Discuss FNKC as a Whole: Dakota's Future

[BookClubEditor]

What kind of life do you envision for Dakota by the end of this book? What do you think will happen to the Friday Night Knitting Club?

---

Reply to this message to discuss any of these topics. Or start your own new topic by clicking "New Message."

Note: This topic refers to the book as a whole.

[Melissa_W Moderator]

I wasn't sure of what thread to use, so I put it here since Dakota's future begins with the last scene. I finished TFNKC today and I just cried and cried - the sense of Dakota's being robbed of such a strong role model (in her mom) was so palpable. As I was schlepping home from work, a woman on the bus noticed I was carrying TFNKC and commented to me that she didn't like the ending - "it wasn't happy" (note: she did not ask if I was done - rudeness, let me tell you). I disagreed with her, but I got to thinking: what is a happy ending?

Even though the last chapters of the book are tinged with sadness and loss, Ms. Jacobs created so many successful strong women in her characters. Darwin, Lucie, KC, Peri, Cat, Georgia, Anita, Dakota, Gran. They were all strong women and supported and pushed each other toward goals and independent lives (I am very much reminded of Little Women - even though Beth dies (the most heart-tugging scene in a book, IMO), much of the narrative details the happy times of the March family). I think Georgia's death from cancer moves the narrative of the book from the realms of fiction to something very much resembling "real life." I would have been so disappointed if the story had reverted to the standard They All Lived Happily Ever After plot - Georgia and James get married and have more babies, Dakota grows up into a fierce young woman and attends Harvard, Peri gets Bag Designer of the Year award, etc - but then the book could just be exiled to the realms of chick lit/romance and never thought of again. And some of the endings are happy - Lucie has a healthy baby, KC decides on a career (and gets into law school), Darwin finds herself, Cat learns to be independent, etc. Georgia could not have been more proud of her daughter, her friends, and her business. So, a challenge to the woman on the bus: Death is a part of life, and Georgia had a good death, with her family beside her; so tell me what part of the ending was "not happy."

[kiakar]

---

pedsphleb wrote:
I wasn't sure of what thread to use, so I put it here since Dakota's future begins with the last scene. I finished TFNKC today and I just cried and cried - the sense of Dakota's being robbed of such a strong role model (in her mom) was so palpable. As I was schlepping home from work, a woman on the bus noticed I was carrying TFNKC and commented to me that she didn't like the ending - "it wasn't happy" (note: she did not ask if I was done - rudeness, let me tell you). I disagreed with her, but I got to thinking: what is a happy ending?

Even though the last chapters of the book are tinged with sadness and loss, Ms. Jacobs created so many successful strong women in her characters. Darwin, Lucie, KC, Peri, Cat, Georgia, Anita, Dakota, Gran. They were all strong women and supported and pushed each other toward goals and independent lives (I am very much reminded of Little Women - even though Beth dies (the most heart-tugging scene in a book, IMO), much of the narrative details the happy times of the March family). I think Georgia's death from cancer moves the narrative of the book from the realms of fiction to something very much resembling "real life." I would have been so disappointed if the story had reverted to the standard They All Lived Happily Ever After plot - Georgia and James get married and have more babies, Dakota grows up into a fierce young woman and attends Harvard, Peri gets Bag Designer of the Year award, etc - but then the book could just be exiled to the realms of chick lit/romance and never thought of again. And some of the endings are happy - Lucie has a healthy baby, KC decides on a career (and gets into law school), Darwin finds herself, Cat learns to be independent, etc. Georgia could not have been more proud of her daughter, her friends, and her business. So, a challenge to the woman on the bus: Death is a part of life, and Georgia had a good death, with her family beside her; so tell me what part of the ending was "not happy."

---

You know Melissa; Alot of people do not want to read about real life. The heartaches, the cancers of the world, the torment. They want a light and fluffy Chick lit book.
Do you think it prepares you more for real life to read a realistic sad ending or would it be better just to live that part of it if it just happens in your life down the road somewhere? I like serious books about the real world but I also like to fancy sometimes that none of these bad things really happen! That is what is so great about all the books we have in this life. It makes the hurt not hurt so bad.

