Erin’s Comments (group member since May 27, 2015)

Erin’s comments from the Open Book Club group.

1. A Most Agreeable Murder is a comedy of “manners-meets-murder” mystery. What influences or allusions did you notice in the story, and what did you think of the author’s reinterpretation of them?

2. Beatrice Steele is described as “curious by nature, and therefore noticed too much, felt too much” (this page). What did you think of Beatrice as a character? How does Beatrice’s curiosity help her or hurt her over the course of the novel? Who are some other characters with supposed weaknesses that ultimately become strengths over the course of the novel?

3. The residents of Swampshire emphasize “decorum above all,” and hold a preoccupation with image and reputation. How does this end up being harmful in the long run, and what lessons might we draw from the book in regards to our own interest in the way others view us?

4. Why do you think so many of us, like Beatrice, are fascinated by murder? Why has true crime had such an enduring hold on people’s minds and imaginations?

5. What did you think of the structure of the book? How do you think the elements, such as newspaper clippings, excerpts from letters, and secret notes, play into the overall mystery of the story?

6. Who was your favorite character in the book? Why?

7. Why do you think Beatrice and Drake are at first skeptical of Miss Bolton when she reports seeing Arabella covered in blood? In what ways is Miss Bolton considered an unreliable witness, and how might her gender reinforce this?

8. What did you think of the Steele family as a whole? How does their family structure mirror or reject tropes found in books or shows set in the Regency era?

9. Beatrice and Drake debate the merits of “conjecture” vs. “evidence” over the course of the novel. How do both of these things help them find the murderer? If you had to pick one, which do you feel is more important in solving a crime?

10. How do the female characters in the story (Beatrice, Louisa, Arabella, Mary, Caroline, Miss Bolton) fulfill or resist the expectations for women, according to the Swampshire code of conduct? How does the novel explore how expectations placed on women have changed (or remained the same) compared to the Regency era in which this story is set?

11. Many Swampshirean men are quick to clarify that they are “gentlemen,” whereas Drake has a “job.” How does class play a role in the novel?

12. By the end of the novel, only one character was a murderer, but as Louisa points out, “we all have secrets” What are the things these guests are hiding about themselves? How do these secrets influence their decisions and contribute to the mystery? What revelation most surprised you?

13. What do you think the future holds for Beatrice and Drake’s “perfectly exasperating” partnership?

14. Author Julia Seales combined deep knowledge and research of the Regency period with contemporary voice and comedy. What did you think of the balance? In what ways do you think humor can shed new light on or help us reexamine well-known parts of history?

Mystery book club questions

Were you surprised by who ended up being the person who committed the crime? If you guessed who did it, what clues did you notice that made you suspect them? If you were surprised, who did you think it was going to be instead? What was the biggest red herring that threw you off track?

How did the author introduce the main mystery or crime in the book? Did it grab your attention and make you curious right from the beginning?

How did the author create suspense and intrigue throughout the book? What techniques did they use to keep you engaged and guessing?

Did you find that the clues and evidence presented in the book made sense and fit together? If not, what stuck out for you?

How did the author develop the main character(s), especially the detective or sleuth? Did you like them or find them interesting? Did they have any quirks or habits that made them memorable?

How did the book end? Were you satisfied with the solution or reveal of the mystery or crime? Did it make sense and tie up all the loose ends?

How did the author explore themes such as justice, truth, deception, or morality?

How did the author play with and subvert the standard tropes of the mystery genre? Of the fantasy genre? What were your favorite parts of how he blended them together in this novel?

What did you think of the incredible world the author built? What parts of the Empire of Khanum and its workings intrigued you the most?

Do you think the world of The Tainted Cup is a dystopia? If so, what are the most dystopian things about it? What are the least dystopian things?

What were your first impressions of Ana and Din? How did those impressions change over the course of the novel?

What did you think of Ana and Din's relationship? Did you find it entertaining? Would you want to work under someone like Ana, who is both extremely intelligent and extremely unpredictable?

How did your perceptions of the Empire change over the course of the story? How might you relate it to the trials many nations and states are experiencing today?

What were your thoughts about the main mystery and its investigation? Were you able to piece together the clues, or were you surprised by the reveal? What did you think of the way Ana conducted the investigation?

