WHISKEY AND CHARLIE
First They Were Family. Then They Were Strangers. Now They Are Lost
Whiskey and Charlie may be identical twins, but they are also polar opposites who are incapable of getting along. Their relationship has deteriorated so much that Charlie can’t even bear to talk to his brother anymore. But when a freak accident puts Whiskey in a coma and leaves their family in limbo, Charlie is forced to face the fact he may never speak to his brother again.
Whiskey and Charlie is a wise, clever exploration of making mistakes and facing up to them,
First They Were Family. Then They Were Strangers. Now They Are Lost
Whiskey and Charlie may be identical twins, but they are also polar opposites who are incapable of getting along. Their relationship has deteriorated so much that Charlie can’t even bear to talk to his brother anymore. But when a freak accident puts Whiskey in a coma and leaves their family in limbo, Charlie is forced to face the fact he may never speak to his brother again.
Whiskey and Charlie is a wise, clever exploration of making mistakes and facing up to them, of sibling rivalry, the damage it can do, and the ways family can make us whole.
- Sourcebooks
- Paperback
- April 2015
- 336 Pages
- 9781492607861
Buy the Book
$14.99
About Annabel Smith
Annabel Smith has been a writer-in-residence at Katherine Susannah Prichard Writers Centre and the Fellowship of Australian Writers. In 2012 she was selected as one of five inaugural recipients of the Creative Australia Fellowship for Emerging Artists. She lives in Perth, Australia, with her husband and son.
Praise
“A sharp, perceptive novel about family and forgiveness, Whiskey & Charlie will stay with me for a very long time.” Christina Baker Kline, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Orphan Train
“A finely crafted novel that keeps us reading because we care about the characters. It’s a terrific book.” Graeme Simsion, New York Times bestselling author of The Rosie Project and The Rosie Effect
“Whiskey & Charlie is a clever, beautifully written book that pulls at the heartstrings and adeptly intertwines past and present.” Lori Nelson Spielman, author of The Life List
“Roiling with heart and soul, Whiskey & Charlie is a cleverly-written journey through the maze of family relationships. With her talent for nailing honest emotions, Annabel Smith draws you into her tale with a deft hand. By the end, you’ll long to call your siblings and repair any petty squabbles.” Mary Hogan, author of Two Sisters
Discussion Questions
Whiskey & Charlie is structured around the two-way alphabet. How does the author use the two-way alphabet as a narrative device within the story?
What are Charlie’s perceptions of his brother, and how do they change over the course of the novel?
Do you relate to Charlie’s feelings about Whiskey? Have you had a time where you felt resentful or jealous of a sibling? How did you resolve those feelings?
In what ways does Whiskey’s accident force Charlie to grow up? Is there a defining moment in Charlie’s maturation?
How has Whiskey’s accident affected the other members of their family?
Suppose that Charlie had been the one in a coma rather than Whiskey. How do you think Whiskey would have handled that situation? What are some regrets he may have had about their relationship?
Charlie loves Juliet yet is afraid to marry her. What stops Charlie from proposing to Juliet or from accepting her proposal? And what finally makes him change his mind?
How does the counseling Charlie receives in the hospital help him to resolve the issues in his life? How might things have worked out differently if he had received that kind of help earlier?
How does Charlie’s relationship with Whiskey affect his relationships with others around him, including his mother, his father, and Juliet?
What role does Rosa play in the novel, as a relative newcomer to the family and in the dynamic between Whiskey and Charlie?
What role do you think Mike plays in the story? How does his arrival further complicate Charlie’s feelings about Whiskey?
For most of the novel, it is unknown whether Whiskey will recover from his accident. What are some issues related to quality of life and euthanasia that arise in this story?
Does Whiskey & Charlie have a happy ending?