[cseelman]

I think one of the great lessons of the book is the way Georgia faced death. She faced it like she faced life-straight on. And she was able to share this journey with more people than she might have been able to do earlier in her life--so all of those people learned a priceless lesson.

It was very interesting to see how Georgia's parents faced her illness. They were tentative and afraid and retreated very early in the process. But the knitting group--they faced it head on as well making Georgia the blanket.

And what also was interesting was the palpable hole left by Georgia's passing. I don't think I have ever felt such an absence in any other book. It was just like real life; after the drama of the illness and death, life goes on without the person. And the hole is there.

Early morning ramblings!!

[katejacobs]

---

pedsphleb wrote:
I wasn't sure of what thread to use, so I put it here since Dakota's future begins with the last scene. I finished TFNKC today and I just cried and cried - the sense of Dakota's being robbed of such a strong role model (in her mom) was so palpable. As I was schlepping home from work, a woman on the bus noticed I was carrying TFNKC and commented to me that she didn't like the ending - "it wasn't happy" (note: she did not ask if I was done - rudeness, let me tell you). I disagreed with her, but I got to thinking: what is a happy ending?

Even though the last chapters of the book are tinged with sadness and loss, Ms. Jacobs created so many successful strong women in her characters. Darwin, Lucie, KC, Peri, Cat, Georgia, Anita, Dakota, Gran. They were all strong women and supported and pushed each other toward goals and independent lives (I am very much reminded of Little Women - even though Beth dies (the most heart-tugging scene in a book, IMO), much of the narrative details the happy times of the March family). I think Georgia's death from cancer moves the narrative of the book from the realms of fiction to something very much resembling "real life." I would have been so disappointed if the story had reverted to the standard They All Lived Happily Ever After plot - Georgia and James get married and have more babies, Dakota grows up into a fierce young woman and attends Harvard, Peri gets Bag Designer of the Year award, etc - but then the book could just be exiled to the realms of chick lit/romance and never thought of again. And some of the endings are happy - Lucie has a healthy baby, KC decides on a career (and gets into law school), Darwin finds herself, Cat learns to be independent, etc. Georgia could not have been more proud of her daughter, her friends, and her business. So, a challenge to the woman on the bus: Death is a part of life, and Georgia had a good death, with her family beside her; so tell me what part of the ending was "not happy."

---

Melissa -- first off, you must call me Kate! Ms. Jacobs sounds very formal and I am rather an informal sort of person. Next, I am really tickled by what you've said about the strong characters. Thank you. And thank you, too, for getting what I was trying to do. It would have been one thing to write a happily-ever-after story and believe me, I like happy as much as the next person. I actually think it's quite a positive conclusion and I think Georgia's passing is the transforming event to really push the other characters to stretch just that much farther. The story of Georgia isn't just her death -- it's how she lived her life. I think the "ending" of the book isn't Georgia's death at the hospital but what is described in the last chapter -- it's how the people who knew her continue on and how they are better people for having known her.

But believe me, I hear from many readers who are upset that Georgia dies. And you know what? Even though they're angry with me -- and whoa, are they angry! -- that's actually a good thing. Because these readers have cared about the characters and they have been affected by the story. And for that I am very appreciative.

[katejacobs]

---

kiakar wrote:

---

pedsphleb wrote:
I wasn't sure of what thread to use, so I put it here since Dakota's future begins with the last scene. I finished TFNKC today and I just cried and cried - the sense of Dakota's being robbed of such a strong role model (in her mom) was so palpable. As I was schlepping home from work, a woman on the bus noticed I was carrying TFNKC and commented to me that she didn't like the ending - "it wasn't happy" (note: she did not ask if I was done - rudeness, let me tell you). I disagreed with her, but I got to thinking: what is a happy ending?

