No One Ever Asked, by Katie Ganshert

REVIEW:  This is really an enthralling book and I thoroughly enjoyed the reading experience.  The author expertly met the goal of helping the reader see people from their different perspectives and increasing empathy for those in different situations.   Besides the main issue of race, another important idea I felt the book addressed was the idea that everyone has struggles – no one has the “perfect life” we see on the surface.  The only reason I did not give the book five stars was because its “after life” was not as positive as the reading experience itself.  As I reflected on the book after I had finished, it seemed that there were so many issues (marital difficulties, guns, diabetes, adoption, etc.) that it was overwhelming.  I received a complimentary copy of the book for this review.

Characters
Crystal Ridge Schools	From South Fork School
Camille Gray Neil – husband Children – Taylor, Austin, Paige Kathleen – Camille’s friend Rick – husband Children – Cody, Bennett, Dane Jen Covington – high school nurse Nick – husband Jubilee – adopted daughter, age 7 Branden – Jen’s brother, drug addict Leif Royce Children – Gavin (2nd grade), Derek (high school) Kyle Davis – Anaya’s supervising teacher Juanita Fine	Anaya Jones – second grade teacher at Crystal Ridge and high school girls’ track coach Darius – brother Marcus – boy friend Edison – Austin’s school friend, chess player Tamika Harris – mother

For Discussion:

Note: Because the book I read was an Uncorrected Proof Copy, quotations are referenced with the chapter where they are found.

1. In chapter 9, Anya reflects on a saying of her father, “Good news, bad news.  Who’s to say?”  Do you think this is a true statement?  Were there examples of this saying in the novel?
2. When Camille was thinking about her marriage in chapter 10, she realized that she, “…had taken her marriage for granted, and things taken for granted were all too easily neglected.”  Did you think this was part of the reason why Neil left?  Do you think this is a true statement?
3. How well did you think the author presented the issues involved in combining two very different school districts in terms of race as well as money?  Did she present both sides of the conflict equally well?
4. Discuss Jen and her reaction to motherhood that was so different from what she expected.   Do you think her reactions were realistic?   Was there anything she could have done differently?
5. The author is a white woman and the mother of a black daughter (Author’s Note).  How well do you think she addressed the difficulties Jen faced raising Jubilee?
6. This book tackled very serious and controversial issues in our society.  One was the use of the “N” word.  In chapters 32 and 34 the characters discussed two different uses of that word, one as an extreme insult and one as a sign of solidarity.  What did you think about this? 
7. Also in the “Author’s Note” she wrote about the power of a story.  Through a story, “We get to put on someone else’s skin and walk a mile in their shoes, which makes it the best possible breeding ground for empathy.”  Do you agree?  Can you think of a book that helped you understand someone else?  Did this book fulfill that goal?
8. In chapter 34, Paige was asking Camille if she liked people with brown skin and Camille replied, “I don’t care about skin color.  It’s what’s in a person’s heart that matters.”  She then told Paige that the controversy with combining the two school districts had nothing to do with color.  Do you think Camille believed what she was saying?   Did she change her mind throughout the course of the novel?
9. In chapter 56, Jen realized that she always thought Camille’s life was perfect, but then she came to understand that everyone had struggles in life.  Why was this an important realization for her?  Do you think this is magnified in our world today with Facebook and other ways we share our lives?
10. Discuss Camille, Jen and Anaya.  Were their lives and challenges realistically portrayed?  Were you able to emphasize with them?
11. What purpose did the character Juanita Fine play in the novel?
12. Discuss your reading experience both as you were reading and after you had finished the book.

*****
First Semester Success: Learning Strategies for Your First Semester (or Any Semester) of College, by Dr. Arden B. Hamer, is available at amazon.com, wordassociation.com and barnesandnoble.com.   Click on the upper right link.