What did you think of the way Commander Blas was murdered? How did it compare creatively to other ways you've seen a character be killed?

Din was magically altered to have a perfect memory. What did you think of that? Would you want to be magically altered? If yes, what alterations would you want?

Ana states in the story that the many human alterations of the Empire are a transaction, safety in exchange for strangeness. Do you think this is a fair deal?

While the characters' magical alterations come with some very cool upsides, they also come with various downsides—sometimes shorter lifespans and often mandated careers. Given that the magic in this world has a cost, is it a price you would be willing to pay?

What did you think about the motivations of the final killer? When you compare the broader consequences of their murders compared to why they killed in the first place, what do you conclude?

What did you think of the Titans? Did you find them mysterious, frightening, and intriguing, or something else altogether?

At the end of the story, how would you interpret the imperial mantra "You are the Empire"? What do you think it says about what the Empire's values? Is it morally good, or not?

Who would you cast as the main characters in a TV show or movie adaptation of The Tainted Cup?
(Questions from Random House Publishing)

Discuss Breitwieser's views on museums as "prisons for art." What do you see as the purpose and role of museums?

Breitwieser also says, “The story of art is a story of stealing.” What did he mean by that and to what extent do you agree? How does Breitwieser’s story fit into the history of stolen and looted art over centuries?

Breitwieser stole over $2 billion worth of art but did not try to sell or profit from it. What does this say about his motivations?

Why do you think Breitwieser was so obsessed with art? What drove his compulsion to steal it?

Are you a big art fan? To what degree can you empathize with Breitweiser’s passion for and visceral reaction to art? Or is there anything else that you feel as passionately about?

Why do you think Breitweiser was seemingly unable to stop stealing art, despite multiple close calls? What parallels do you see between Breitwieser’s obsession with art and typical characteristics of addiction?

What did you think of Breitwieser's relationship with Anne-Catherine? Was she a victim or willing accomplice?

How did Breitwieser's childhood and relationship with his mother shape his personality and later actions?

Do you think it’s credible that Breitwieser’s mother never suspected what he was doing?

Why do you think Breitwieser’s mother, Mireille Stengel, ultimately reacted by destroying pieces of the collection in such an extreme way? Do you think she deserves some blame for enabling her son’s crimes?

Why was Breitweiser so successful in his career as an art thief? What differentiated him from other thieves?

How does Breitwieser’s story illustrate the conflict museums face between accessibility and security?

Discuss your reactions to Breitwieser. Did you sympathize with him at any point? Why or why not?

What do you think happened to the over 80 pieces of stolen art that are still missing?

Why do you think we are so fascinated by stories of art theft and heists in general?
Questions from bookclubs.com

10 The Cartographers Book Club Questions

In order to protect the family from Wally, Nell’s parents made the very difficult choice to keep Tam in Algoe, telling Nell that she had died. What that the right choice?

Do you know of other families (your own perhaps?) where the mother, father AND kid all had the same passion and aptitude for a certain field? How likely is it? Is it nature or nurture?

There were a lot of lies and betrayals between Daniel, Tam, Eve, Francis and the others, which get slowly surfaced throughout the book. In your opinion, which was the worst lie or betrayal?

In many books with fantastical elements, some characters seem to readily accept the surprise of land accessed through the wardrobe door or down the rabbit hole. But when Francis tells Nell that Algoe is real and that it killed her mother, she responds by calling it (and him) a scam, a joke and a prank.

How would you react to such news. Scam or rabbit hole?
The Dreamer’s Atlas- new maps rendered in an old fantastical style, and old maps and those from fantasy fiction rendered new. Would you buy it for your coffee table?

Do you think it’s possible for a map to be perfect, as Wally desires?
Putting on Wally’s tinfoil hat for a moment, if it’s plausible for a map to make a place real, could his virtual vision of the Hab map have done the same?

“Cartography, at its heart, was about defining one’s place in the world by creating charts and measurements” Maps are thought of as many different things throughout the book. They can define ones place (as in Nell’s quote from above), they can connect you with people, are keepers of history, provide inspiration and more.

