In Everneath, Nikki knows she messed up, so part of what she's doing on her Return is making amends: to her dad, her brother, and maybe even to Jack. Of course, Nikki's not the only far-from-perfect character in the book; plenty of other folks make mistakes and seek forgiveness—or they don't, as the case may be (Cole seems to think he's perfect and incapable of erring). Getting some closure before she has to go to the Tunnels is super important to Nikki, though, especially since she didn't leave for the Everneath under ideal conditions the first time.
Questions About Compassion and Forgiveness
- Why does Nikki get into a fight with her dad just before the Feed?
- Does Cole have any grasp of compassion or forgiveness? Why do you believe this?
- Do you think Jack needs to forgive Nikki more, or Nikki needs to forgive Jack more?
- How does Nikki eventually find redemption? Who helps her find it?
Chew on This
Try on an opinion or two, start a debate, or play the devil’s advocate.
In order to forgive others, Nikki must first learn to forgive herself.
One of the messages of Everneath is that redemption can come from unexpected places.