The Passengers

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. The novel shifts between the trapped Passengers, the jury, and various media feeds. How did this fragmented, fast-paced structure affect your reading experience? Did it create suspense, or did you find it overwhelming at times?

2. The novel often explores the dark side of near-future technology, as in Marrs’s novel The One. For those who have read other works by Marrs, how does The Passengers compare in its themes and tone?

3. As the novel ends, the Hacker’s cycle of terror begins again, with Jack Larsson as the target. What was your reaction to this conclusion? Did you find it satisfying or unsettling?

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

1. The story hinges on the mandatory use of autonomous cars, forcing people to give up control. Think about the technology you use daily. Where do you draw the line between convenience and giving up personal control or privacy?

2. Do you share any of Libby’s skepticism about AI making critical decisions, or are you more optimistic about the role technology can play in areas like transportation?

3. Each Passenger’s carefully constructed public image is shattered when their secrets are revealed. In our world of social media, how conscious are you of the persona you project online versus your private self?

4. In the novel, the government’s secret program assigns a numerical value to citizens to determine their worth in a crisis. What are some of the ways you see society quantifying human worth today, whether through social status, career, or other metrics?

5. Did you feel immediate sympathy for a particular Passenger during their interview, even before knowing the full story? If so, why? How did the Hacker’s revelations challenge or confirm your initial impressions?

6. Have you ever had a first impression of someone that turned out to be completely wrong, similar to Libby’s experience with the man she met and later learns is Jude?

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

1. The public’s vote is treated as the “sixth juror,” a clear example of trial by social media. Where do you see this dynamic playing out in the world today? What does the novel suggest about the dangers of mob justice fueled by online platforms?

2. How does the novel’s depiction of pervasive surveillance and the loss of privacy compare to our current relationship with digital technology?

3. The story brings the philosophical “trolley problem” to life by forcing characters to choose who lives and who dies. What are your thoughts on programming AI with a specific ethical framework to make life-or-death decisions in situations like unavoidable car crashes?

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

1. What is the effect of the big reveal that Jude Harrison was a deepfake? How does this twist change your understanding of Libby’s journey and the novel’s commentary on truth in the digital age?

2. The minor Passengers Victor, Bilquis, and Shabana die relatively early. What is the symbolic purpose of their deaths in the narrative? What do the jury’s and the public’s reactions to them reveal about societal biases?

3. Think about the Hacker, Alex Harris, and the government minister, Jack Larsson. How are they foils for one another, each representing a different kind of corruption? Who did you consider the story’s true villain?

4. How does the meaning of the driverless car shift from a symbol of progress at the beginning to one of imprisonment and judgment by the end?

5. The Hacker’s game has parallels to other stories in which individuals are forced into televised life-or-death competitions, like The Hunger Games (2008). What makes the concept of tragedy as public entertainment so compelling and disturbing in these narratives?

6. The novel is structured around a series of interviews and shocking reveals. How does this repetitive, almost game show-like format build suspense while also commenting on how our culture consumes tragedy as entertainment?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. If you were on the Vehicle Inquest Jury, which Passenger would you have voted to save after hearing all the interviews but before the final revote for Claire? What would your reasoning have been?

2. Imagine that you’re part of Libby’s advocacy group, Transparency in Artificial Intelligence (TIAI). What would be the first rule or regulation you would propose for the reintroduction of driverless cars?

3. What do you think the first social media user who posted on “Blabberbox,” RayOfLight, would say after Jack Larsson’s car is hijacked in the final scene?