Introduction

Sadie Hawkmoon, the gritty and enigmatic heroine of Nancy Williams's exciting first novel, never had a simple life. Hawkmoon follows Sadie's journey as she is abducted from the circus as a young child and forced to live on the unforgiving open plains by Ice, a brutal horse thief, and his vicious band of outlaws. Dominated mentally, emotionally, and physically, Sadie is forced to kill and surrender her body as Ice's unwilling lover over the course of several years. At long last, she daringly escapes the clutches of her makeshift family and tries to start her life anew. With the help of a troubled yet charismatic horse trader, Sadie begins to discover what it means to trust and to love, although leaving her nightmarish past behind turns out to be no easy feat--Ice looms like a storm on the horizon, obsessed with getting Hawkmoon back. Richly imagined, quickly paced, and with an enrapturing narrative that encompasses everything from horse thieves to circus monkeys, Hawkmoon is a striking tale of innocence, obsession, love, and redemption.

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Excerpt

CHAPTER 1
Carla woke to the drumming of hooves. Instinctively, she rolled onto her side and drew her boy to her. Luke squirmed, mut¬tering in his sleep, but did not wake. She pulled her blanket up to her chin and fixed her eyes to the tent wall as the ground began to shake in earnest. ... view entire excerpt...

Discussion Questions

From the publisher:

1. Nancy Williams writes of how Ice and his band are "tighter than a family" because of the experiences they have shared together. Have you ever had a certain friend or group of friends that have become as close-knit as family members? Why do you feel there is such a strong bond there?

2. Ice's wife Paige is not the only character in the book who has been in an abusive situation but hers was especially brutal. Instead of standing up against her husband, however, she defends his actions. How do you feel that abusive relationships breed this kind of submissive reaction? Why do you believe Paige defends Ice? Would you do the same in a similar situation?

3. In the aftermath of the civil war, Ice and his band begin stealing horses as a way of prolonging the combative life they thrived in for so many years once their farms were destroyed. If you had a home that was destroyed, what would you do? Do you feel that your reaction would parallel Ice's and turn against the law or do you feel you would do something different?

4. Sadie greatly differs from the other women she encounters after running away from Ice's camp. Have you ever moved to a different city or state, and felt different from the new people you encountered there? What do you feel were the biggest changes you found?

5. When Sadie was a young girl, she tried to dance with Carla's son Luke at one of Ice's many campsites before Ice pulled her away—a bad memory that lingered, and caused Sadie to no longer enjoy dancing. Have you ever had something happen that affected you in such a strong way as to change your feelings toward what was once one of your favorite belongings or activities? How so?

6. Seth presents a challenge to both his family and to Sadie when she firsts meets him. How would you handle someone who treated you as rudely as Seth treats Sadie? Would you have treated him in a different way than Sadie did?

7. Sarah, as a step-mother, is in a very delicate position with Arthur's sons, primarily Seth. How do you think it would feel to be a newcomer to a family? Do you think Sarah is handling the situation the correct way or would you handle it differently?

8. Sadie is struck when Seth uses her name for the first time while they are en route with the horses. What kind of power do you feel a name holds? Why is it important that Seth said Sadie's name? Why do you think it struck her in such a way?

9. Sadie is forced to kill Luke when Caleb and Luke attempt to take her back to Ice. How difficult do you feel the internal battle was for her when she had to take the life of someone she had grown up next to? What do you think you would have done in such a situation?

10. Ice uses violence to subdue and tame those who are in his band, including raping Sadie time after time. How do you feel that the rape has affected Sadie? Has it made her into a stronger character or a weaker one? What does it say about her mental state, and how has she been transformed after the fact?

11. Sadie encounters the monkey from the circus again at the end of the book. Why is it such a powerful moment for her?

12. What is the significance of the dress? What does the last line in the book imply?

Weblinks

»	Publisher's Book Info
»	Author Nancy Williams' web site
»	Hawkmoon Video

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