Book Club Discussion Questions
Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!
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Would you do anything differently if you knew the exact date you were going to die?
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How did your opinion about Cherry change from when you first started the book to when you finished it?
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Cherry calls herself "the butterfly" and "the agent of chaos." What does she mean by that?
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How do the passengers handle Cherry's predictions in the days, weeks, and months after the flight? Do you think their lives would have unfolded differently had it been an uneventful trip? Whose story—or fate—did you feel most invested in?
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Do you believe that fate can be fought? Can it be changed? Do you think Cherry's predictions were based on fate or helped put events in motion?
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What might make a person take stock in the predictions of clairvoyants? Have you had any personal experiences with a clairvoyant that made you a believer—or nonbeliever?
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How does knowing Cherry's life story help us understand her "gift"?
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What does the book say about the power of words?
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Do you think we all have a "psychic" ability? Do you think it's a supernatural sixth sense or simply being highly attuned to our environment and the signs around us?
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In the end, is Cherry correct about her predictions?
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Discuss the writing. How does Moriarty create tension and emotion as the story unfolds?
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What does the book tell us about chance? About intuition?
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How do we cope with a world of uncertainty and unpredictability? How do the characters copy with the "certainty" of their fates? Is it better to know or not know?
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Did the themes throughout the book—anxiety, fear, mortality, grief, hope—resonate with you and how?
Unless otherwise stated, this discussion guide is reprinted with the permission of Crown. 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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