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

1. Have you ever returned to a place from your past? Describe your reason for going and the impact of the experience.

2. Do you have specific memories of fantastical beliefs or experiences from childhood? How did these experiences shape your worldview?

3. Is there something from your past that haunts you? How have you learned to live beyond it?

4. Can you identify with Birdie’s struggle to find independence as a mother or in another relationship? How have you found a balance between interpersonal connections and freedom without isolation?

5. How has the landscape in which you live, whether urban, rural, or something in between, shaped you?

6. Have you ever felt torn between who you are and what the world expects you to be?

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

1. How does the novel reflect the complex relationship between humans and nature, particularly concerning conservation, survival, and coexistence with wildlife?

2. Discuss the complexities of Birdie’s character through the lens of societal expectations for women and mothers. Does Birdie’s choice to go with Arthur valorize women who engage with risky men, or does it symbolize her need for liberation and freedom?

3. Explore the novel’s depiction of Alaskan folklore and Indigenous traditions. How do these cultural traditions emphasize humans’ connection with animals and the land?

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

1. Analyze the book’s narrative structure. What is the effect of the rotating perspective? How does the author distinguish each narrative voice through tone and language? How would the narrative change if it were only narrated from one perspective?

2. Discuss Birdie’s and Emaleen’s self-discovery journeys. How are they similar and different?

3. Analyze Warren as a symbol of morality and control in the novel. What perspective does he offer that others cannot? 

4. Trace the novel’s contemplation of dualities in nature and humans, such as dark and light, constraint and openness, and safety and danger. How does the title reflect this theme of duality?

5. Discuss the role of food and eating in the novel. What does food symbolize for each character?