Book #14 : Darling Rose Gold, Stephanie Wrobel
About the book:
Mothers never forget. Daughters never forgive.
For the first eighteen years of her life, Rose Gold Watts believed she was seriously ill. She was allergic to everything, used a wheelchair and practically lived at the hospital. Neighbors did all they could, holding fundraisers and offering shoulders to cry on, but no matter how many doctors, tests, or surgeries, no one could figure out what was wrong with Rose Gold.
Turns out her mom, Patty Watts, was just a really good liar.
After serving five years in prison, Patty gets out with nowhere to go and begs her daughter to take her in. The entire community is shocked when Rose Gold says yes.
Patty insists all she wants is to reconcile their differences. She says she’s forgiven Rose Gold for turning her in and testifying against her. But Rose Gold knows her mother. Patty Watts always settles a score.
Unfortunately for Patty, Rose Gold is no longer her weak little darling…
And she’s waited such a long time for her mother to come home.
We talked about the difference between a psychopath and sociopath. A psychopath doesn’t have a conscience. If he lies to you so he can steal your money, he won’t feel any moral qualms, though he may pretend to. He may observe others and then act the way they do so he’s not “found out,” Tompkins says.
A sociopath typically has a conscience, but it’s weak. They may know that taking your money is wrong, and they might feel some guilt or remorse, but that won’t stop their behavior.
2) Who did you most empathize with throughout the book? Did your sympathies change chapter to chapter? If so, how?
3) Patty’s actions are attributed to Munchausen syndrome by proxy, a mental health disorder. Should she have gone to prison if her behavior was caused by an illness beyond her control?
4) Do Patty and Rose Gold love each other? How did your view of their relationship change throughout the book?
5) Toward the end of the book, Rose Gold says, “Nobody wants to hear the truth from a liar.” Did you trust either of the narrators? At what points, if any, was that trust shaken?
6) What did you think of Rose Gold’s final decision not to fix her teeth? To shave her head? How do societal beauty standards affect Rose Gold throughout the book?
7) How much of our personalities are shaped by nature vs. nurture? Do you think Rose Gold and Patty would have committed their crimes had their childhoods been different?
8) “Some of us cannot forget and will never forgive.” Do you think Rose Gold will ever be free of her mother’s influence? Were Rose Gold’s actions justifiable? What do you imagine her future will hold?
9) What role did the residents of Deadwick play in the story? What characters had the biggest impact on Patty and/or Rose Gold? Why do you think Patty was able to keep her actions hidden for so long?
10) Does Patty know she’s lying or has she convinced herself she’s telling the truth? What makes you think so?
For the first eighteen years of her life, Rose Gold Watts believed she was seriously ill. She was allergic to everything, used a wheelchair and practically lived at the hospital. Neighbors did all they could, holding fundraisers and offering shoulders to cry on, but no matter how many doctors, tests, or surgeries, no one could figure out what was wrong with Rose Gold.
Turns out her mom, Patty Watts, was just a really good liar.
After serving five years in prison, Patty gets out with nowhere to go and begs her daughter to take her in. The entire community is shocked when Rose Gold says yes.
Patty insists all she wants is to reconcile their differences. She says she’s forgiven Rose Gold for turning her in and testifying against her. But Rose Gold knows her mother. Patty Watts always settles a score.
Unfortunately for Patty, Rose Gold is no longer her weak little darling…
And she’s waited such a long time for her mother to come home.
We dove into what Munchausen By Proxy Syndrome is. Munchausen syndrome by proxy (MSBP) is a mental health problem in which a caregiver makes up or causes an illness or injury in a person under his or her care, such as a child, an elderly adult, or a person who has a disability. Because vulnerable people are the victims, MSBP is a form of child abuse or elder abuse.
We talked about the difference between a psychopath and sociopath. A psychopath doesn’t have a conscience. If he lies to you so he can steal your money, he won’t feel any moral qualms, though he may pretend to. He may observe others and then act the way they do so he’s not “found out,” Tompkins says.
A sociopath typically has a conscience, but it’s weak. They may know that taking your money is wrong, and they might feel some guilt or remorse, but that won’t stop their behavior.
Doctors actually don't use these terms however. They use the term dissociative personality disorder.
We also dove into Ipecac syrup and what it is. It has been used to cause vomiting after suspected overdose or poisoning. Ipecac syrup is no longer recommended for poisonings; activated charcoal is the treatment of choice.
Some show's and things we'd recommend or that this made us think of were The Act, on Hulu. Based on Dee Dee Blanchard & Gypsy Rose, a real life story. The Discovery ID story about the case, and also check out the movie, Heavenly Creatures from 1994.
Discussion Questions:
1) Who is the victim? Who is the perpetrator? What does it mean to be a victim in the context of this story?
2) Who did you most empathize with throughout the book? Did your sympathies change chapter to chapter? If so, how?
3) Patty’s actions are attributed to Munchausen syndrome by proxy, a mental health disorder. Should she have gone to prison if her behavior was caused by an illness beyond her control?
4) Do Patty and Rose Gold love each other? How did your view of their relationship change throughout the book?
5) Toward the end of the book, Rose Gold says, “Nobody wants to hear the truth from a liar.” Did you trust either of the narrators? At what points, if any, was that trust shaken?
6) What did you think of Rose Gold’s final decision not to fix her teeth? To shave her head? How do societal beauty standards affect Rose Gold throughout the book?
7) How much of our personalities are shaped by nature vs. nurture? Do you think Rose Gold and Patty would have committed their crimes had their childhoods been different?
8) “Some of us cannot forget and will never forgive.” Do you think Rose Gold will ever be free of her mother’s influence? Were Rose Gold’s actions justifiable? What do you imagine her future will hold?
9) What role did the residents of Deadwick play in the story? What characters had the biggest impact on Patty and/or Rose Gold? Why do you think Patty was able to keep her actions hidden for so long?
10) Does Patty know she’s lying or has she convinced herself she’s telling the truth? What makes you think so?
11) The author said she did a lot of research about Munchausen By Proxy and particular case Dee Dee Blanchard and Gypsy Rose. (Turned into the Act on Hulu). Have you seen any other stories that remind you of this book/story line?
12) We dove into the difference of psychopath and , do you know the difference? What do you think Patty was? What do you think Rose Gold was, why?
13) How did you feel when Patty went shopping and was clapped out of the store? What would you have done if you were one of the shoppers in the store/in the town? Did you feel sorry for her?
Book Club Discussion Kit can also be found here: Darling Rose Gold
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