The Canyon's Edge

Why does Nora build her wall? Do you think it helps Nora cope with the trauma she experienced? Why or why not?

How is Nora affected by PTSD? How does she manage and overcome her PTSD symptoms? In what ways does Mary help her? Why do you think Nora switches from her use of free verse to haiku when she describes Mary’s teachings?

Nora fears the Beast that haunts her nightmare. Who is the Beast? What does it represent? How does Nora ultimately defeat it?

Nora has many happy memories of her friend Danielle and thinks about her a lot while she searches for Dad. Why is Nora no longer friends with Danielle? How does the loss of this friendship affect Nora? What changes in Nora make her want to regain Danielle’s friendship at the end of the novel?

Writing poetry helps Nora feel close to her mother. How is writing an important motif in the novel?

How does the gun violence in the novel affect the lives of everyone it touches—Nora, Dad, Danielle, Mom, and Sofía Moreno?

Consider the novel’s title, The Canyon’s Edge. Why do you think Bowling used this title rather than something else? How does the canyon inform the novel’s themes of survival, healing, and choosing life?

Nora’s mom and dad have different but complementary personalities. Describe some of their unique characteristics. Which attributes does Nora get from her mother, and which from her father? How do these qualities help Nora survive?