Summary and Reviews of The Same Sky by Amanda Eyre Ward

1

Carla

My mother left when I was five years old. I have a photo of the two of us, standing in our yard. In the picture, my mother is nineteen and bone-thin. The glass shards on the top of our fence glitter in the afternoon sun and our smiles are the same: lopsided, without fear. Her teeth are white as American sugar. I lean into my mother. My arms reach around her waist. I am wearing a cotton dress, a dress I wore every day until it split along the back seam. When the dress fell apart, my grandmother, Ana, stitched it back together with a needle and thread. Finally, my stomach pushed against the fabric uncomfortably and the garment was just too short. By that time, my mother was in Texas, and for my sixth birthday she sent three new dresses from a store called Old Navy.

When I opened that box, it seemed worth it—growing up without being able to touch my mother, to press my face against her legs as she fried tortillas on the gas stove. One dress was blue-and-white striped; on ...

Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!

1. At the beginning of the novel we learn that Carla's mother left for Texas when Carla was just five years old. How does that experience shape Carla, for better or for worse?
2. Carla and Alice come from very different backgrounds, but their lives are ultimately connected. What qualities or personality traits do they share?
3. Carla's journey to Texas is life-threatening and heartbreaking, but she never gives up. Where do you think she derives her strength and faith from?
4. Jake becomes very angry about the way Alice handles the situation with Evian. Do you think his anger is justified? Why or why not?
5. What do you think Alice learns from her relationship with Evian? How does it contribute to her broader outlook?
6. ...