Reading Group Guide for WHERE THE SWEET BIRD SINGS
(*SPOILERS*)
1. Emma wants to know who she is, genetically and ancestrally, because she's reeling from the loss of her son, Joey. Although her discoveries won't change her circumstance, or Joey's fate, do you think the search is worthwhile? Have you ever done any ancestral research on your own family? What was your purpose for searching, and what did you hope to discover?
2. Emma and Noah have a one-in-four chance of having another child with a rare and deadly genetic disease. Though they didn't mean to become pregnant the second time, how do you feel about this unintended pregnancy? Hopeful? Frustrated that they've been careless when things matter the most? What ending would you write for Emma, Noah, and their unborn baby?
3. Emma and Noah love each other, but they approach the loss of their child in very different ways. Whose reaction is the most understandable to you?
4. If you were a carrier of a rare but deadly condition like Emma and Noah, how would you approach parenthood? which of the options available to Emma would you have chosen, and why?
5. If you were suspicious about your parentage, like Ethan, would you dare to question it? And would you forgive? Do you think Diane was justified in keeping the secret? Finally, did you as the reader forgive her?
6. Betrayal is a big theme in Where the Sweet Bird Sings. Emma feels betrayed by her body, in some regards by Noah, by her grandfather, and by her mother. Who betrayed her the most? And should she forgive that betrayal?
7. Emma's memories of Grandpa Joe are a touchstone, or a comfort when things seem out of control. Most stories, even when they are very suspenseful, employ this literary tool. Did you feel a sense of calm when you read about him, that everything would be okay? Think of your favorite book or movie. Who (or what) was the touchstone?
8. It's likely that each of us is a carrier of an undesirable trait, be it bad teeth, a bad heart, an autoimmune condition, or something as rare and awful as Canavan disease. Have you or your family been affected by a genetic condition? How have you dealt with it?
9. If you were adopted, or didn't know the identity of one or both of your parent, would you be compelled to take a DNA test? What would you hope to find?
10. if you could determine that you carried a gene that would likely cause an unpleasant (but not terminal) condition, would you want to knosw about it? And if symptoms had already manifested, would it make you feel better to know where your condition, be it lactose intolerance or migraines (for instance) came from?
11. Many who search for ancestral ties try to trace their lineage back to a famous person (a king or president for example). Why are these connections to important historical figures significant, do you think? Who would you want to be related to?
12. People love to blame a certain behavioral predisposition on a family tendency - think bullheadedness or overspending. Do you really think there is a genetic link to these behavioral traits? Speak to one that "runs" in your family.
2. Emma and Noah have a one-in-four chance of having another child with a rare and deadly genetic disease. Though they didn't mean to become pregnant the second time, how do you feel about this unintended pregnancy? Hopeful? Frustrated that they've been careless when things matter the most? What ending would you write for Emma, Noah, and their unborn baby?
3. Emma and Noah love each other, but they approach the loss of their child in very different ways. Whose reaction is the most understandable to you?
4. If you were a carrier of a rare but deadly condition like Emma and Noah, how would you approach parenthood? which of the options available to Emma would you have chosen, and why?
5. If you were suspicious about your parentage, like Ethan, would you dare to question it? And would you forgive? Do you think Diane was justified in keeping the secret? Finally, did you as the reader forgive her?
6. Betrayal is a big theme in Where the Sweet Bird Sings. Emma feels betrayed by her body, in some regards by Noah, by her grandfather, and by her mother. Who betrayed her the most? And should she forgive that betrayal?
7. Emma's memories of Grandpa Joe are a touchstone, or a comfort when things seem out of control. Most stories, even when they are very suspenseful, employ this literary tool. Did you feel a sense of calm when you read about him, that everything would be okay? Think of your favorite book or movie. Who (or what) was the touchstone?
8. It's likely that each of us is a carrier of an undesirable trait, be it bad teeth, a bad heart, an autoimmune condition, or something as rare and awful as Canavan disease. Have you or your family been affected by a genetic condition? How have you dealt with it?
9. If you were adopted, or didn't know the identity of one or both of your parent, would you be compelled to take a DNA test? What would you hope to find?
10. if you could determine that you carried a gene that would likely cause an unpleasant (but not terminal) condition, would you want to knosw about it? And if symptoms had already manifested, would it make you feel better to know where your condition, be it lactose intolerance or migraines (for instance) came from?
11. Many who search for ancestral ties try to trace their lineage back to a famous person (a king or president for example). Why are these connections to important historical figures significant, do you think? Who would you want to be related to?
12. People love to blame a certain behavioral predisposition on a family tendency - think bullheadedness or overspending. Do you really think there is a genetic link to these behavioral traits? Speak to one that "runs" in your family.