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The Center of Winter Book Summary and Study Guide

Detailed plot synopsis reviews of The Center of Winter


The Schiller family is torn apart by mental illness. The autistic-like symptoms of their son, Esau, has brought Claire and Arnold's Schiller's marriage to the breaking point and Arnold kills himself with a single bullet to the head. In the aftermath, Claire, Esau, and the youngest Schiller child, Kate, must come to terms with Arnold's suicide and learn how to piece their lives back together. Claire's best friend, Donna, is also struggling with her husband's post-Vietnam, Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome and its resulting depression and alcoholism. Donna's son, Davey, helps Kate to cope with the death of her father while Donna provides Claire support.   When Donna's husband also comes to a mental breaking point, the two families must learn to re-define what being a normal, small-town family is really all about.
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The review of this Book prepared by Jennifer Martin-Romme



Chapter Analysis of The Center of Winter

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Plot & Themes

Tone of book?    -   thoughtful Time/era of story    -   2000+ (Present Day) Family, caring for ill    -   Yes Who is sick?    -   Son because he/she is    -   mentally ill Internal struggle/realization?    -   Yes Is this an adult or child's book?    -   Adult or Young Adult Book Coping with loss of loved one(s)    -   Yes Loss of...    -   husband/boyfriend/squeeze Battle with a psychiatrist    -   Yes Brain/Body disability?    -   mental illness

Main Character

Gender    -   Female Profession/status:    -   blue collar Age:    -   20's-30's Ethnicity/Nationality    -   White (American)

Setting

How much descriptions of surroundings?    -   5 () United States    -   Yes The US:    -   Midwest Small town?    -   Yes Small town people:    -   nice, like Andy/Opie/Aunt Bee

Writing Style

Sex in book?    -   Yes What kind of sex:    -   vague references only    -   descript of kissing Amount of dialog    -   roughly even amounts of descript and dialog

Books with storylines, themes & endings like The Center of Winter

Marya Hornbacher Books Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s).
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