Even though the last chapters of the book are tinged with sadness and loss, Ms. Jacobs created so many successful strong women in her characters. Darwin, Lucie, KC, Peri, Cat, Georgia, Anita, Dakota, Gran. They were all strong women and supported and pushed each other toward goals and independent lives (I am very much reminded of Little Women - even though Beth dies (the most heart-tugging scene in a book, IMO), much of the narrative details the happy times of the March family). I think Georgia's death from cancer moves the narrative of the book from the realms of fiction to something very much resembling "real life." I would have been so disappointed if the story had reverted to the standard They All Lived Happily Ever After plot - Georgia and James get married and have more babies, Dakota grows up into a fierce young woman and attends Harvard, Peri gets Bag Designer of the Year award, etc - but then the book could just be exiled to the realms of chick lit/romance and never thought of again. And some of the endings are happy - Lucie has a healthy baby, KC decides on a career (and gets into law school), Darwin finds herself, Cat learns to be independent, etc. Georgia could not have been more proud of her daughter, her friends, and her business. So, a challenge to the woman on the bus: Death is a part of life, and Georgia had a good death, with her family beside her; so tell me what part of the ending was "not happy."

---

You know Melissa; Alot of people do not want to read about real life. The heartaches, the cancers of the world, the torment. They want a light and fluffy Chick lit book.
Do you think it prepares you more for real life to read a realistic sad ending or would it be better just to live that part of it if it just happens in your life down the road somewhere? I like serious books about the real world but I also like to fancy sometimes that none of these bad things really happen! That is what is so great about all the books we have in this life. It makes the hurt not hurt so bad.

---

I hear what you're saying as well. You know, writing Georgia's passing wasn't easy to do, in fact. I really, really care about her -- about all of my characters -- and I think of them often. Many people have told me that they cried while reading that part of the book. Well, I cried writing it. I'm such a book lover and I read a lot and what's interesting to me, as a writer and as a reader, is what we all bring of ourselves and our own lives to a piece of fiction. So we cry for Georgia but we may also be crying -- and much more importantly, I think -- for the loss in our own lives. As a writer, there were narrative reasons for Georgia's passing, some of which I outlined for Melissa. I also wanted to highlight ovarian cancer and I hoped that Georgia's passing would bring a certain kind of attention, an awareness, to the readers. And a writer, even in a novel that's meant to be a light read, can be wrestling with emotions and ideas that sneak their way onto the page. Which doesn't mean this story is autobiographical; it isn't. But I had some private feelings to work out about loss and Georgia's story -- which is so much more than just how she dies -- was healing for me. And part of that is how the story continues, how the other characters move forward. And how they remain connected to one another.

[cseelman]

Kate wrote: I hear what you're saying as well. You know, writing Georgia's passing wasn't easy to do, in fact. I really, really care about her -- about all of my characters -- and I think of them often. Many people have told me that they cried while reading that part of the book. Well, I cried writing it. I'm such a book lover and I read a lot and what's interesting to me, as a writer and as a reader, is what we all bring of ourselves and our own lives to a piece of fiction. So we cry for Georgia but we may also be crying -- and much more importantly, I think -- for the loss in our own lives. As a writer, there were narrative reasons for Georgia's passing, some of which I outlined for Melissa. I also wanted to highlight ovarian cancer and I hoped that Georgia's passing would bring a certain kind of attention, an awareness, to the readers. And a writer, even in a novel that's meant to be a light read, can be wrestling with emotions and ideas that sneak their way onto the page. Which doesn't mean this story is autobiographical; it isn't. But I had some private feelings to work out about loss and Georgia's story -- which is so much more than just how she dies -- was healing for me. And part of that is how the story continues, how the other characters move forward. And how they remain connected to one another.

Death is such a mystery. We don't know what to do with it-how to make sense of it. I remember when my Dad died. We were all together in his hospital room and I remember thinking that the world should have stopped for a moment because this wonderful person had just left. I felt that there should have been some kind of acknowledgement from the "universe!" But I'm beginning to see that the acknowledgement is in the effect he left on all of us. How were our lives different because of his presence?

And the same is true of Georgia's passing. One minute she's here, the next she's gone. Done deal! But the last chapter shows us her impact on a corner of the world--and in a way it's the universe's acknowledgement of her.