Which of these purposes resonated the most with you? How do you use maps?
At the end, as Felix reads Nell’s invitation, the narrative says “Nell had drawn him a map. A map to someplace new”. This final twist has had many readers confused about the ending and I myself had to read it twice.

How did you respond to the ending? Does this mean a completely new place? Or a reimagined Algoe? Or the place where she moved Algoe?

In the acknowledgements, Shepherd talks about how General Drafting was indeed real and they did place Algoe on their NY map as a copyright trap. But, once on the map, the few businesses near the fictional Algoe, began to refer to themselves as “Algoe this or that”, county records and addresses began to reflect those change, thus making Algoe real.

Can you think of other instances when documentation of this type, or even mistakes can codify a place?

Fantasy book club questions
How did the author create the fantasy world in the book? Did they provide any maps, glossaries, or appendices to help you understand it?
Did the main characters have any special abilities or powers that made them unique or powerful? If so, are these powers or abilities that you’d like to have? Why or why not? What would you do with these abilities?
How did the author present the magic system in the book? Did they do a good job of explaining how it works and what its rules and limitations are? Did it make sense and fit with the story?
How did the author portray any other races or creatures in the book? If so, what did you think of their culture or history?
How did the author use the setting and atmosphere of the book to enhance the fantasy and mood of the story?
How did the author explore themes such as heroism, destiny, loyalty, or morality?

Questions for Discussion:

Was The Ministry of Time what you were expecting from the cover and blurb? Did you find the mystery, love story or historical elements more intriguing?

Which genre would you describe The Ministry of Time as? What novels would you compare it to?

How do you think our protagonist changes as a character due to the events of the novel? Did you find her likeable? Why or why not? As a reader, is liking a character and/or agreeing with their decisions and principles relevant to your enjoyment of a novel?

Kaliane Bradley says her take on time travel is ‘Full of red tape… Which is what would actually happen if we developed time-travel.’ How is The Ministry of Time’s interpretation of time travel similar or different to other pieces of pop culture you’ve read or watched?

What did you think of the passages from the Franklin expedition? How did they affect your reading experience, and your opinion of Graham as a character?

How does The Ministry of Time use the idea of time travel to explore themes of colonialism and the refugee experience?

In your opinion, what would be the hardest modern concept to explain to a time traveller like Graham and why?

Did you have a favourite expat character, and why was it Arthur?*

The idea for The Ministry of Time came, in part, from Kaliane Bradley’s love for the history of polar exploration, and she wrote it with her friends from that online community in mind. Have you read (or written) fan fiction before? Imagine you need to use a fandom you’re a part of (be it through TV, music, literature or movies) as a jumping point for a novel – what do you choose?

What did you think of the ending? Did it surprise you? Did you feel everything was resolved?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdEOS...
This link is the author talking about the book as well as the history of the Metropol

Questions and Topics for Discussion
1. Describe the types of “love” shared among Sadie, Sam, and Marx. What catalyzes the shifts in their relationships over the years? Consider Sadie’s explanation to Sam about why they never got together: “Lovers are . . . common. Because I loved working with you better than I liked the idea of making love to you. Because true collaborators in this life are rare” (page 393).

2. How does Dov set the standards for Sadie’s work as a game designer, as a woman, and as a wife/partner to both Sam and Marx? What compels her to keep him in her life even after they break up?

3. Sadie considers how their experience as designers would have been different if they were born a decade (more or less) before or after when they were born. Technological advances aside, what else would have been different about their story if it was shifted slightly in time? Consider Sadie and Dov’s relationship, the options for Sam’s foot, the proliferation of mass shootings, and other cultural and social events.

4. Marx’s main creative role is as an actor, which is limited to his time in college. How does he continue to contribute to the creative process with Sam and Sadie—as producer, muse, organizer, and more? What does his participation suggest about the various ways in which one participates in art beyond being an artist?

5. If you were in their shoes, would you have taken the deal with Cellar Door Games or Opus Interactive to produce Ichigo? How would the novel have turned out differently if they had chosen Cellar Door?

6. How does Sam’s foot—while it’s injured and after it’s been amputated—shape his sense of self? Consider his reflections on gender, sexuality, and pain, including how he constructs his avatar as Mayor Mazer. How do the sensitivities of his relationship with this part of his body improve and damage his relationships with the people he loves?

