The Sirens

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. What was your favorite storyline from the book—Jess’s, Mary’s, or Lucy’s? Why did you connect with that character’s narrative?

2. What message do you think Emilia Hart is trying to convey by making her protagonists mermaids? How would you compare this book to others about magical or supernatural women, like Circe by Madeline Miller or Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman?

3. How would you compare this book to Weyward, Hart’s debut?

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

1. Lucy, Jess, Mary, and Eliza all have a skin condition that makes them feel self-conscious and critical of themselves. Have you ever felt ashamed or wanted to hide some fundamental aspect of yourself? How does your experience reflect theirs, as represented in the book? 

2. What was your response to the sense of community that Mary found with the women on the Naiad? Have you ever experienced this kind of community, brought together through difficulty? 

3. Is there an unsolved mystery that you’re preoccupied with, the way the Eight are the famous unsolved mystery of Comber Bay? What interests you about this mystery or event?

4. Have you had an experience, or known someone who had an experience of difference like Jess and the Flakes? How did you/they handle it?

5. Discuss Mary’s resolution to visit justice—or her version of it—on men who have harmed women. Can you think of organizations or people who have taken a similar approach in the real world?

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

1. What comment does the book make on responses to violence against women? What do you think Hart is saying through the responses of her various protagonists?

2. What argument does Hart make about the impacts of settlement and colonization? What do these observations add to the novel? How are her assertions relevant in the real world?

3. Discuss the university’s response to Lucy’s situation with Ben. How does it reflect society’s perspective on crimes against women? Is there evidence that this perspective is changing?

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

1. Discuss how the different timelines help advance the book’s dramatic structure and character development.

2. Consider the imagery of the sea and how it turns from threatening or dangerous to nurturing or welcoming. What were some of the most powerful images? How does this shift contribute to the themes of the novel?

3. Explore the novel’s examination of women in a community. Consider the various representations in the narrative. What do you think were the most compelling examples?

4. Compare the various male characters in The Sirens and discuss what they each represent. How do they all contribute to the themes Hart is exploring?

5. Examine the setting of Comber Bay and what it contributes to the novel.

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. Make a sketch or painting that could be part of Jess’s exhibition, The Sirens. Explain why you chose the colors and imagery you did.

2. Write a podcast episode describing the disappearance of one of the Eight. Or, if you wish, write the legend of an earlier unexplained disappearance that predated the Eight.

3. Write an entry updating Jess’s diary in which she reflects on her reunion with Lucy and with Max.

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