Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. Vigil marks the second time Saunders has explored the liminal space between life and death, following his first novel, Lincoln in the Bardo. What view does Vigil present of the afterlife? Does the book advocate for belief in a spiritual world?

2. Do you agree with Jill’s elevated assessment that people like Boone are deserving of comfort and sympathy? Why or why not?

3. Though brief, the novel features a wide cast of distinct characters. Which character resonated with you the most? What did you like about them?

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

1. Much like Dante’s Inferno, Vigil proposes that free will is limited by the dispositions we are born with. Is there a time in your life when you’ve felt like your choices were inevitable or predetermined by your nature or personality?

2. Have you had an experience that convinced you to believe or not believe in an afterlife or the idea that the soul persists after death? If so, how did that experience affect your view of the world?

3. During her last encounter with Boone, Julia expresses that her faith in her father’s integrity has been shaken. Have you had similar experiences where your perception of someone’s integrity was affected by learning new information about them? How did that affect your relationship with that person?

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

1. Expand the novel’s critique of the American oil industry to other manifestations of late-stage capitalism. For instance, how does the data center in the novel reinforce Saunders’ critique of a profit-driven society?

2. The novel suggests that judgment is a key facet of the human experience, something that separates the human from the divine. Discuss the role judgment plays in different religions and cultures, such as Christianity in the United States.

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

1. Evaluate the character of Jill using the novel’s political framework. How do her political opinions (or absence of them) affect her characterization?

2. The novel is told using Jill’s first-person point of view but frequently dips into the thoughts and voices of other characters. How might you reconcile this narrative choice with the traditional rules of narrative voice?

3. How do the differing approaches of Jill and the Frenchman speak to the impact of emotion and reason in persuasion? By having Jill succeed, is Saunders necessarily suggesting that emotion is a better tool than reason in inspiring Boone’s moral conversion?

4. Elaborate on the novel’s critique of the American Dream. Does Saunders suggest a new or alternate way to imagine the United States’ fundamental vision of society?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. Would a film adaptation of this story work better in live action or in animation? Discuss how you would represent the novel’s speculative elements in your chosen medium. Feel free to cite other films that match your vision.

2. Imagine that you have the same mission as Boone: you must find people and convince them to change their ways. Who is the first person you would visit, and how would you persuade them to repent for their actions?