7. The novel bends its narrative form to assume the structure of the games in various places—namely, Both Sides, the NPC, and Pioneers sections. How did your reading experience shift in those sections? Did the format enhance your immersion into the worlds the team was building, even through text alone?

8. Sam suffers numerous losses in the book—his mother, Anna; his friend and partner, Marx; his foot; his relationship with Sadie; his grandfather. How does gaming help him cope with his thoughts about his mother: “There are, he determines, infinite ways his mother doesn’t die that night and only one way she does” (page 172)?

9. Whom do you think deserves more creative credit for Ichigo and Mapleworld, their two most successful ventures—Sam or Sadie? How does the media’s interpretation of Sam as Ichigo and Mayor Mazer affect their working dynamic?

10. Do you think Sadie and Sam regret the choices they made for Mapleworld, given how the game’s political voice led to Marx’s death? Do you think Marx had any regrets?

11. What alternative “plays” during the shooting at Unfair Games could have caused Marx to live?

12. Marx muses while in his coma: “Memory, you realized long ago, is a game that a healthy-brained person can play all the time, and the game of memory is won or lost on one criterion: Do you leave the formation of memories to happenstance, or do you decide to remember?” (page 286). What do the characters in the novel decide to remember through their games? Do they acknowledge the role and value of happenstance in the creation of their real world and their imagined worlds?

13. From the title of the novel, to Sadie’s invocation of Emily Dickinson, to Marx’s epithet, “Tamer of Horses,” to Master of the Revels, there are many allusions to classical literature woven throughout the novel. What does this suggest about the nature of storytelling—how many ways can the same stories, emotions, and experiences be reinvented? Does the team believe they can create and are creating something new in their work, or are they finding new ways of expressing universal themes? What do video games offer a person in the form of entertainment, community, and growth that a play, a poem, or other art forms do not?

14. Discuss how the other game designers that join Unfair Games—Ant and Simon, and the Worths—contribute to the plot of the novel. What would they be if the novel was a video game?

15. What does taking over Dov’s class at MIT help Sadie understand about her life path, including the motives and conditions that helped her make Ichigo, as prompted by her conversation with Destiny?

16. Sadie notes that the kids in her class have a very different attitude toward telling their stories, in life and in games, compared to when she was growing up in the 1980s. How have you observed similar shifts within your own families and communities? How has technology shaped our modes of expression, sense of self-worth, and value systems, especially among teenagers?

17. What video games have you formed an attachment to in your life, as a child and/or as an adult? What about the gameplay, story, or characters drew you in and left an impression on you?

18. Both Sadie and Sam use games to explicitly memorialize their loved ones and process their losses. If you could design a game to change or preserve some part of your reality, what would it be like?

Meagen wrote: "I'm a little over halfway through this book and it's getting to my subconscious. I had a nightmare about the book and I solved the mystery/murder in the dream! I have no idea if it will be correct ..."
I really do hope you are correct. Let the book club know if you are right.

1. The North Carolina marsh where Kya lives has long been a sanctuary for outsiders. How does this setting shape the novel? How does growing up in this isolation affect Kya? In what ways does her status as an "outsider" change how others see her?

2. Why does Kya choose not to go back to school? Do you think she makes the wrong decision? How does Kya’s lack of formal education shape her vision of the world? Would her character be different if she had gone to school?

3. After Jodie and Pa leave Kya alone, she becomes close to Jumpin’ and Mabel. Why are these two adults drawn to Kya? What do they teach her about the world? Do you agree with Jumpin’s decision to protect Kya from social services (p. 110) and to encourage her to live alone in the marsh? Why or why not?

4. Why do you think Kya’s mother leaves in the beginning? Do you agree with her decision?

5. Kya often watches the other young people from town—she even nicknames them "Tallskinnyblonde, Ponytailfreckleface, Shortblackhair, Alwayswearspearls, and Roundchubbycheeks" (p. 80). What does Kya learn from observing these girls? Why do you think she keeps her watching secret? Do you agree with Kya’s secrecy?

6. How is womanhood explored throughout the novel? What does being a woman mean to Kya? How does she relate to the other women in Barkley Cove?

