Sally and Gillian have a very different sisterly relationship than Antonia and Kylie. Why does Antonia grow to be so hostile to her sister, while Sally grows to be so protective of hers?

During Sally’s and Gillian’s childhood, the aunts had trouble expressing their love for the girls in conventional ways. Why is this? What changes their attitude toward their adult nieces?

Consider all the Owens women depicted in the narrative. What role does intergenerational trauma play in the story?