The Scent Keeper

Content Warning: This section of the guide contains discussion of illness or death

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. Scent and memory intertwine throughout The Scent Keeper in vivid sensory descriptions. What aspects of this sensory approach most affected your reading experience?

2. The novel blends elements of fairy tales with contemporary fiction. How does this blend compare to other works such as Erin Morgenstern’s The Night Circus?

3. Do you find the island setting at the beginning creates an effective emotional foundation for Emmeline’s journey?

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

1. Which scents from your own life trigger powerful memories similar to those Emmeline experiences?

2. Parental influence shapes how Emmeline understands her world. When have you recognized a family story or belief that wasn’t entirely true?

3. Guilt over her father’s death haunts Emmeline throughout the novel. Have you ever carried a similar burden that affected your relationships?

4. Consider the “nest” Emmeline and Fisher create as their sanctuary. What physical spaces have served as refuges during your own difficult transitions?

5. Emmeline’s journey takes her from isolation to connection. Reflect on a time when you felt like an outsider before finding your place.

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

1. Victoria’s company uses scents to manipulate consumer behavior. Where do you see ethical boundaries between effective marketing and psychological manipulation?

2. Financial pressures drive many characters’ decisions throughout the story. In what ways does economic insecurity influence their moral choices?

3. The progression from island to small town to city mirrors Emmeline’s development. What statement does this make about the relationship between environment and identity formation?

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

1. The Nightingale fairy tale is a key metaphor throughout the novel. How does it illuminate John’s relationship with both his research and his daughter?

2. Bauermeister structures the novel around Emmeline’s physical and emotional journey. How does it compare to other stories with coming-of-age elements like Meg Shaffer’s The Lost Story?

3. Emmeline discovers her real name is Violet—a pivotal moment in her arc. Where else does the novel use naming or renaming to carry symbolic weight?

4. The narrative is framed as a story Emmeline tells her unborn child. How does this framing device affect your perception of her choices?

5. Obsession drives several characters’ actions and decisions. What commentary does Bauermeister offer about its destructive nature?

6. In what ways does Emmeline’s extraordinary sense of smell function as both a gift and a burden throughout her arc?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. Create a scent paper capturing a significant moment from your life. What memory would you preserve?

2. Fisher and Emmeline build a relationship founded on mutual understanding. Write a short scene describing their life five years after the novel ends.

3. Both Victoria and John try to control and manipulate scent for their own purposes. Design a third approach to working with scent that avoids their mistakes.

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