7. Discuss Kya’s relationship with Tate. How does Tate’s understanding of Kya change over time? Is Tate a good partner for Kya? Why or why not?

8. Tate’s father tells him that poems are important because "they make ya feel something" (p. 48). What does poetry mean to Tate? What does it mean to Kya? How does poetry help Kya throughout the novel?

9. On page 142, Kya watches the fireflies near her shack, and notices that the females can change their flashes to signal different things. What does this realization mean to Kya? What does it teach her about relationships? How does this lesson influence Kya’s decisions in the second half of the novel?

10. Discuss how Kya’s observations of nature shape her vision of the world. Do you think these lessons adequately prepare her for life in Barkley Cove? Do you think human society follows the same rules as the natural world? Should it? Why or why not?

11. Is Chase a different kind of man than Tate? How are they different? Is one man better? Do you think that their differences are biological or learned? How does Kya see each man?

12. By the end of the novel, Kya has come to realize…

Most of what she knew, she’d learned from the wild. Nature had nurtured, tutored, and protected her when no one else would. If consequences resulted from her behaving differently, then they too were functions of life’s fundamental core (p. 363).

What does she mean? Do you agree with her philosophy? What do you think it means to be a good person? Do you think Kya is a good person? Why or why not?

13. Were you surprised by the verdict in the Chase’s murder trial? What about by the ending of the novel? Do you agree with Tate’s final decision? Why or why not?
(Questions issued by the publisher.)

1. How did you experience the book? Were you engaged immediately, or did it take you a while to
"get into it"? How did you feel reading it—amused,
sad, disturbed, confused, bored...?


2. Describe the main characters—personality traits, motivations, and inner qualities.
• Why do characters do what they do?
• Are their actions justified?
• Describe the dynamics between characters (in a
marriage, family, or friendship).
• How has the past shaped their lives?
• Do you admire or disapprove of them?
• Do they remind you of people you know?

3. Are the main characters dynamic—changing or maturing by the end of the book? Do they learn about themselves, how the world works and their role in it?

4. Discuss the plot:
• Is it engaging—do you find the story interesting?
• Is this a plot-driven book—a fast-paced page-turner?
• Does the plot unfold slowly with a focus on character?
• Were you surprised by complications, twists & turns?
• Did you find the plot predictable, even formulaic?

5. Talk about the book's structure.
• Is it a continuous story...or interlocking short stories?
• Does the time-line move forward chronologically?
• Does time shift back & forth from past to present?
• Is there a single viewpoint or shifting viewpoints?
• Why might the author have chosen to tell the story
the way he or she did?
• What difference does the structure make in the way
you read or understand the book?

6. What main ideas—themes—does the author explore? (Consider the title, often a clue to a theme.) Does the author use symbols to reinforce the main ideas? (See our free LitCourses on both Symbol and Theme.)

7. What passages strike you as insightful, even profound? Perhaps a bit of dialog that's funny or poignant or that encapsulates a character? Maybe there's a particular comment that states the book's thematic concerns?

8. Is the ending satisfying? If so, why? If not, why not...and how would you change it?

9. If you could ask the author a question, what would you ask? Have you read other books by the same author? If so how does this book compare. If not, does this book inspire you to read others?

10. Has this novel changed you—broadened your perspective? Have you learned something new or been exposed to different ideas about people or a certain part of the world?


(Questions by LitLovers. )

Discussion Questions
1. The Kentucky Pack Horse program was implemented in 1935 by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) to create women’s work programs and to assist economic recovery and build literacy. Looking at the novel, how did the program affect the people in this remote area? Do you think library programs are still a vital part of our society today?

2. How has a librarian or booklover impacted your life? Have you ever connected with a book or author in a meaningful way? Explain.

3. Missionaries, government, social workers, and various religious groups have always visited eastern Kentucky to reform, modernize, and mold hillfolk to their acceptable standards. Do you think Cussy faced this kind of prejudice from the outside world? Is there any prejudice or stigma associated with the people of Appalachia today?

4. How do you think Cussy’s father feels after he marries her off to an abusive man? Why do you think he agrees to Charlie Frazier’s proposal in the first place? What do you imagine life was like for an unwed woman at that time?

