A Discussion for Reading Groups

Summary:

When Cassie Munro escaped her hometown of Bilkara to follow the charismatic Dan to the other side of the world, she never expected to go back. Now, devastated by revelations of her husband’s betrayal and the news of a brutal attack on her father, she returns home with nothing left to lose.

Against her better judgement she takes on the task of saving her family’s beloved tow truck company in the face of violent opposition from a competitor. Despite the warnings of her father’s best friend, the tow-truck driver Kingi, and her mother’s firm conviction that the tow business is no place for a woman, Cassie is determined to make it work.

While struggling to break complicated emotional ties with her remorseful husband, Cassie meets her old flame Mack, who has troubles of his own. His young daughter, Rose, is desperately seeking a new mum – a role Cassie is determined to avoid.

Mack is convinced that he and Cassie can overcome their problems by confronting the reality of a tragic accident that devastated both their lives. He becomes the catalyst for Cassie to finally divulge her own dark secret.

Questions:

What was the significance of Cassie’s experience with Melanie, the flautist, at the start of the novel? Do you think it contributed to her running away from Bilkara?

What did you think about Cassie’s relationship with Dan? Were her excuses for his behaviour understandable?

Were there characters in the novel that you disliked initially but warmed to as you got to know them? Could you empathise with anyone?

How did Cassie’s journey contribute to Avril’s personal development?

What is the story conveying about accidents and rescues? How responsible was Cassie for Marianne’s fate?

Discuss the notion of ‘tribes’ and Cassie’s sense of belonging. Do her feelings about this alter throughout the course of the novel? Do other characters, such as Kingi and Avril, have similar or different attitudes in this regard? 

Could the relationship with Mack have worked out if things had ended differently? Could he and Cassie have built a future together?

Cassie perceives her father and Kingi to be very strong men, but is it the women who come through as the strong ones in the novel? Who was the most attractive man in the book, and why?

What role did Rose play in Cassie’s redemption?

Two for the Road is told from Cassie’s perspective in both first and third person but also from Avril’s point of view – why do you think the author chose this technique and what was she trying to achieve?

Have you had your own ‘towie’ experience and why do you think the author might have been attracted to this industry?

Cassie and Mack must deal with issues of grief and guilt about their past. Which other characters find themselves burdened with emotional baggage and thwarted dreams?

Discuss the significance of the koru symbol throughout the novel.

Who does the two for the road of the title relate to, do you think?

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