Reply To: What do you predict is the “problem”?
So many interesting possibilities here and what an amazing summary of all of the intricacies of TGW and its characters! That alone makes this an great discussion question and an example of how what sounds like a straightforward question is anything but.
Given that this was in Charles’ notebooks, I expect it will have something to do with the water and the water supply. I think Diane may be on to something about diverting water from Canada to the U.S. and not only because of the ridiculous boasts of the incoming U.S. president.
As I learned from reading another of my favorite authors, William Kent Krueger and “Fox Creek,” there was exactly such a plan in the 1950s. It was called the North American Water and Power Alliance (NAWAPA) and it involved channelling water from Canada and Alaska to the lower 48 states. It was eventually shelved because it was deemed too costly and the ecologic impacts too devastating. But, I can conceive of malign actors and power hungry politicians in this day revisiting this idea, convinced they could overcome any obstacles. And water scarcity is a global issue, one that is increasingly severe and significantly impacts parts of the U.S. If oil can be diverted thousands of miles, surely water can also be diverted.
We may all be totally off base but these are great ideas for a plot, if you ask me. I know I will enjoy reading the details of “the problem” and how Armand, Jean-Guy and Isabelle solve it. I am always amazed at LP’s capacity to create a compelling story.
