book groups: Matinicus

questions to consider

1. An "unreliable narrator" is one who can't be trusted. Whether from ignorance or self-interest, this narrator speaks with a bias, makes mistakes, or even lies. Which characters in the novel do you consider to be unreliable narrators?

2. Consider the role of baseball, specifically the 1955 Brooklyn Dodgers, in Gil’s relationships and outlook on life.

3. Parenting and surrogate parenting are recurring themes in both plotlines. Discuss how the strengths or weaknesses of each situation affects the characters involved.

4. What parallels do you notice between the characters of Hannah and Tiffany? Are there parallels between any other characters in the two time periods?

5. What do you think the author's purpose was in telling Hannah's story, rather than just referring to the diary in the present-day story?

6. Using an actual place (and, in this case, its real name) as the setting for a novel has both advantages and disadvantages. If you were the author, would you have done this? Why or why not?

Download and print