2-3-4 Challenge Book Discussions #2 discussion

Ava arrives at HER party during the shootout and is livid, blaming Ellie for “deliberately ruining her party.” In your opinion, why does Ava behave so poorly? Did you ever have any sympathy for Ava? Why or why not?

Ava has had to endure Ellie's drama for a long time. Ava simply has to be the center of the universe and sees Ellie and her problems as upstaging Ava as the center of the family. I would almost believe that Ava seduced Ellie's fiancé as a way of payback for that. No sympathy here.

Ava behaves poorly because her mother is an enabler, she was probably raised that way her whole life. Not sure why. Ellie wasn't even there for most of Ava's life as she was shipped away.

No sympathy from me.

I have to wonder the what the reason behind Ava's hostility toward Ellie really is. It had to stem from childhood in some way. She was jealous for sure, but why? Is there background story there we don't know? It couldn't have all started with the betrayal with John, imo.

I think Ellie got a lot of attention as a child due to having a stalker who was trying to kill her. I bet she was the subject of many discussions between her mother and father, even after she was sent to live in Missouri. Maybe Ava felt that she wasn't getting enough attention, or made a fuss about her parents always worrying about Ellie and not Ava or Annie. The mother may have then paid too much attention to Ava, creating a monster who had to be the center of attention.