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Book Discussion

If Sylvie Had Nine Lives chronicles a woman’s nine possible lives across several decades. She has her struggles and her flaws. Some of her personality traits come forward or recede from one life to the next. Do you think a person has an immutable self, or do we change depending on circumstance?
Of all the possible lives in the book, is there one you think of as the “real” one? Was there a life where you identified with Sylvie more than you did in her other lives?
As you read, did you find yourself thinking about alternate paths you might have taken in your own life? What were the turning points?
The turning points that slip Sylvie from one life to the next are sometimes accidents of timing and circumstance, sometimes intentional, and sometimes a blend of both. A sneeze, a pinch on the but, a chance cup of coffee with a friend that sets her thinking. How much do you think life turns on accident and how much on conscious decisions?
Maps inside the book show Sylvie’s lifelines branching like a delta. Some people read the book straight through, not much concerned about where they are on the maps, while others flip back to search out the turning points that sent Sylvie this way or that. Some have read the book a second time in a different order, grouping the chapters according to whether Sylvie is single, with Jack, or with Erik. What was your approach?
In the final chapter, Blueberry Hill, Syl thinks about her own insatiability—and the insatiability of human beings in general—and links it to some of the problems that define the present moment, including the climate crisis. Do you think this particular version of Sylvie (in Blueberry Hill) will find successful ways to deal with this tendency in her own life?

Author Engagement

If you could ask the author one question, what would it be?

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Book Discussion

Reinvention is a prevalent theme throughout the novel. Where, to you, did this come through most strongly, particularly for Charlie James?
What do you feel are some of the most intrinsic traits to Charlie James’s character that make her different from your regular protagonist?
Which scene has stuck with you most following reading the novel?
What preconceived notions of pre-war Paris, if any, did you have going into this read? What about the setting and period shocked or intrigued you most?
Who would you cast in the main parts for the movie adaptation of The Paris Mystery?
If you could sum up The Paris Mystery in three words, what would they be?

Book Recommendations

What upcoming titles are you looking forward to reading next?

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Book Discussion

The book looks a lot at complicity and themes of shared responsibility as Grace condemns her Father’s family for his wrongdoings. Did you feel this was justified?
Grace could be described as an ‘unlikeable narrator’. Did you like Grace? Did your opinion change throughout the book?
What did you think of the roles of class and wealth in the book?
Which of the murders did you find the most interesting? Why?
What did you think of Grace’s relationship with Jimmy and their resolution?
Did you suspect Kelly’s motives? What did you think of her character?
The book ends with a letter from Grace’s brother. Did you find this a satisfying conclusion?

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Book Discussion

How does River Woman, River Demon take the idea of magical realism and transform Eva’s world via real magick? How does the magick in this novel both embrace and differ from its Latinx/Indigenous magical real predecessors?
How is the landscape its own magical character in this novel? Could you imagine this story taking place anywhere else or does the internal thematic engine grow organically from its environment?
How do close, first-person point of view and the unreliability of Eva as a narrator propel the momentum and narrative tension of the story?
Mental health especially post-partum depression play significantly in this story. How does Eva’s journey shed light on mental illness? In what ways did you empathize with this mother/woman struggling through a mental health crisis?

Author Engagement

Jennifer Givhan uses historical and cultural references to folk magick (including brujería, hoodoo, curanderismo, and Wicca) throughout this page-turning thriller. What did you think of the blending of these more literary/scholarly elements with the suspense genre? How do you think the author pulled it off?
The owl on the cover of the book features prominently in River Woman, River Demon. Discuss the many symbols, including the owl, ghosts, and goddesses. How do these deepen your understanding of the novel’s themes and magickal heart.
If you could ask author Jennifer Givhan one question, what would it be?

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Book Discussion

Iluka, Ana’s home, is both beautiful and dangerous and is almost a character in itself. How does the setting in To the Sea contribute to the story’s sense of menace?
The theme of intergenerational violence runs throughout this book, one family living under both mental and physical abuse for years. How has this shaped Anahita, Dylan, Ana and, to a lesser extent, Marina and the decisions they make?
Despite the way Anahita is treated by her father, why do you think she remains loyal to him?
To the Sea is told in a dual timeline, Ana’s ‘Now’ chapters and Anahita’s past chapters. How did this structure contribute to how the story unfolded in regard to the family’s secrets and who could be trusted – or not?
Discuss the ending and what it meant to you. Did Ana make the right decision? How did you interpret Ana’s last words? A new beginning for Iluka, or something more sinister?

Book Recommendations

Are there any titles like To the Sea you would recommend? Why?

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