Introduction

In the aftermath of the Civil War, Josephine vows to rebuild her family's once-grand plantation. But in the face of such destruction, is redemption possible?

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Excerpt

Chapter One
April 3, 1865
Josephine Weatherly thought she’d already lived through the darkest hour of this endless war, but she had been wrong. Now all hope was truly gone. She huddled with her sister by the upstairs window in her aunt’s home, watching smoke churn into the sky above Richmond, Virginia, like thunderheads. How could the city where she and her family had taken refuge descend into such terror and anarchy? President Davis and the Confederate government were fleeing. Hungry mobs were looting downtown. The enemy invasion everyone had long feared was about to begin. ... view entire excerpt...

Discussion Questions

1) At the beginning of the novel, what does each woman, Josephine, Eugenia and Lizzie, want most now that the war has ended? Did get what they’d hoped for?

2) In what ways did each woman change throughout the course of the book? What particular events brought about these changes? Which woman changed the most?

3) What does the novel say about the effects of war on people’s lives? How did the war change Alexander Chandler, Daniel Weatherly, and Harrison Blake?

4) Which character in the book had the strongest faith? How did he/she develop that faith? How was it tested?

5) Why do you think Harrison helped Josephine to rescue Lizzie’s children?

6) Do you think Daniel will keep the agreement he made with Alexander Chandler at the end of the story? Why or why not?

7) What were some of the ways that the chaos and lawlessness of the Reconstruction era were shown in this novel?

8) If you could write a sequel to “All Things New,” what do you think will happen to Josephine and Alexander? To Lizzie and Otis and their children? To Eugenia—and Doctor Hunter?

Weblinks

»	Publisher's Book Info
»	Author Lynn Austin's book club

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