[kiakar]

---

cseelman wrote:

Kate wrote: I hear what you're saying as well. You know, writing Georgia's passing wasn't easy to do, in fact. I really, really care about her -- about all of my characters -- and I think of them often. Many people have told me that they cried while reading that part of the book. Well, I cried writing it. I'm such a book lover and I read a lot and what's interesting to me, as a writer and as a reader, is what we all bring of ourselves and our own lives to a piece of fiction. So we cry for Georgia but we may also be crying -- and much more importantly, I think -- for the loss in our own lives. As a writer, there were narrative reasons for Georgia's passing, some of which I outlined for Melissa. I also wanted to highlight ovarian cancer and I hoped that Georgia's passing would bring a certain kind of attention, an awareness, to the readers. And a writer, even in a novel that's meant to be a light read, can be wrestling with emotions and ideas that sneak their way onto the page. Which doesn't mean this story is autobiographical; it isn't. But I had some private feelings to work out about loss and Georgia's story -- which is so much more than just how she dies -- was healing for me. And part of that is how the story continues, how the other characters move forward. And how they remain connected to one another.

Death is such a mystery. We don't know what to do with it-how to make sense of it. I remember when my Dad died. We were all together in his hospital room and I remember thinking that the world should have stopped for a moment because this wonderful person had just left. I felt that there should have been some kind of acknowledgement from the "universe!" But I'm beginning to see that the acknowledgement is in the effect he left on all of us. How were our lives different because of his presence?

And the same is true of Georgia's passing. One minute she's here, the next she's gone. Done deal! But the last chapter shows us her impact on a corner of the world--and in a way it's the universe's acknowledgement of her.

---

Carolyn: I love what you wrote! It is so true! You do expect the world to stop when you lose someone so dear to you. Even when I was eight and lost my dad, I couldn't believe everyone was still doing all the things that we once did together as a family. And that feeling was still there when fifty years later my mother died. We have to accept death because it is inevitable, but it so hard to adapt to it. We accept life or take it for granted so much of the time, but death, we can't even imagine it in our world of living because life its all around us. But death we can't see only feel the pain of lost.

[katejacobs]

It's so true, isn't it? The hole in the heart that is always there. I think we all feel that way when we lose a loved one. And remember Anita, who is still coping with Stan's passing all these years later? At a book signing in New Hampshire, a woman about my mom's age came up to me and said, "How do you know what I dream?" And she was referring to Anita's dream about Stan at the breakfast table. It was very powerful to hear her story. Each grief experience is unique and yet can also be universal.

But now I have a question for the readers: How do you think Dakota is going to be different for having lost her mother at such a young age? How do you think it will impact her relationship with her father? Because she's not alone -- she has not been orphaned -- but in a relatively brief period of time her life has gone through tremendous changes.

[cseelman]

Hi Kate,

I've been wondering and worrying about Dakota. There are so many directions she can go in. Anger is such a common emotion when you are a teenager even without the loss of a parent. Anger can be constructive when it is properly channeled, but it also can be so destructive -- self-destructive. That's my biggest worry for her, that she becomes so angry that she makes bad choices in friends and actions and heads down that slippery slope :-(

But on the otherhand, she could gravitate to her newly found family and spend a lot of energy learning about her black heritage. James' family seems very welcoming and I believe they would open their hearts and lives to Dakota. It seems like there would be little support from Georgia's parents. Hopefully, Gran will be around for a long time so that she can teach Dakota more about her Scottish heritage. And of course Anita and the knitting gang will all be there with support.

Kate, you're going to have to write a sequel! Too many unknowns--too many possibilities!! Maybe we will be reading about Dakota Walker and her world-famous bakery and yarn shop combined in the next installment!!

Anybody else have thoughts about how Dakota's next few years might play out?

