WHEN WILL THERE BE GOOD NEWS? / Giveaway
When Will There Be Good News?
On a hot summer day, Joanna Mason’s family slowly wanders home along a country lane. A moment later, Joanna’s life is changed forever…
On a dark night thirty years later, ex-detective Jackson Brodie finds himself on a train that is both crowded and late. Lost in his thoughts, he suddenly hears a shocking sound…
At the end of a long day, 16-year-old Reggie is looking forward to watching a little TV. Then a terrifying noise shatters her peaceful evening. Luckily, Reggie makes it a point to be prepared for an emergency…
These three lives come together in unexpected and deeply thrilling ways in the latest novel from Kate Atkinson, the critically acclaimed author who Harlan Coben calls “an absolute must-read.”
Kate Atkinson lives in Edinburgh. Her first novel, Behind the Scenes at the Museum, was named Whitbread Book of the Year in the U.K. in 1995, and was followed by Human Croquet, Emotionally Weird, Not the End of the World, Case Histories and One Good Turn.
1. Many of the characters in When Will There Be Good News? have lost family members: Joanna loses her mother, sister, and baby brother in the novel’s opening pages; Reggie’s mother has recently drowned; and Jackson lost his mother, brother, and sister in the course of a year when he was twelve. In view of these tragedies, compare Joanna’s, Reggie’s, and Jackson’s respective outlooks on life with those of the other characters in the novel.
2. The question of Nathan’s paternity haunts Jackson Brodie. Why? How might Jackson’s life change if he discovered he was Nathan’s father? Is Jackson a good father to Marlee?
3. With When Will There Be Good News?—and previously also in Case Histories and One Good Turn—Kate Atkinson introduced elements of the traditional crime novel into her fiction. Other than the “crime,” what elements make up a crime novel? What crime-fiction conventions can you discern in this book?
4. When Will There Be Good News? has three central female characters: Joanna, Louise, and Reggie. Discuss the ways in which these three central characters are similar. Which of the three would you most like to encounter again in a subsequent novel by Kate Atkinson?
5. Of Jackson Brodie, Atkinson writes, “How ironic that both Julia and Louise, the two women he’d felt closest to in his recent past, had both unexpectedly got married, and neither of them to him” (page 90). What are the chances that Jackson will ever have a successful romantic relationship? Why do you think he has been unlucky so far, even though he is such an appealing character?
6. Discuss the idea of “good” characters and “evil” characters in When Will There Be Good News? Do you think the novel’s central characters are either essentially “good” or essentially “evil,” or are they a combination of both? How do Louise, Reggie, and Jackson—each of whom breaks the law to achieve the “right” result—figure into your viewpoint? What is the moral code at work in the novel?
7. Death, violence, and hardship seem to stalk Reggie, yet she remains remarkably resilient. What do you think sustains her?
8. Discuss the institution of marriage as it is portrayed in the novel. Consider Louise’s marriage, Joanna’s marriage, Jackson’s marriage, and Julia’s marriage. Are there any characters in the novel who are happily married?
9. Jackson Brodie believes that “a coincidence is just an explanation waiting to happen” (page 319). Discuss some of the coincidences in When Will There Be Good News? Do they make the story seem more real? Or less real?
10. Despite the novel’s title and the early statement that “everything was bad. There was no question about it” (page 10), there are many instances of humor in the story. Do you think When Will There Be Good News? is essentially a humorous novel with tragic events or a tragic novel with moments of levity?
I sold my house finally!
simplystacieblog at gmail dot com
+2 old follower
simplystacieblog at gmail dot com
My good news … we finally have some nice weather today! It has been below freezing for the past 19 days and we have tons of snow too! I am looking forward to spending some time outside in the sunshine this weekend.
alongtheway(at)telus(dot)net
I am a follower
alongtheway(at)telus(dot)net
There's going to be a warm up tomorrow and it's going to get above 0!!!
I subscribe to your blog through RSS feed.
