Whistler

Overall, did you enjoy "Whistler"? Did you wish for more plot, or did the reflective tone suit you?

In a Good Housekeeping interview, Patchett said: "To write a book about kind people, it's an underrepresented group. There are a lot more novels about dystopia and betrayal and terrible things, and yet everywhere I go I see so much kindness." Do you agree that kind people are underrepresented in literature? Do you prefer reading about fundametally good people, or about more conflicted protagonists?

Do you agree with Eddie that in general good people outnumber bad people, and that by and large people are nice and helpful? Is it better to move through life with a basic trust in others, or to be more cautious about people's intentions?

Why do you think Patchett chose "Whistler" as the title for her novel? How does the story of Mary and Whistler impact Daphne? What is Patchett saying about the power of storytelling?

Her reunion with Eddie forces Daphne to reappraise her childhood memories, and to discover that some of her most vivid ones were simply wrong. Is that reappraisal worthwhile, even when it's painful? What does Patchett seem to be saying about how memory works and the value of looking backward?

Eddie was the one person who truly saw and supported Daphne as a child, and he had a profound influence on who she became. Did you have someone like that in your life?

What does "Whistler" say about aging? How is Eddie and Daphne's adult relationship different from what it was when she was a child, and what does each of them gain from the reunion?

Discuss Daphne's relationship with her mother. How does it shape her, and how does Patchett treat it?

How does Eddie's terminal illness shape his reunion with Daphne? How does Patchett hold grief and joy at the same time?

While it is not primarily about romantic love, would you categorize Whistler as a love story? Why or why not?

Have you read other books by Patchett? If so, how does "Whistler" compare? Did you notice any recurring themes or motifs?