Prologue:
A friend and I spend the morning combing through peaceful roadside graveyards in the sleepy village of Charles River, looking for the grave of Juleen Clarisse Brooks 1918-1980. I never knew her; only that she was the indulgent mother of my dear friend Emily. Juleen was born in Quebec, and buried in Charles River – a minuscule community in the centre of the woods in south-western Nova Scotia. Emily’s Last Will and Testament requests that I scatter a portion of her ashes on her mother’s grave. My first task is to find the grave. (Atkinson, 2012)
The prologue introduces the reader to the voice of the writer and prepares them for the story by sharing the details of a very personal and burdensome task, one of many the writer will perform and document throughout the book. Starting in the middle, if only briefly, creates an element of mystery. By citing such a private moment and contrasting it with how little the writer actually knows of her friend’s history, the elements are in place for a journey of discovery.
