Which character do you most identify with and why?
Which scene has stuck with you the most?
Did you reread any passages? If so, which ones?
Religious symbolism is repeated throughout the novel, and faith itself is a struggle for many characters. Where did you see examples of this? What faiths were represented? What are the different ways they struggle with their faith?
What symbols run throughout the book? What ways were they used?
Race relations change throughout John’s present and past lives, as well as in the lives of other characters. Do you think this impacted John’s interactions with Bobby in his present life? If a character’s race or gender changed, how does that affect the way they act in the present? How would it affect you if this happened to you? How does race play a role in Abraham’s life? In John’s current and past life?
The prologue is actually written after all the action of the book has finished. Did you return to re-read the prologue once you finished reading the book? What were some of the unintended consequences from learning about past lives? Can you think of anything Abraham did not mention in the prologue? What group do you think you would identify with the most in the prologue?
It takes John a bit of time to learn the truth about his gift. How did John’s lack of confidence hinder him develop his gift? In what ways did it help him and was this important? If you had the option of receiving John’s gift, would you take it?
What did you think of the poems? Did you find any subtest in them?