5. Imagine you are making a community scrapbook like the ones Cussy distributes to the people of Troublesome. What would you include? Do you think these materials were helpful to Cussy’s library patrons?

6. When Cussy receives the cure for her blueness from Doc, she realizes there’s a price to pay for her white skin, and the side effects soon become too much to handle. If you were in Cussy’s shoes, would you sacrifice your health for a chance at “normalcy”? If there weren’t any side effects, do you think Cussy would have continued to take the medication? Would you?

7. How do you think Cussy feels when she is ostracized at the Independence Day celebration, despite her change of skin color? Can you relate to her feelings of isolation? Do you think these kinds of racial prejudices are still prevalent today?

8. Cussy has to deal with the loss of many loved ones in a very short amount of time. How do you think she handles her grief ? Which loss was the most difficult for you to read?

9. What do you think life was like for the people of Troublesome? What are some of the highlights of living in such a remote place? What are some of the challenges the people on Cussy’s library route face?

10. Back then, entering into a prohibited or interracial marriage in Kentucky was a misdemeanor that could result in incarceration, and we see these racial tensions attempt to sever Cussy and Jackson’s relationship. Discuss anti-miscegenation laws and marriage laws. Do you think this kind of prejudice still exists toward interracial couples?

11. What do you think happens to Cussy, Jackson, Honey, and the other inhabitants of Troublesome after the story ends? Imagine you were Cussy. How would you feel leaving Troublesome for good?
(Questions provided by the publisher)

1. How does the opening scene, in which Ove attempts to purchase a computer, succinctly express the main points of Ove’s ongoing battle with the stupidities of the modern world?

2. Ove loves things that have a purpose, that are useful. How does this worldview fail him when he believes himself to be useless? How is he convinced that he can still be useful?

3. As readers, we get to know Ove slowly, with his past only being revealed piece by piece. What surprised you about Ove’s past? Why do you think the author revealed Ove’s past the way that he did?

4. We all know our own grumpy old men. How do Ove’s core values lead him to appear as such a cranky old coot, when he is in fact nothing of the sort? Which of these values do you agree or disagree with?

5. Although Ove has some major "disagreements" with the way the world turned out, there are some undeniable advantages to the modernization he finds so hollow. How do these advantages improve Ove’s life, even if he can’t admit it?

6. Parveneh’s perspective on life, as radically different from Ove’s as it is, eventually succeeds in breaking Ove out of his shell, even if she can’t change his feelings about Saabs. How does her brash, extroverted attitude manage to somehow be both rude and helpful?

7. Ove strives to be “as little unlike his father as possible.” Although this emulation provides much of the strength that helps Ove persevere through a difficult life, it also has some disadvantages. What are some of the ways that Ove grows into a new way of thinking over the course of the book?

8. Ove is a believer in the value of routine—how can following a routine be both comforting and stultifying? How can we balance routine and spontaneity? Should we? Or is there sense in eating sausage and potatoes your whole life?

9. The truism “it takes a village to raise a child” has some resonance with A Man Called Ove. How does the eclectic cast of posers, suits, deadbeats, and teens each help Ove in their own way?

10. Although we all identify with Ove to some extent, especially by the end of the story, we certainly also have our differences with him. Which of the supporting cast (Parveneh, Jimmy, the Lanky One, Anita) did you find yourself identifying with most?

11. What did you make of Ove’s ongoing battle with the bureaucracies that persist in getting in his way? Is Ove’s true fight with the various ruling bodies, or are they stand-ins, scapegoats, for something else?

12. On page 113, after a younger Ove punches Tom, the author reflects: "A time like that comes for all men, when they choose what sort of men they want to be." Do you agree with this sentiment, especially in this context? How does the book deal with varying ideas of masculinity?

13. On page 246, the author muses that when people don’t share sorrow, it can drive them apart. Do you agree with this? Why or why not?

14. What do you think of Ove’s relationship with the mangy cat he adopts? What does the cat allow him to express that he couldn’t otherwise say?

15. On Ove and Sonja’s trip to Spain, Ove spends his time helping the locals and fixing things. How does Ove the “hero” compare and contrast to his behavior in the rest of the book? Is that Ove’s true personality?

16. Ove and Sonja’s love story is one of the most affecting, tender parts of the book. What is the key to their romance? Why do they fit so well together?