The good news is my hubby was hired back to his job!! YAY!!
lizzi0915 at aol dot com
+2 I am already a follower.
lizzi0915 at aol dot com
I, Pricilla the goat, am pregnant.
thank you
kaiminani at gmail dot com
I was a follower 1
thank you
kaiminani at gmail.com
I was a follower 2
thank you
kaiminani at gmail dot com
I would enjoy this book.
I am a follower.
cenya2 at hotmail dot com
we received a wii over the holidays and are loving it.
I am alive and breathing and have hope – good news!
ashleymaymott(at)aol(dot)com
I'm alive and healthy and have a roof over my head – that's always good news. 🙂
Plus, it's the weekend, I did my grocery shopping yesterday and I wrote out enough blog posts in advance to last me for the next month or so.
Marian
mdperera at hotmail dot com
And I'm a follower!
Marian
mdperera at hotmail dot com
I can finally wear a pair of regular shoes following my foot surgery of 5 weeks ago. Yeah!! No more boot and cold toes.
bstilwell12 at comcast dot net
+2 I am a current follower.(Barbara Stilwell)
bstilwell12 at comcast dot net
My guess is it will be tragic infused with a bit of levity. At any rate, I'd love to read it and find out.
bgcchs(at)yahoo(dot)com
I'm already a follower. +1
bgcchs(at)yahoo(dot)com
I'm already a follower. +1
bgcchs(at)yahoo(dot)com
My good news is that the deep freeze has finally lifted in the Midwest~It is suppose to be in the 20's tomorrow 🙂
deb55106(at)gmail(dot)com
My friend received a cancer free path report this week. Great news!
rhoneygtn at yahoo dot com
I now follow your Blog{Deb K}
deb55106(at)gmail(dot)com
I posted about this on my Blog here~
http://debshere.blogspot.com/
deb55106{at}gmail{dot}com
Entry~1
I posted about this on my Blog here~
http://debshere.blogspot.com/
deb55106{at}gmail{dot}com
Entry~2
I posted about this on my Blog here~
http://debshere.blogspot.com/
deb55106{at}gmail{dot}com
Entry~3
It was over zero today!! That's pretty darn good news!
JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com
+2 I am already a follower!
Thanks for the chance to win.
JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com
My good news for today is I am 36 weeks pregnant and went to the doctor's today and it looks like my boy is coming soon 🙂
lillyswistek at gmail dot com
I have also become a follower.
I'm not pregnant !! Good, hey
copperllama at yahoo dot com
1 already a follower
copperllama at yahoo dot com
2 already a follower
copperllama at yahoo dot com
good news- the Zicam is working on my cold! yeah
love to read this book!
follower under nick0166 (bless their hearts mom)
#1
+2 Old Follower
nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net
It's a beautiful starry night!
[email protected]
+2, I follow, have for awhile. 🙂
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One piece of good news… Hmmm… I'm alive, I am loved by family and friends and God loves me.
Aliya D.
aliyadaya(at)shaw(dot)ca
please enter me
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I was VERY productive on my job today. It feels good!
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I've lost 5 pounds since 1-1-10!
kkhaas at bellsouth dot net
+2 I am already a Google Friends follower
kkhaas at bellsouth dot net
My good news: I just graduated from college!
Please enter me in this giveaway!
saemmerson at yahoo dot com
Sarah E
I am already a follower. #1
saemmerson at yahoo dot com
Sarah E
I am already a follower. #2
saemmerson at yahoo dot com
Sarah E
I'm going home for the 2010 Winter Olympics!
alternate email from blogger
magenta 2 red [at] gmail [dot] com
I'm a new follower
alternate email from blogger
magenta 2 red [at] gmail [dot] com
It's a sunny day (finally!).
ikkinlala AT yahoo DOT ca
Good News! – Spring is right around the corner!
Thanks ~ megalon22 at yahoo dot com
I already follow in GFC (CherylS22)
#1
megalon22 at yahoo dot com
I already follow in GFC (CherylS22)
#2
megalon22 at yahoo dot com
I am a new follower. This book looks very interesting. I am new to blogging and reviewing just getting my feet wet and making my way around this huge network of readers and bloggers. Very excited for my new adventures.
you can find me at penner10(at)telus(dot)net
Thanks for your time!