Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. How did knowing Aleys’s fate from the opening Prologue affect your reading experience? Did it create a sense of dread for you, or did it allow you to focus more on her spiritual and political journey?

2. Historical fiction about powerful religious women has become a popular genre. How did you feel Canticle compared to other books you might have read, such as Lauren Groff’s Matrix? What fresh perspectives did it offer on themes of female mysticism and community?

3. What single scene or image has stayed with you the most since you finished the book, and what do you think makes that moment so memorable?

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

1. The novel explores different forms of faith, from Aleys’s intense mysticism to Sophia’s grounded wisdom and Marte’s practical care. Which character’s approach to spirituality did you find most relatable or compelling?

2. Sophia’s advice to Aleys is simply to “[t]ry to be simple” (98). What do you think she means by this, and why is it such a difficult piece of advice for Aleys to follow? Have you ever found value in simplifying your approach to a complex problem or belief?

3. Aleys, Katrijn, and Marte all find power in literacy, using it to understand their world and challenge authority. Think about a time when learning something new or expressing yourself through writing felt empowering. How does their experience connect with your own?

4. Many characters must choose between their personal convictions and the expectations of their community. Have you ever felt torn between a personal calling and your responsibilities to others? How did you navigate that tension?

5. The begijnhof is a community built by women, for women, offering a unique form of independence. What did you find most appealing or perhaps challenging about the way this community functions?

6. The story contrasts the need for solitude, as seen in the anchorhold, with the strength found in community. Which do you personally find more restorative? How did the novel make you think about the balance between the two?

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

1. The story is set in a society in which the Church controls access to scripture by keeping it in Latin. What modern parallels can you see to this kind of “gatekeeping” of information or knowledge? Who are the gatekeepers today, and what are the effects?

2. The economic power of the drapers’ guild has a huge impact on Aleys’s life, driving her family to arrange her marriage. How does the book explore the connection between economic systems and personal freedom, particularly for women? Are these connections still relevant?

3. What does the novel suggest about the nature of celebrity and the public’s hunger for miracles? The crowd’s reaction to Aleys quickly turns from reverence to a violent mob mentality; where do you see similar dynamics play out today with public figures?

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

1. What is the significance of the biblical Canticle of Canticles, or the Song of Songs, in the novel? How does its sensual and passionate language shape Aleys’s understanding of her relationship with God?

2. The narrative perspective shifts between Aleys, Friar Lukas, and Bishop Jan. What effect did seeing the story through the eyes of the antagonists have on your understanding of the central conflict?

3. Mama’s psalter is a crucial symbol. How does its meaning evolve for Aleys, from a connection to her mother to a tool for her own spiritual independence and, ultimately, a legacy she passes to Marte?

4. Lukas’s spiritual journey is a descent into jealousy and obsession. How does his character serve as a critique of institutional religion and the dangers of spiritual ambition?

5. Marte’s journey from a silent servant to the author of her own scripture is a major subplot. How does her story of reinterpreting the tale of Lot’s wife reflect the novel’s broader themes about female agency and challenging patriarchal narratives?

6. The final scene at the stake is deliberately ambiguous, with the bishop and the legate seeing two completely different things. Why do you think the author left Aleys’s fate open to interpretation, and did you find the ending satisfying?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. You are tasked with designing a cover for a new edition of Canticle. Which central image or symbol from the novel would you choose to represent Aleys’s story, and what kind of mood would you want the cover to evoke?

2. Aleys’s story ends, but the beguines’ community continues. What do you imagine life is like in the begijnhof five years after the events of the novel, with Katrijn as magistra and Marte as a writer?

3. Suppose you could add a chapter from the perspective of a minor character like Cecilia, Ida, or Papa. Whose viewpoint would you choose, and what untold part of the story would you want them to share?