When the Jessamine Grows

Content Warning: This section of the guide contains discussion of racism and death

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. What aspects of Joetta’s commitment to neutrality during the Civil War did you find most compelling or challenging?

2. How does When the Jessamine Grows compare to Everhart’s The Saints of Swallow Hill in its exploration of characters facing difficult moral choices? If you’ve never read this book, how does it compare to other historical fiction novels set during the Civil War?

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

1. When have you found yourself holding an unpopular position that put you at odds with your community?

2. In what ways have you observed political or ideological differences affecting family or close-knit relationships, like the divisions in the McBride family?

3. What factors typically influence your decisions to either embrace change or maintain stability and peace when faced with adversity? When, if ever, might you keep your beliefs private?

4. Which relationships in your life reflect the novel’s theme of chosen family transcending traditional family structures?

5. Does Joetta’s connection to her land resonate with your sense of home and belonging?

6. Rudean evolves from glorifying war to expressing regret about his influence on Henry. Reflect on a time when you witnessed someone undergo a significant shift in perspective about an important issue.

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

1. In what ways does the novel’s portrayal of a divided North Carolina differ from common representations of the Civil War in popular culture?

2. What parallels do you see between the pressure to “pick a side” during the Civil War and similar pressures in contemporary political and social discourse? How do inventions like social media or mass-communication tools like television influence this in the present?

3. What responsibility do historical fiction writers have when portraying sensitive issues like racism and enslavement that were inherent in Southern Confederate ideology?

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

1. How does Everhart use the cockade as a symbol to illustrate the theme of identity and belonging throughout the novel?

2. What techniques does Everhart use to connect the landscape and changing seasons to the characters’ emotional journeys?

3. What role do the flashbacks to Ennis’s childhood play in developing the intergenerational themes of the novel?

4. In what ways does Ennis’s presumed death transform Joetta’s character and drive her development?

5. Why is Joetta’s final decision to leave North Carolina for Texas significant to the novel’s themes of resilience and renewal? How does it reflect her character development?

6. What multiple meanings does the jessamine plant hold throughout the story?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. If you were writing an epilogue set five years after the McBride family settled in Texas, what new challenges and opportunities would you include?

2. What might Joetta and Henry say to each other if they were to reunite in Texas? Write a short dialogue imagining this conversation?

3. Which scenes from the novel would be most powerful if adapted to film? 

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