Last Light over Galveston

What were your first impressions of Kathleen? Did you believe Mother Camillus was right in asking her to leave the orphanage or do you believe she should have allowed her to stay

Why do you think Maggie had such an attachment to Kathleen?

Discuss Kathleen’s relationship with her father. How did she view him? How did he view her? Do you believe there was genuine love there?

Matthew’s attitude toward Isaac Cline is much like Kathleen’s about her father at the beginning of the book. Have you ever put someone on a pedestal? How did it turn out?

Do you think Kathleen’s plan to leave the orphanage rather than become a nun was the right one? What would you have chosen if you were in her position?

Even though Isaac Cline refuses to use the word “hurricane,” Kathleen understands the approaching storm is going to be a bad one. What power do you believe there is in naming things? Would calling the storm a hurricane right from the beginning have made a difference?

Have you ever experienced a natural disaster such as a hurricane, tornado, flood, or earthquake? If you feel comfortable, share your experience with the group.

What did you think of Kathleen’s decision to leave Maggie and try to return to St. Mary’s in the middle of the storm? Was it bravery, foolishness, or selfishness?

Discuss Kathleen’s relationship with Wesley. Do you believe it was genuine?

Some of the scenes Kathleen witnessed after the storm seemed worse than the storm itself. Why do you think natural disasters often bring out the worst in people?

The book ends on an uncertain yet hopeful note. Where you do believe Kathleen and her newfound family ended up? Did they stay in Galveston or travel somewhere else? What do you believe Kathleen, Matthew, and Maggie ended up doing with their lives?