Waterfall Wednesdays discussion questions for week 3 ~

Welcome to another installment of our reading group discussion 

created by Tina at Tina's Book Reviews! 

 Waterfall Wednesday at Edgy 's blog this week is chapters 12-17 

of Lisa T. Bergren's , Waterfall, the first novel in the River of Time series.

Discussion Questions for Chapters 12-17

1. In Siena, on her way to the ball at Palazzo Pubblico, Gabi likened her experience 

to being on the red carpet at the Academy Awards, the goal being "to see and be seen." 

If you were a peasant, watching from the crowd, 

what would you be thinking as this procession passed by?

possibly, i'd be admiring the beauty and worth of the garments!

if i believed them just, i'd be impressed.

if unjust, i'd be hoping for their end!

2. Though quite nervous about dancing at the ball, 

Gabi discovers a strange feeling of connection to the time, the people, and the society 

through the unified beauty of the dance. 

Have you ever been in a position where you felt out of your element, 

but, in one, pinpointed moment, 

became a part of or connected to something bigger than your fear?

 beginning my first solo service as an interning priest, 
 the moment i stopped beneath the cross
came connection with God and Spirit's call, 
Holy Spirit Presence that was Strength greater than fear.
 all fear was overcome.
absolutely momentous moment!


3. The kiss. Oh, the kiss. When Marcello finally kisses Gabi, 

he believes the experience to be proof that they are meant to be together. 

What did you think about his assumption? 
~ probably something to do with beliefs of the age he is living in...

Were you surprised at Gabi's reaction to it? 
~ no!  her heart was already waiting and wanting it...

Have you ever experienced a kiss that seemed to be 
prophetic in a similar (or opposite!) way?

~ unfortunately, not recently '')


4. Many go through their teen years with a subdued sense of immortality. 

Do you think Gabi has a sense of this teen feeling? 

And did you think Gabi's converse observation, 

"Sometimes death came hunting and there was no way to cut it off at the pass." 

was informed more by the experience of losing her father, 

her self-admitted closet hypochondria, or 

the forced maturation of being transported to a different time? 

i believe Gabi's sense of immortality has been modified 
by both her father's death and the time travel 
as Gabi tells Lia, 
"we jumped through some time continuum...it's gotta change us somehow."

no, i don't believe the hypochondria would have that same effect.
How does this observation show Gabi's growth as a character?
it's revealing that her extreme experiences  
have provided opportunity to reflect and review issues of life and death
in new light with the resulting character growth.


5. In the span of a few moments, Gabi goes from sword-wielding teen beauty 

to man-killing warrior. Did you think her realization of the finality of death 

-- and her justification for its necessity -- 

was realistic? 
And, in her slippers, could you have done the same?
having never lived in Gabi's slippers
i am totally incapable of answering whether this was realistic.
as she had previously noted, the 'fight or flight' reaction,
i'm quite sure that would have taken me in its current ~
i'm reading this as her story and so am entranced in her story
rather than making judgement calls while reading.
 i am totally carried along in the movement, motion and emotion
of the moment ~ fantastic action! 

1st in the River of Time Trilogy

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