another child and sends Alice to the playground in search of a young girl. Alice finds “Annabel” and tells Ray about her. What does she think about Annabel and how does she feel about Ray kidnapping another child.

Laura wrote: "In a way I kind of felt relieved for her. It's not that I wanted her to die; it's just that I saw death as something that would bring her peace. I don't see her death as tragic. I see her as a hero..."

I don't think she let Lucy go because she didn't want him to have the other girl if he couldn't have her. I think she let the other girl go because she realized it wasn't a life for anyone.

I feel so bad for her... I mean to wish you could kill yourself but not being able to for fear for your family. If I were her I wouldn't have believed him but since the previous Alice's family was killed I believe that man was good for it. One thing though is she was so ready to be 15 so she would die, yet through the whole book she had avoided doing things so he wouldn't hurt her family, BUT the other Alice's family was killed when she was 15 anyways... wouldn't he kill Alice's family when she was 15 anyways? So she was protecting them for no reason really when at 15 he would kill her parents. This bothered me.

Laura wrote: "In a way I kind of felt relieved for her. It's not that I wanted her to die; it's just that I saw death as something that would bring her peace. I don't see her death as tragic. I see..."

I too had that sense of relief that death brought her peace, yet I still find it tragic that this poor girl grew up with a psychopath whom she felt left her with no better options for her life ahead than death. I am glad she had the courage to allow Lucy freedom from this horrid life that she was forced to live for far too long.

Deborah, I too never thought that Ray might take her little sister on as an Alice if she didn't behave "appropriately". Very chilling thought.

Angie wrote: "...wouldn't he kill Alice's family when she was 15 anyways? So she was protecting them for no reason really when at 15 he would kill her parents. This bothered me. "

I don't think her age was the limiting factor - it was her weight and other signs of adulthood - that was the reason for the starvation and the waxing. If she could survive a bit longer, even though she wanted to die, it would mean that her family was safe for a while longer.

I think that's why she participated in the plan to abduct another child. If she helped Ray find someone younger and he kept her alive as well then her parents would be safe. With two girls to watch, Ray might be distracted enough so that she could possibly get away and warn her parents. Then she could die.

Grace wrote: "Angie wrote: "...wouldn't he kill Alice's family when she was 15 anyways? So she was protecting them for no reason really when at 15 he would kill her parents. This bothered me. "

I don't think he..."

GOOD POINT! I didn't think of that. You are right. If she AND that child kept Ray happy her parents would be fine. I didn't think of it that way. I read this book a while ago now and just thinking about it right now gives me the creeps!