69 pages • 2-hour read
The House of My Mother: A Daughter's Quest for Freedom
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Book Club Questions
General Impressions
Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.
1. Was The House of My Mother difficult for you to read? How did you handle the discussions of trauma and abuse?
2. What did you consider the most powerful part of Shari Franke’s story? Why?
3. Ruby Franke was just arrested in 2023, meaning that the author is reflecting on events that are still very fresh. How do you think Franke’s proximity to her childhood affected the memoir?
Personal Reflection and Connection
Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.
1. Did you watch 8 Passengers on YouTube or any other family vlogs? What about the book did or didn’t surprise you regarding what goes on behind the scenes with families that become social media stars?
2. Do you have any experience with the LDS Church or similar religions? How do you think involvement in the church might have helped or hurt the Franke family?
3. How much do you share on social media? Do you take any precautions to protect the privacy of yourself or your family?
4. Could you be recruited into a cult? Why or why not?
Societal and Cultural Context
Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.
1. Franke questions the ethics of using children to create social media content, suggesting that issues of consent and morality are difficult to discern and obtain. Should children be allowed on social media? Why or why not? How can we better protect young social media stars?
2. Franke worries that constant exposure to media like true crime and sensationalized news is causing us to be less empathetic as a society. Do you think this is true? What could be done to combat a lack of empathy amid a deluge of sensational media?
Literary Analysis
Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.
1. Describe Franke’s narrative voice. How does it contribute to the feel of the book?
2. Does the text have an antagonist? Who is it, and why?
3. Discuss Shari Franke’s journey from victim to survivor. What other characters follow a similar trajectory?
4. How does Ruby shape her family’s life before, during, and after the start of 8 Passengers?
Creative Engagement
Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.
1. If Shari Franke were to rewrite her memoir as an older woman, how might the story be different?
2. Imagine that you could hear about the Frankes’ story from another figure in Shari Franke’s account. Who would you want to hear from and why? How might their telling of the story be different from Franke’s?
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