About This Book
Ordinary Grace is a deeply moving and suspenseful novel told from the perspective of Frank Drum, who recounts the pivotal summer of 1961 when he was thirteen. A tragic death in his small Minnesota community unravels a complicated web of secrets, adultery, and betrayal, profoundly impacting his family and their faith. This book explores themes of grief, justice, forgiveness, and the loss of innocence through lyrical prose and a compelling mystery. It's an Edgar Award-winning novel, best suited for mature middle-grade readers and young adults ready for a complex, character-driven story that doesn't shy away from difficult emotional truths.
Looking back at a tragic event that occurred during his thirteenth year, Frank Drum explores how a complicated web of secrets, adultery, and betrayal shattered his Methodist family and their small 1961 Minnesota community.
Character Death
Violence
Scary Scenes
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Discussion Prompts
1
How does Frank's perspective as an adult looking back change how we understand the events of that summer?
2
What does 'ordinary grace' mean in the context of this story? Can you find examples of it?
3
How do secrets impact the Drum family and the community? Is it ever okay to keep a secret?
4
What role does faith play in the lives of the characters, especially during times of tragedy?
5
How does Frank change and grow throughout the summer? What lessons does he learn about life and people?
6
Discuss the theme of justice in the book. Was justice served? What does justice truly mean in this story?
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