Thereafter Discussion Questions Part 2

I'm a day late; I apologize. lol Friday got a little busier than I anticipated. Here is Part 2 to the discussion questions for Terri Bruce's Thereafter.

7. Andras and Ian have very different outlooks on life and the afterlife. How much of their views do you think is influenced by their personalities and how much by the time period in which they grew up?

I feel like their personalities are what spearhead their decisions in the afterlife. Andras is still chasing his Christian knightly duties because he was a stern, devout person before he was killed. Ian, I feel, had that devil-may-care attitude, live-in-the-moment attitude before he died, so he goes with the flow after.

8. Did you like Ian and Irene as a couple? Why or why not? Do you think Irene should have gone with Ian? If she had, do you think they would have stayed together as a couple?

I actually didn't. I felt like it was throwing her off of what she was supposed to be doing. She was letting her living emotions get in the way of trying to get to the afterlife and acting like a lovesick teenager. It was gross. lol

9. How would you describe Andras’s and Irene’s relationship throughout the story? Would you describe it as a romantic relationship or as something else?

I felt like Andras was attracted to her and drawn to her because of their opposing natures. Every time he stormed off when she and Ian got close, I always thought it was because of jealousy, and he was masking it by always trying to get them to keep moving on.

10. Why is Irene so afraid of Andras and the Guide believing in destiny and pre-ordination? Do you believe in pre-ordination? Why or why not?

Irene doesn't like the idea of her life being planned for her already, which a lot of people don't like. I'm a Baptist Christian. I do believe that we all have a purpose we're supposed to carry out, but how and if we get there is up to us.

11. The mystery of who or what Samyel is was finally revealed—were you surprised? Why or why not? Samyel’s purpose in the land of the living and in traveling to the land of the dead with Irene, however, was not revealed. Why do you think he was on Earth? What do you think he is doing in the land of the dead? Do you have any theories about what lies ahead for this character?

I can't remember if I thought Samyel might be an angel in the first book, but I liked the reveal of his being one. I need to know what he was doing on Earth! lol With the way the others were behaving, I'm very curious to know why they are in the in-between realm, IF they're actually there, maybe I should say. The layers. ;)

12. In Thereafter, Irene believes she is in the Buddhist state of Bardo, an indeterminate/intermediate state in which the spirit wrestles with temptations and demons that are a manifestation of the person’s subconscious. Do you believe this is where Irene is? What are some other explanations for where she might be or the things she sees and experiences during Thereafter?

Irene certainly made it seem like that's where she was. She was constantly struggling with the bad parts of her personality while she was traversing the forest, city, and village. She wanted to go back to her old life, I'm assuming because it was familiar, because her old life was what got her killed in the first place. There was a battle in herself between going back (a huge temptation for many) and moving forward into something new and uncertain.

13. Who or what did you think the Guide was—was he God? A buddhu? Something else?

I feel like the Guide was a manifestation of a type of conscience, possibly sent by God, to help people in this realm get to the next, or to help them into a revelation of sorts so that they can move on and not stay and go crazy.

Thanks again for stopping my. The last parts will be posted next week!