The Elements: A Novel

Objective: Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. Which novella was your favorite and why?

2. How did you feel about the book’s heavy subject matter? Was it difficult to read? What parts of the book were the most enjoyable?

3. Who were your favorite and least favorite characters and why?

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

1. Have you ever heard about a real-life story of serial child sexual abuse? What was the story and how did you react?

2. Which element—water, earth, air, or fire—do you relate to most and why?

3. Parenting and different parenting styles are at the heart of many stories in The Elements. What lessons have you learned from parenting or being parented?

4. Many characters in the novel support each other during and after traumatic times. How have you connected with and supported people in your life who needed it?

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

1. How do the events of the novel reflect current societal views of toxic masculinity? Does the book portray men and women as equally capable of toxic behavior?

2. How does the trial of Evan and Robbie reflect similar cases in which famous or powerful men are found not guilty of crimes against women?

3. How does Rafe’s ring of sex workers draw parallels to the Jeffrey Epstein case and the powerful people who associated with him?

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

1. How does John Boyne use imagery and figurative language to amplify the emotions of the characters?

2. Compare and contrast how Freya and Aaron process their trauma and explore why only one of them becomes a predator.

3. How does John Boyne connect the elements to the protagonists of each novella, and what do the elements represent?

4. Why, in your opinion, are the novellas written in first-person point of view? Are the narrators reliable? How does the point of view affect your understanding of the protagonists?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. If you were writing The Elements, how might you change the connection between the elements and the roles the characters play (i.e. enabler, accomplice, perpetrator, and victim)?

2. This novel primarily takes place in Ireland, England, and Australia. If it were set in America, how might the characters and their identities change?