Reading Group Discussion Questions - 'Before I go to Sleep'.

[Tilly Teckel]

1. What are Dr. Nash's feelings towards Christine? Do you think he is behaving in a professional manner? He says he is writing up her case - are his motives for helping her entirely selfless? Is he being completely honest with her?
2. Christine believes Ben doesn't tell her about Adam so that she doesn't get upset. Would he be right to do this? Or does she have a right to know about him no matter how painful that knowledge might be?
3. Do you think that Christine's affair is out of character for her? Why do you think it happened? Why do you think she risks her marriage?

[SunnyChick]

What are Dr. Nash's feelings towards Christine? Do you think he is behaving in a professional manner? He says he is writing up her case - are his motives for helping her entirely selfless? Is he being completely honest with her?

I think Dr Nash was incredibly kind to Christine. I think he found her to be a bit like a puzzle he just HAD to figure out. I wonder did he sense that she was in danger all along? I don't think your average NHS GP or Consultant would go to such lengths, so at times I found him a little unconvincing. If he was my husband I'd not be impressed with his obsession with Christine!

Christine believes Ben doesn't tell her about Adam so that she doesn't get upset. Would he be right to do this? Or does she have a right to know about him no matter how painful that knowledge might be?

I think that "Ben" must have known Adam could be part of the key to Christine recovering her memories. The bond you share with a child is so strong, almost instinctive, and at times during the book I think Christine felt a child sized gap, even though she couldn't remember him. Of course she has a right to know, but at the same time I would want to spare her from suffering that raw grief every day.

Do you think that Christine's affair is out of character for her? Why do you think it happened? Why do you think she risks her marriage?

I don't think I can really make a judgement about whether Christine's affair is out of character for her or not, because throughout the whole book we don't really get to see much of her real character, given that she doesn't remember anything. I think it's a fairly typical story: Girl meets boy, along comes child, roles change. You spend so much time being parents, that you forget how to be a couple. The daily drudge of raising family, paying bills, working hard, balancing time with money.... sometimes something has to give, and often it's the relationship between the couple which suffers. It's damn hard, and while a person wouldn't necessarily go out looking to have an affair, sometimes they are just led into the arms of another, which is really sad as ultimately it only destroys everything you have worked so hard to achieve. It's tragic, but it's not surprising to hear she had an affair. However, most people who have an affair are not so unfortunate to meet an absolute psychotic mentalist who will first try to kill you and then use your resulting amnesia as a tool to keep you hostage for the rest of your life!

[bod1403]

I don't think pets do live from day to day, they may live for the moment but they certainly remember things like they're fav resting place etc. Even wild animals have terrific memories for negotiating extreme treks back & forth, so I think Christine is wrong to compare her life to that of an animal, she's more like a robot (with a degree of self knowledge) just performing a daily function. Her life is a dream (nightmare?) state that she can't shake off. Haven't we all had such strong dreams that when we wake we're not sure which life is real or am I just odd? That's how I imagine Christine's life - floating between reality & fiction.

[Tilly Teckel]

Q4. I always felt Dr. Nash knew more than he was letting on, and as the book progressed I felt he should have made more of an effort to find things out and help Christine to know the truth. He was perfectly placed as a doctor to access information on her past, and as someone who was trying to help her regain her memory he could have told her a lot more much sooner. I felt uneasy about his level of involvement with Christine which I thought often skated very close to unethical. As for him writing up her case, that was certainly part of the attraction for him but he appeared to be fascinated with her in an almost unprofessional manner. He certainly should have encouraged her to tell someone else that she was meeting him, for her own safety if nothing else.

Q5. Obviously Ben had his own sinister reasons for keeping memories of Adam away from Christine but if that hadn't been the case I think she should have been told, and re-told every day. The hurt would be immense, yes, but I think it would help ground her in reality. Feeling things, bad as well as good is a vital part of human life and to deny someone that is inhumane. Besides, she knew deep inside all along and felt Adam's absence without understanding what she was feeling. At least if she could put a name to it she could understand why she had such strong feelings.

