Aoife takes her daughters to view the border and cautions them not tell their brothers, because "girls understand these things much better than fellas." Why did she do this, and what do you think means?

Early in the novel, Aoife takes Ina and Brid to view the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. She cautions the girls to not tell their brothers, because "girls understand these things much better than fellas."

Why do you suppose she undertook the journey with her daughters? And what do you think she meant by this statement? Do you agree?

I'm not sure I understand this. Right after Aoife says this Brid likens it to the scar her mother has resulting from the Caesarian and says "we did not speak of scars to our father."

So it seems that the Irish troubles are being compared to the unique ways in which women suffer and understand pain.

But in the same chapter, Brid describes the pain her father suffers - much due to the contempt from her mother - so I'm not sure how women suffer uniquely or alone.

This was a mystery to me. I guess the author neglected to fill in that blank adequately or at least I must have missed it. It seemed to me the brothers were more into keeping the divisions of the mother.

I understand what the author was trying to say, but I think the analogy was heavy handed. Women understand war in a way that men don’t. They see the scars, feel the pain and are left to deal with it’s aftermath. What struck me was the arbitrary boundary. “ They drew a line on the map and they want us to live by it.” This is reminiscent of other arbitrary boundaries that were drawn in Asia and the Middle East, which have resulted in years of separation, strife and war.

I almost felt that Aoife was trying to draw her daughters toward the IRA to continue the role that she herself had to leave in the organization when she became pregnant. I felt that the hatred that Aoife had for the British rule bled into her entire life and made it very difficult for her to enjoy life.

I agree with Cathyoc. Aoife wanted both her daughters to carry her hatred and bitterness. (Misery loves company) I believe that war is difficult and painful whether you’re male or female. Just as both sexes can choose to cling to hatred and bitterness; both can choose to move forward and work to move toward a productive fulfilling life. Clinging to hatred hurts the person who can’t let it go the most.

This comment and action by Aoife is unclear. She may have felt tied down by her children and few fathers accept that restriction. She may have believed women are more emotional and ‘feel’ more strongly. The message from the author, if any, was lost for lack of illustration or explanation.