Home of the American Circus

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. What did you think of the book overall? What were the most enjoyable or memorable parts?

2. Who was your favorite character? Share why.

3. Discuss what this book has in common with other works by Larkin, for instance The People We Keep, which also addresses themes of trauma and recovery, the search for self-sufficiency, and the bonds of found family.

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

1. Discuss Freya’s childhood experience and how it is portrayed. Have you experienced or observed similar family dynamics, and in what ways does your experience compare?

2. Have you ever experienced a situation, like Freya, where you no longer have the opportunity to gain justice or an apology from someone who hurt you? How did you handle that?

3. What do you make of the book’s depictions of found or chosen family? Can you relate this to relationships in your life?

4. Freya is fascinated by the statue of Old Bet in her hometown. What is an unusual feature of your hometown? How has your relationship with it changed, or not changed, over time?

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

1. Discuss the book’s depictions of substance use. How does the book reflect, or contribute to, contemporary debates about substance dependency and its effects on both individuals and communities?

2. Explore the financial precarity Freya’s life. How do her financial issues reflect current socioeconomic concerns for members of the working-class and middle-class?

3. Analyze how the book handles sexual assault. How does it reflect wider contemporary discourses around victim-shaming and/or the complications of recovering from a traumatic experience?

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

1. Analyze Freya and Aubrey. How are they characterized? How are their character arcs similar or different?

2. Discuss why this book might be set in 2007 and not at another time. How does the time period influence events?

3. Examine the motif of loss in the book. How do various characters experience loss in different ways? What does the novel suggest about the nature of loss and its challenges?

4. Discuss what the circus of the title means for this book. You might compare other books that are more overtly about circuses, like The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, The Circus in Winter by Cathy Day, or Nights at the Circus by Angela Carter to explore what the circus offers as metaphor or context.

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. Write postcards that Aubrey or Freya send to their friends back in Somers. Keep in mind the characterizations in the novel to decide what they would find important and choose to share.

2. Write the lyrics for a song on the Seiđr soundtrack that Jam creates for Freya. Use it to comment on an aspect of the novel or their relationship.

3. Write up the listing for Freya’s house when it goes on the market. Try to put all the drawbacks in the most appealing language possible.