Homecoming

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Have you ever uncovered a surprising family story or secret? How did it affect your understanding of your family history?

2. Reflect on the novel’s exploration of the meaning of home. What does the word “home” mean to you? Is it a physical place, the people you are with, or something else?

3. Do you believe that learning about the past can help someone better understand themselves in the present? Why or why not?

4. Discuss how tragedy shapes the characters’ lives. Did you find their responses to hardship resonant and/or believable?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. Analyze the novel’s depiction of the challenges women face in balancing personal desires with societal and familial obligations. What elements of this challenge remain constant across the two timelines, and what are the implications of that?

2. Discuss how the small-town Australian setting and depictions of rural life reflect broader cultural attitudes. Do you see these attitudes as unique to Australia?

3. Explore the role of class differences in the Turner family story. How does privilege and social status influence the characters’ decisions and relationships? What commentary does the novel offer on social class, broadly?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. Analyze Morton’s use of the dual timeline structure, including the parallels that exist between the two storylines.

2. Discuss the embedded narrative from Daniel Miller’s book. How does it shape Jess’s understanding of the tragedy and herself?

3. Analyze Morton’s use of dramatic irony throughout the story. What function does it serve?

4. Discuss the symbolism of the rose garden.

5. Trace the role of books and reading in the story, particularly for characters facing extreme isolation and loneliness.