Q6. I was initially quite shocked that Christine had had an affair. I guess that was when I thought she had a devoted husband in 'Ben'. However, her 'real' husband was no less loving and she still cheated on him. Memories of Christine as a bit of a 'wild' young woman, and discovering her passion for writing, I began to see a woman who must have felt stifled by marriage and domesticity. 'Ben' came along at the right time (for him!) when she was looking for something more, some excitement. I don't think she intended to risk her marriage; I don't think she intended anyone to find out. It was just a shot of drama in an otherwise settled life. Unfortunately she picked the wrong guy!

[jlumsden]

1. What are Dr. Nash's feelings towards Christine? Do you think he is behaving in a professional manner? He says he is writing up her case - are his motives for helping her entirely selfless? Is he being completely honest with her?

I really want to believe Dr. Nash's motives are selfless . . especially at first. I have to admit, when I was reading the story the first time, I was always waiting for Dr. Nash to expose himself as a "baddie". I agree with what Tilly says about encouraging her to tell someone. It was irresponsible to agree to meet in secret. I also think he should have done more to help uncover things about Christine. Who better to get information on your medical history for you than your doctor?!?!? I think on some level,perhaps, Dr. Nash didn't want Christine to get better? I think he maybe liked her vulnerabilty, and the fact she relied on him so much. So as much as I want to believe he was being selfless, I don't think he was ...

Christine believes Ben doesn't tell her about Adam so that she doesn't get upset. Would he be right to do this? Or does she have a right to know about him no matter how painful that knowledge might be?

I think, in normal circumstances (i.e he was actually Ben) he would have some claim to do this.However, Adam wasn't dead, so had he been her husband would have had no need to omit this information from his daily update for her. I do think a mother has every right to know for, and grieve for her children, but, would you want to be the one to tell that to someone every day? I know that I coldn't do it on a daily basis, and have to see someone you love go through that pain every day!!!

Do you think that Christine's affair is out of character for her? Why do you think it happened? Why do you think she risks her marriage?
I think Tilly has hit the nail on the head with this answer!! I will also add that I think, from Christines snatches of memory, this wouldn't have been out of character for her in her younger days.At the very beginning of the story, she thinks she has woken up in bed with a married man, so perhaps not totally out of character!

[Tilly Teckel]

Hey guys! Thoroughly enjoying reading your answers but I'm away from tomorrow for two weeks (nowhere glamorous - just visiting the folks in sunny wales!) so I'll leave you with this last question...

Did you like the ending? Did it represent closure for you? What about Christine? Do you think she will remember what happened to her when she wakes up?

I'll try to add my answer this evening, in-between packing duties...

[jlumsden]

Did you like the ending? Did it represent closure for you? What about Christine? Do you think she will remember what happened to her when she wakes up?

Yes and no. I thought the ending was positive in a way - Christine is reunited with her true family - but I also can't help but think it was a little bitter sweet, all the work she had put into her journal was gone in the fire.I think the story was left open and could be revisited by the author at a later dat (but then again, it could spoil the story(?)) I have been left truly hoping the trauma at the end of the story has been enough to re - jig Christine's memory, but then not all stories are happ endings are they?

[SunnyChick]

Did you like the ending? Did it represent closure for you? What about Christine? Do you think she will remember what happened to her when she wakes up?

Yes, I did like the ending, and yes it did bring closure. However, agree with jlumsden - stories don't always have straight forward, predictable happy endings. For me, that would have just gone against the whole grain of the book. What, "the bad guy got his just desserts, she suddenly remembers everything and then they all lived happily ever after"? Nope, far too cheesy! I reckon the next morning would be the same as every other morning in that book! She'd not know anything about who she is or where she lives or who her family and friends are, but.... she could start a new journal, without all the scary "don't trust Ben" stuff, and start writing new memories in there, and she would be safe. Good book! I would give it a rating of 7/10!