Northern Spy

Content Warning: This section of the guide contains discussion of graphic violence.

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. What aspects of life in Northern Ireland 20 years after the Good Friday Agreement did Berry capture most effectively?

2. If you’ve read Berry’s earlier novel Under the Harrow, how does her exploration of sisterhood differ in Northern Spy? Did you notice similar themes or stylistic choices between the works?

3. What symbolic elements did you find meaningful in the story? Which images have stuck with you even after finishing the book?

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

1. When have you faced a conflict between loving someone and disagreeing with their choices? How have you navigated this situation? Did you make a choice or find a way to do both things at once?

2. Characters repeatedly justify actions by claiming they serve “the greater good” (99). What experiences have shaped your view on whether ends justify means?

3. Have you ever gotten closer to someone or understood them better after facing a conflict or other complex situation together? Which relationship in your life has shown resilience through difficulty?

4. How has caring for others changed your perception of risk and safety? What kinds of personal sacrifices are acceptable or necessary on behalf of those under your care?

5. In what ways has your cultural or national identity influenced major life decisions?

6. Have you ever maintained a façade of normalcy while dealing with extraordinary circumstances? How did this kind of self-control impact you and your inner life?

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

1. What does the novel suggest about peace treaties and their effectiveness for deep-rooted cultural conflicts? Can you connect the ways treaties function in this novel to their role in other contemporary conflict zones?

2. Berry portrays both the IRA and MI5 as morally ambiguous rather than clear heroes or villains. How does this nuanced portrayal compare to media coverage of similar real-world conflicts?

3. How do the novel’s discussions of colonialism in Northern Ireland connect to contemporary conversations about other postcolonial regions?

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

1. What purpose does the swimming motif serve in the narrative? How does its symbolic meaning change over the course of the novel?

2. How does Berry use Tessa’s career at the BBC to position her within the political landscape? Trace Tessa’s transformation from news editor to informant to active participant in dangerous IRA operations. How does the novel show her changing views?

3. What techniques does Berry use to normalize the extraordinary danger to people’s lives during the conflict?

4. The sisters ultimately choose loyalty to each other over political commitments. What is Berry suggesting about family bonds versus ideological loyalties?

5. Why might Berry have included the epilogue where Tessa returns to Northern Ireland years later? What does this new perspective add to your understanding of the narrative?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. What developments would you include in an additional chapter set five years after the epilogue?

2. Which actors would you cast in a film adaptation of Northern Spy and why?

3. If you could ask either Tessa or Marian one question about their experiences, what would it be?

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