Book Club Discussion Questions and Guide for Compound Fracture by Andrew Joseph White

Book Club Discussion Questions

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Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!

1. The novel is set in Appalachia, specifically in a small county of West Virginia. Discuss what you know about the region, including depictions in other media and the news. Why do you think the people within West Virginia and Appalachia are stereotyped as backwards or anti-progressive? Who benefits from this stereotyping?
2. This book takes place in the summer of 2017. Discuss the American political climate in 2017.What events occurred? What conversations were being had about gun violence, minority rights, law enforcement, and government? How does Miles's perspective as a trans, disabled socialist from West Virginia fit into these conversations? Discuss the American political ideologies present in the book: socialism, communism, anarchism, liberalism/ progressivism, libertarianism, and conservatism.
3. The Twist Creek Calamity, or the McLachlan-Pearson labor riot, occurred in 1917. How does this event and its causes still define the Abernathy family—and Twist Creek County—even a century later? Can you draw any comparisons to real historical events? How does law enforcement play a part in controlling Twist Creek County? What conversations are had about law enforcement in the book, and in your own lives?
4. Were you surprised by any character's reaction to Miles's transgender identity? Discuss his family's journey in accepting Miles's identity, and compare or contrast this with coming-out or outing scenes in other media. Which are the most impactful to you? Why might an author choose to depict one outcome instead of another?
5. Discuss Miles's and Cooper O'Brien's relationship. For what reasons do you think Cooper dodges questions about his sexual identity? Is Miles justified in being uncomfortable with Cooper's non-answers? How do you think this conflict should have been handled?
6. Amber Foster, an autistic woman, tells Miles that he may be autistic as well, but acknowledges the barriers to diagnosis in an isolated, underserved area. Do you think Miles should pursue a diagnosis after the events of the book? What would be the pros and cons? Discuss masking, the process of an autistic person learning to suppress their autistic traits, and what may have pressured Miles to do so.
7. Miles accidentally kills Eddie Ruckle. Explain why Miles thinks this will look like retaliation. Why is Cooper so eager to make Paul Miller and Noah Davies the next targets? Do you agree with him? How is political violence, both past and present, depicted in the book? Do you believe it is justified—in this case, or in any case?
8. Predict the future of Twist Creek County with regards to local government, the West Virginia State Police, and the US justice system. Debate the effectiveness of the characters' actions in changing their community. What would you have done in their place?

Unless otherwise stated, this discussion guide is reprinted with the permission of Peachtree Teen. Any page references refer to a USA edition of the book, usually the trade paperback version, and may vary in other editions.