We All Want Impossible Things

Who is the main character of the novel, Ash or Edi? Why?

Based on the personality differences between Ash and Edi, is it fair to call Edi a foil for Ash? Why or why not?

How does the novel’s point of view affect the treatment of the novel’s themes? Does Catherine Newman’s choice to tell the story from Ash’s first-person point of view succeed? Why or why not?

Plot out the various interactions between Ash and Honey, and analyze how their relationship progresses from the beginning of the novel to the end.

Explore the ways that sorrow affects the characters and guides their words or actions. How does grief influence the characters over the course of the novel?

Describe the relationship shared between Ash and her daughter Belle using examples from the text. Does their relationship change over the course of the narrative? What role does Belle play in Ash’s character arc?

Some critics of the novel contend that the plot is a form of wish fulfillment, and that the story is unrealistic. Do you agree with this criticism? Why or why not?

Is Ash meant to be a sympathetic protagonist? Why or why not? How does her characterization affect your reading of the novel?