Edge of Dark Water (Lansdale) - Discussion Questions

Discussion Questions
1. Many reviewers have praised Edge of Dark Water by comparing it to classic works of American fction. What is it about the book that draws these comparisons? Which novels did Edge of Dark Water remind you of?

2. What would you say are the larger themes of Edge of Dark Water? What does this ragtag group’s attempts to preserve May Lynn’s dream of Hollywood stardom suggest about America’s ideals of success?

3. Who was your favorite character in Edge of Dark Water and why?

4. What did you think of the way Lansdale portrays East Texas during the Great Depression? Does his portrayal of the dangers of the road seem accurate to you? What about the state of race relations in the region? No year is ever mentioned outright in the novel—what do you make of Lansdale’s decision not to pin down the story with a specifc date?

5. What did you think of the author’s use of oral storytelling inEdge of Dark Water?

6. Why do you think Lansdale chose the Sabine River for the group’s journey? Would another means of transportation, such as a highway or trail, evoke a different mood or perspective?

7. What role does freedom play in Edge of Dark Water, especially in regard to Sue Ellen’s coming-of-age adventure story? If you were Sue Ellen, do you think you would have set out on the same journey away from home, or wanted to?

8. Which villain in Edge of Dark Water did you fnd most frighten-ing and why—Skunk, Constable Sy, or Uncle Gene?

9. What do you think Edge of Dark Water says about gender roles during the Depression?

10. What did you think of the role Terry played in May Lynn’s death? Do you blame him for the crime or for withholding information from Sue Ellen, Jinx, and Sue Ellen’s mother?

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