67 pages • 2-hour read
The Grey Wolf
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Book Club Questions
General Impressions
Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.
1. How does this novel compare to others you’ve read in the same genre, either in the Armand Gamache series or by other authors?
2. Whose point of view—Armand’s, Jean-Guy’s, or Isabelle’s—did you enjoy the most and/or find the most revelatory, relatable, or frustrating? Why?
Personal Reflection and Connection
Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.
1. Which character did you personally connect with the most, and why?
2. Would you like to live in a small town like Three Pines, or do you prefer a city like Montreal?
3. How does the novel’s depiction of wolves relate to your experiences with wild animals? Did reading the novel evoke comparisons between the wolves and people from your past or present?
4. What moments in the plot were especially resonant for you, and why?
Societal and Cultural Context
Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.
1. How did you feel about the depictions of Catholicism and monasteries in the book?
2. What did the novel teach you about pollution and ownership of natural resources in Canada?
3. Do you think poisoning drinking water would result in approximately the same level of disaster as a nuclear attack? Why or why not?
Literary Analysis
Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.
1. How does The Grey Wolf build on the characterization of Dom Philippe in The Beautiful Mystery? Alternatively, if you haven’t read that book, does Phillippe remind you of a character in another novel?
2. How does Armand compare with other detectives, like Hercule Poirot from Agatha Christie’s novels, such as Murder on the Orient Express?
3. How does the monastery in The Grey Wolf compare to the monasteries in other novels in the genre, such as Redwall or The Name of the Rose?
4. How would you compare the Sûreté du Quebec with the Dublin Murder Squad in Tana French’s series of novels, such as In the Woods?
Creative Engagement
Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.
1. Do you like the casting of Albert Molina as Armand in the Amazon series Three Pines? Who would be your ideal Armand?
2. What meal from the novel do you want to learn how to make or order for yourself?
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