The House Is on Fire

1. General Impressions 

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

• The book presents the experiences of four separate main characters. Which narrative did you enjoy the most, and why?
• Share your thoughts on the book’s ending: Did its revelations surprise you? Was the resolution satisfying? Why or why not?

2. Personal Reflection and Connection 

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

• The fire creates a life-and-death situation in which some characters must choose between whether to help others or to put their own safety first. How do various characters weigh these decisions? What would you do in their situation, and why? 
• With which character did you identify the most, and why?
• In an interview, author Rachel B talks about how the novel grew out of the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020. Being unable to travel caused B to turn “to [her] own backyard” for the subject for her next novel, thus leading her to the fire in Richmond, Virginia where she resides (Lawson, Sarah. “Complicating the Narrative: Rachel Beanland sifts through Aftermath of the 1811 Richmond Theater Fire.” C-VILLE Weekly, 3 May 2023). If you were to draw from your own “backyard,” what subject matter would you glean? 
• Survival of a disaster (or a similarly tragic event) can often cause individuals to reevaluate how they have lived their lives, offering them an opportunity to make changes that impact the future. If you were given the opportunity to suddenly “reset” your life, would you? Why or why not? What would be gained and what would be lost or sacrificed?

3. Societal and Cultural Context 

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

• The novel suggests that natural disasters have a disproportionally worse impact on people who are already disadvantaged (economically, racially, etc.). Can you cite instances of natural disasters in recent history that support this claim?
• The novel creates a fictionalized account of an actual event, including the experiences of an enslaved person, Cecily Patterson. What difficulties might the author have faced in writing from Cecily’s point of view? What is the value of presenting this viewpoint?
• More than one version of the fire emerges as the novel unfolds. What does this suggest about how historical events are recorded and the reliability of historical records? Under what circumstances are records considered accurate?

4. Literary Analysis 

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

• In your view, who is the novel’s protagonist? Who is its antagonist? 
• How does the time period of the 1930s impact the plot and the conflict? How might the fire and its aftermath have played out differently in a present-day setting?
• The novel references heroism and heroic behavior. What does it suggest about the traits required to be a hero? What sacrifices must a hero make?
• Which character undergoes the most extreme change by the novel’s end? Is there a character who remains unchanged? How so, and how does this contribute to the novel’s overall meaning? 

5. Creative Engagement

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

• If your own house were on fire and all of its occupants were safely outside, which possession would you choose to retrieve? 
• Imagine a sequel to Cecily’s story: Where does she go next? What happens to her? Are you optimistic about her future? Why or why not?