The Watchers

Mina keeps the parrot in a cage after she escapes from the coop. Why is she still willing to keep a caged pet after she has been one herself?

Compare The Watchers to other literary or cinematic horror titles that feature figures who are not what they appear to be. For example, how does Shine’s portrayal of the watchers compare to the infamous “pod people” in the 1956 horror film Invasion of the Body Snatchers—or in the 2007 remake, The Invasion?

How does The Watchers both utilize and subvert the common horror trope of “the final girl”—the one female character to survive the antagonist?

Conduct further research into the origins of the changeling figure in folklore and mythology. How does Shine’s novel honor (or challenge) these original tales?

What elements of humanity can and cannot be duplicated by the watchers? What does this imply about the nature of humanity?

How does Shine use theater imagery to explore the idea of identity as performance? In what ways does Mina find herself “performing” her identity upon her return to civilization?

Consider the character of Madeline. What compels her to help the other captives? Is her decision to aid them proof that she feels some form of compassion, or does she merely seek to counterfeit compassion in order to perfect her disguise as a human?

What does it mean to be an artist, and to experience trauma as an artist, in The Watchers? How is the labor of art perceived?