The Brilliant Life of Eudora Honeysett

Montgomery the cat experiences a similar transformation to Eudora. Why did Annie Lyons include this element? What does it add to the narrative?

Eudora wants to control her death in large part because she couldn’t control the events that unfolded in her life. Does the novel suggest Eudora was truly as helpless as she perceives? If so, how does this contribute to the novel’s overall meaning? If not, in what way?

After Montgomery is hit by a car, Rose questions the purpose of suffering, and Eudora replies, “Perhaps [sadness is] the universe’s way of making you appreciate the happier times” (320). How does the sadness in Eudora’s life help her to better appreciate her time with Rose and Stanley?

Albert Honeysett instructs Eudora to “be very brave and look after Mummy and the new baby while [he’s] away” (17). What other promises does Eudora make? How does she fulfill (or not fulfill) those promises, and how do they contribute to the novel’s meaning?

Throughout the novel, Eudora is horrified as various people open up to her about their feelings and events in their lives. What does the novel suggest about the value of having a “stiff upper lip”? Does it conflict with people’s need to connect with others?

Even though Eudora claims she just wants to be left alone, she allows Rose and Stanley to work their way into her life. Why does she permit them to get close to her, and what impact does that decision have on her ability to get approved for assisted suicide?

At the end of the novel, Eudora allows Rose to go through her (Eudora’s) box of memories and volunteers to tell all her stories. Why does she change her mind about keeping her personal life private, and what impact does hearing those stories have on Rose?

Chronologically, the events of the novel are sandwiched between the moment when Eudora’s father leaves, saying, “All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well” (345), and Eudora’s final thoughts, which repeat the same phrase. What effect does this structure have on the reader’s understanding of the theme of Reconciling with the Past and Embracing Second Chances?