Afternoon Readers Book Club
January 2016
Gemini
Carol Cassella
Readers had diverse opinions about the main theme of
Cassella’s book. Although the book has a strong emphasis about the ethics of
medical treatment and end of life care, the choices
of characters resulting in unforeseen as well as unfortunate consequences make
this more than a medical mystery. It has a philosophical and spiritual
component which surrounds the characters and leaves the reader with more
questions than answers at the book’s conclusion. The author’s intention in
writing Gemini was to spark thoughts and conversations about what constitutes a
good death, a meaningful life, how do we approach love, art and work and our
own definition of family so that we can have rich and fulfilling lives and we
fully appreciate each of the finite days we are granted on this earth. (from a conversation
with Carol Cassella http://books.simonandSchuster.com/Gemini/CarolCassella/reading_group_guide).
Despite having read the same book some readers were certain
that they knew that the outcome had been resolved. Others were not so sure and
had opinions of their own.
Should the quality of life be more important than the
quantity? Although there was a great deal of time devoted to this discussion
along with reader’s personal stories, there was no definite answer, nor was one
expected. The author devoted a lot of time describing the lives of main
characters, local girl Raney, science journalist Eric, and Charlotte, the
Emergency Room doctor. Readers initially thought this was a straight foreword
romance and when they discovered that it was not, they wished for a happy
ending. They got an ending but were not certain what to make of it. They like
surprise endings, but not the kind of surprise they got.
Life is directed by genetics, natural law and environment. Which
one influences the other is a mystery. It is a mystery how any of these
characteristics can be manipulated to achieve a satisfactory outcome. Readers
decided that the mystery of the chimera was too overwhelming to cope with and
ended the discussion keeping thoughts to themselves.
Read Gemini to discover the significance of twins Castor and
Pollux and the DNA of chimera in myth and reality.
“Once again, Carol Cassella has written a novel full of gorgeously
rendered characters, fascinating detail, and tour de force plot twists. From
its gripping first pages straight through to its stunning conclusion, Gemini is
an unforgettable novel—a morality tale, a mystery, and a love story that will leave
readers breathless.” Maria Semple, New York Times bestselling author of Where’d
you go Bernadette?
