Unlikely Animals

Content Warning: This section of the guide contains discussion of substance use, addiction, illness, and death.

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. The novel is narrated by a chorus of the dead who observe but cannot intervene in the lives of Everton’s residents. How did this unique narrative perspective affect your reading experience, and what does it suggest about our connections to the past and future?

2. Unlikely Animals balances tragedy and humor throughout the story. How effective did you find this approach in addressing serious topics like terminal illness, substance use disorder, and loss? How does it compare to other tragicomedies you’ve read, such as Fredrik Backman’s Anxious People?

3. The title Unlikely Animals can be interpreted in multiple ways. Which characters or relationships did you find most “unlikely” in the novel, and how did your understanding of the title evolve as you read?

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

1. Emma returns to her hometown after losing the healing gift that defined her identity. Have you ever experienced a similar loss of something that was central to your sense of self? How did you navigate this change?

2. Throughout the novel, characters struggle with the tension between staying in Everton or leaving for potentially better opportunities. Have you faced similar decisions about remaining in or returning to your hometown versus pursuing opportunities elsewhere?

3. Moses and Rasputin often provide more consistent care for Clive than his human family members. Have you observed or experienced instances where animals offered comfort or care during difficult times?

4. Emma initially judges her father for his infidelity and her brother for his addiction, but she gradually develops more empathy as she learns their full stories. When has learning someone’s complete story changed your perspective on them?

5. The characters in Unlikely Animals frequently face situations where they must forgive others or themselves. Which character’s journey toward forgiveness resonated most with you, and how does it relate to your own experiences with forgiveness?

6. Both Clive and Emma go through significant personal transformations throughout the novel. Which character’s growth journey most closely parallels a change you’ve experienced in your own life?

Explore broader implications and cultural relevance.

1. The opioid crisis forms a significant backdrop to the story, affecting multiple characters and families in Everton. How accurately do you think the novel portrays the impact of this crisis on small-town communities, and what insights does it offer about addiction and recovery?

2. Corbin Park represents both a mysterious wilderness and an exclusive playground for the wealthy. What commentary might the novel be making about wealth disparity, environmental conservation, and access to nature?

3. The novel explores how communities respond to those who are missing, ill, or otherwise vulnerable. What does Unlikely Animals suggest about a society’s responsibility toward its most vulnerable members?

Examine technical and thematic elements.

1. Hartnett develops the complex relationship between humans and animals throughout the novel. How do the various animal characters (Moses, Rasputin, the bear, etc.) reflect or challenge human behaviors and emotions?

2. The novel redefines healing beyond Emma’s lost supernatural gift. How does Hartnett explore different forms of healing throughout the story, and what message might she be conveying about the nature of healing itself?

3. How does the structure of the novel, with excerpts from The Collected Writings of Ernest Harold Baynes interspersed throughout the narrative, contribute to the themes and atmosphere of the story?

4. Magical realism plays a significant role in Unlikely Animals, from Emma’s healing gift to the chorus of dead narrators. How does this blend of the magical and mundane compare with other works that include supernatural elements, like George Saunders’s Lincoln in the Bardo, which also features a chorus of the dead? What unique perspective does Hartnett’s approach bring to the genre?

5. The community production of Titanic!: The Musical serves as both a plot device and a symbol within the novel. What does it represent, and how does it connect to the broader themes of the book?

6. How do names convey meaning in the novel? Emma’s family name is Starling, her dog is Moses, the fox is Rasputin, and Crystal’s surname is Nash. How do these names deepen your understanding of the characters and themes?

Encourage imaginative interaction with the text.

1. The chorus of the dead yearns to communicate with Everton’s living residents but cannot intervene. Which character would benefit most from a message from beyond, and what would that message contain?

2. Craft the first few lines of Clive’s thoughts as he joins the chorus of the dead in the cemetery, observing his family and Everton from this new perspective.

3. The children refused to let the Titanic sink in their musical production. Which other classic tragedy would you rewrite with a happy ending, and how would your revision reflect the novel’s themes of hope and resilience?

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