2-3-4 Challenge Book Discussions #1 discussion

What did you think of Christine's attitude about the missing children and the cases? Why do you think she wasn't worried about letting Timmy walk alone to school near the drop off?

My first impression is that she was so wrapped up in her new reporter status that she wasn't thinking straight. Also, her brother and father were the present and past local sheriffs.

I didn't like Christine at all. She really was wrapped up in herself and was not considering anyone else. It took the shock of Timmy's disappearance to bring her back to reality.

I really disliked this woman. She undermined her brother (just business) and completely disregarded her own child. Her attitude about the missing boys was so callous...to her it was just a story. I never sensed any real empathy. When she did that on-camera interview after Timmy was abducted, she finally saw herself in Darcy (that horrible TV anchor).

This is where the writer asked too much of me with this character. I can't believe a mother could be this disconnected.

I agree. Christine was very self-absorbed and preoccupied with her job to the exclusion of all else. A difficult character to empathize with.

Agree with everyone. She was so wrapped up in her new job she couldn't even think about what was really happening around her or how the families were suffering. I couldn't believe she would let her eight year old walk alone and not make arrangements for an adult to be around.

I also hated how she treated Nick and his investigation. Sure, you want to get the story out, but not at the expense of the investigation and the victims.

It was all about Christine. Still can't fathom her not even thinking about Timmy until hours later.

Jonetta wrote: "It was all about Christine. Still can't fathom her not even thinking about Timmy until hours later."

I know. She is eating pizza and wondering where her child is. She just assumes he went home with a friend and forgot to call.

I have an 8 year old and I would have been absolutely frantic if I was in her shoes! I thought it was very odd that she let her child walk home on his own in normal circumstances let alone with what had been happening.

Like others, I really did not like Christine. So very selfish to only think about her story and not the wellbeing of others. The part that really did it for me was when she got on the phone to her team and the parents of one of the children found out from the paper before Nick could tell them. Shameful!

That was horrible. It took having her own child abducted for her to get it.

I'm really hoping that this character is completely made up by the author, not a prototype of a real person or someone in the media she knows. I just had a tough time believing the character with respect to her own child.

Agreed. Could we have a category to put her in? Anti-heroine?
Nominee to be our least-wanted daughter-in-law?

I thought Christine was being very insensitive about the missing children. It was just a story to her. When it came to Timmy, I felt she was too caught up in her advancement at work to worry about him. I agree too about Timmy not being home and her eating pizza and falling asleep. The thought that he may have been abducted never crossed her mind.

I didn't hate this character but i think she was just so focus on her career that she never thought of how these people felt. I did like when she was being interviewed she realize that how is exactly how she acted. It was nice to see her walk out of the studio. I wonder if we see her in the other books and see if this experience changed her.

I didnt care for Christine at all. All what she seemed to care about was the money and get known as a good reporter. She didnt even care when she betrayed her brother. She made me mad several times. I think she is a very selfish person. She did finally change though, but look what took her to change, her son. I think that she was so wrapped up in her career that she wasnt even thinking of her son. She was just thinking of herself.

Mary Beth, that pretty well sums her up!

Jonetta I really dislike her, can you tell lol!

Lol!