Discussion Questions:

The diaries of the real Martha Ballard acted as a foundation for the novel.  They also play a key role in the story.  Have you ever kept a diary or a journal?  Have you read other journals, diaries or novels based on them?

Did you read the author’s note? If so, did it change your evaluation of Martha’s life and the story of the “year of the long winter?”

What aspects of this story drew you in? Which characters were relatable?