[kiakar]

---

cseelman wrote:
Hi Kate,

I've been wondering and worrying about Dakota. There are so many directions she can go in. Anger is such a common emotion when you are a teenager even without the loss of a parent. Anger can be constructive when it is properly channeled, but it also can be so destructive -- self-destructive. That's my biggest worry for her, that she becomes so angry that she makes bad choices in friends and actions and heads down that slippery slope :-(

But on the otherhand, she could gravitate to her newly found family and spend a lot of energy learning about her black heritage. James' family seems very welcoming and I believe they would open their hearts and lives to Dakota. It seems like there would be little support from Georgia's parents. Hopefully, Gran will be around for a long time so that she can teach Dakota more about her Scottish heritage. And of course Anita and the knitting gang will all be there with support.

Kate, you're going to have to write a sequel! Too many unknowns--too many possibilities!! Maybe we will be reading about Dakota Walker and her world-famous bakery and yarn shop combined in the next installment!!

Anybody else have thoughts about how Dakota's next few years might play out?

---

Now, Carol, You said a Really good thing! A sequel! That is exactly what we need to make sure that Dakota grows up happy and fulfilled with her Dad and the rest of the group. So get busy Kate, and produce it for us.

[LizzieAnn]

I'd like to think of Dakota's future in a positive light. Fortunately, she met her father & developed a relationship with him before losing her mother. She also got to witness her parents reconciliation and see their love for each other. Her biological family has increased, and she now has more family that she can turn to.

Of course, there's her other family as well: Anita, who's been such a strong & positive influence throughout her whole life, Mary, Cat(herine), and all the others from the FNKC. These are strong & supportive people who I believe will always be there for Dakota - who'll always be a part of her life.

Most importantly - she's Georgia's daughter. She's lived with her mother many years and has more of Georgia in her than she realizes. Georgia gave her an excellent example both in her living & in the diginity of her death. She knew of and was secure in her mother's love, and I think she'll always feel it.

That's not to say that it'll always be perfect. Teenage years are full of ups & downs, and I'm sure Dakota's will be not different. Perhaps at times even worse because of losing her mother. But Dakota seems well-grounded, determined, ambitious, caring, and all-around bascially a good person. Georgia did an excellent job with her.

[cseelman]

Hi Lizzie,

I like what you said - "she's Georgia's daughter." And Gran's great granddaughter! So much of what we become is born from where we came--the experiences of the strong (or damaged/weak) people in our lives. You helped me set aside some of my worries.

[LizzieAnn]

I agree. It's true about Gran too. It seems that's where Georgia got a lot of her own strength, and I was glad to learn that James promised to take Dakota to Scotland to visit Gran.

---

cseelman wrote:
Hi Lizzie,

I like what you said - "she's Georgia's daughter." And Gran's great granddaughter! So much of what we become is born from where we came--the experiences of the strong (or damaged/weak) people in our lives. You helped me set aside some of my worries.

---

[katejacobs]

I see many possible futures for Dakota, filled with all the challenges and joys of life. In my opinion, Georgia had a rich, full life -- it simply wasn't as long as she and her loved ones might have preferred but it was a good one -- and her inner strength may be her greatest gift to her daughter. Losing her mother at such a young age will be both heartbreak and also the seed for amazing depths of compassion in Dakota. And we must remember that she isn't orphaned --she has James, Anita, the club, and all of her relatives. Dakota is surrounded by love and that will help her to flourish.

[NoDestressedDa…]

I read the end twice and I cried twice. Dakota has may tears to cry for a mother whose strength carries on within her. Dakota has a host of people who are strong because they too knew her mother. So she has a bright future, and Georgia's memory will live on. Dakota was raised with great care and the benefits will continue to show through her adult life.

[kiakar]

---

NoDestressedDamsel wrote:
I read the end twice and I cried twice. Dakota has may tears to cry for a mother whose strength carries on within her. Dakota has a host of people who are strong because they too knew her mother. So she has a bright future, and Georgia's memory will live on. Dakota was raised with great care and the benefits will continue to show through her adult life.

---

That was a very sad ending but sad endings happen all the time! But we have to learn to fine some joy in them to endure this life on earth. And if we look between the crevices we can find some joy.

[katejacobs]

That's a wonderful way to look at things.