17. Saab? Volvo? BMW? Scania?
(Questions issued by the publisher.)

1. Julián Carax's and Daniel's lives follow very similar trajectories. Yet one ends in tragedy, the other in happiness. What similarities are there between the paths they take? What are the differences that allow Daniel to avoid tragedy?

2. Nuria Monfort tells Daniel, "Julián once wrote that coincidences are the scars of fate. There are no coincidences, Daniel. We are the puppets of our unconscious." What does that mean? What does she refer to in her own experience and in Julián's life?

3. Nuria Monfort's dying words, meant for Julián, are, "There are worse prisons than words." What does she mean by this? What is she referring to?

4. There are many devil figures in the story-Carax's Laín Coubert, Jacinta's Zacarias, Fermín's Fumero. How does evil manifest itself in each devil figure? What are the characteristics of the villains/devils?

5. Discuss the title of the novel. What is "The Shadow of the Wind"? Where does Zafón refer to it and what does he use the image to illustrate?

6. Zafón's female characters are often enigmatic, otherworldly angels full of power and mystery. Clara the blind white goddess ultimately becomes a fallen angel; Carax credits sweet Bea with saving his and Daniel's lives; Daniel's mother is actually an angel whose death renders her so ephemeral that Daniel can't even remember her face. Do you think Zafón paints his female characters differently than his male characters? What do the women represent in Daniel's life? What might the Freud loving Miquel Moliner say about Daniel's relationships with women?

7. Daniel says of The Shadow of the Wind, "As it unfolded, the structure of the story began to remind me of one of those Russian dolls that contain innumerable ever-smaller dolls within" (p. 7). Zafón's The Shadow of the Wind unfolds much the same way, with many characters contributing fragments of their own stories in the first person point of view. What does Zafón illustrate with this method of storytelling? What do the individual mini-autobiographies contribute to the tale?

8. The evil Fumero is the only son of a ridiculed father and a superficial, status-seeking mother. The troubled Julián is the bastard son of a love-starved musical mother and an amorous, amoral businessman, though he was raised by a cuckolded hatmaker. Do you think their personalities are products of nature or nurture? How are the sins of the fathers and mothers visited upon each of the characters?
(Questions from the publisher.)

GENERIC DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Mystery / Crime / Suspense Thrillers

1. Talk about the characters, both good and bad. Describe their personalities and motivations. Are they fully developed and emotionally complex? Or are they flat, one-dimensional heroes and villains?

2. What do you know...and when do you know it? At what point in the book do you begin to piece together what happened?

3. Good crime writers embed hidden clues in plain sight, slipping them in casually, almost in passing. Did you pick them out, or were you...clueless? Once you've finished the book, go back to locate the clues hidden in plain sight. How skillful was the author in burying them?

4. Good crime writers also tease us with red-herrings—false clues—to purposely lead readers astray? Does your author try to throw you off track? If so, were you tripped up?

5. Talk about the twists & turns—those surprising plot developments that throw everything you think you've figured out into disarray.

Do they enhance the story, add complexity, and build suspense?
Are they plausible or implausible?
Do they feel forced and gratuitous—inserted merely to extend the story?
6. Does the author ratchet up the suspense? Did you find yourself anxious—quickly turning pages to learn what happened? A what point does the suspense start to build? Where does it climax...then perhaps start rising again?

7. A good ending is essential in any mystery or crime thriller: it should ease up on tension, answer questions, and tidy up loose ends. Does the ending accomplish those goals?

Is the conclusion probable or believable?
Is it organic, growing out of clues previously laid out by the author (see Question 3)?
Or does the ending come out of the blue, feeling forced or tacked-on?
Perhaps it's too predictable.
Can you envision a different or better ending?
8. Are there certain passages in the book—ideas, descriptions, or dialogue—that you found interesting or revealing...or that somehow struck you? What lines, if any, made you stop and think?

9. Overall, does the book satisfy? Does it live up to the standards of a good crime story or suspense thriller? Why or why not?

(Generic Mystery Questions by LitLovers. Please feel free to use them, online or off, with attribution. Thanks.)

I agree! I also listened to the audiobook and felt that it added a nice dimension to the story.