Book Club Discussion Questions
Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!
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Out of the three teenage girls, the only narrative we get is from Sophie. Why do you think that is? How do you think the story would be impacted if we only heard from Amber or Honey instead?
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In what ways do we see the substance of honey appear as a motif in the text? How important is it that Dorothy is called Honey?
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How do we see issues of class appear in the text, specifically in the altercation between Eli and Sarah?
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What did you make of the time between Willoughby's disappearance and his discovery? What was revealed during that time from each character's reactions?
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How did the structure of the two-three line paragraphs impact the reading experience
or reflect the nature of the plot?
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What role do the seasons play in the story? How important are they as drivers of the
plot?
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How does climate change, or the threat of it, appear for each of the characters?
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Jeanne is the perspective we hear from the least, and her chapters always come to us from her job at the post office. What do you think the purpose of her narrative is in the text? Did you find it essential to understanding the town?
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The river is where Will and Honey begin their relationship, and ultimately end it. The text also begins and ends with Nell at the river. What is the importance of the river in the story as both an actor and a trope?
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Compare Sophie and Nell's seemingly contrasting desires to be seen and noticed. Why
are they different, and to what end do each achieve their goals?
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How is the tension between science and religion represented? Do you notice any characters falter in their faith to either one?
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How does the power of marriage, or more broadly union, shift over the span of the
book?
Unless otherwise stated, this discussion guide is reprinted with the permission of Melville House. Any page references refer to a USA edition of the book, usually the trade paperback version, and may vary in other editions.
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