Literally Leander discussion

Our book club book this month was Our Crooked Hearts by Melissa Albert! Please be aware that there will likely be spoilers for the novel in this thread.

This month, our discussion prompts were written by a staff member. Please feel free to use them or disregard them as you see fit.

1. At one point in the story, Ivy says that her mom is most like a mom when she’s mad on behalf of her children. What kind of relationship does that paint between mother and daughter? How does Ivy’s relationship with her mother change over the course of the novel?

2. In her first chapter, Dana talks about the different kind of mothers—ones that are absent, ones that are missed, ones that are great and ones that aren’t. She says, “A mother can be a paring knife, a chisel. She can shape and destroy. I never really thought I would become one.” What do you think this says about Dana?

3. Do you think Marion changed the dynamic of Dana and Fee's friendship? How do you think they managed to stay friends into adulthood? Did you see any situations in which their friendship would fail?

4. Dana, Fee, and Marion are all swayed by the promise of power. Why do you think people go through great lengths for power?

5. Is there a true villain in this story? Who do you think best fits the role of villain, and why? Who is your runner-up?

6. Discuss how children inherit their parents’ mistakes and successes. In what ways does Ivy inherit Dana’s actions? Have you witnessed the inheritance of mistakes in your own life?

7. If you were Ivy, would you have kept Marion’s spell book? Why or why not?

We look forward to seeing your discussion!