The People in the Trees Discussion Guide: Home
Hanya Yanagihara
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Articles, Interviews, and Reviews
- Bitter FruitNew York Times Book Review, September 27, 2013
- Maverick in a Pacific Tempest: Hanya Yanagihara on being a first-novel sensationThe Independent, James Kidd, Sunday 05 January 2014
- Talking with Hanya Yanagihara About Her Debut Novel, The People in the TreesVogue.com, Megan O’Grady, August 12, 2013
- ‘The People in the Trees’ by Hanya YanagiharaThe Boston Globe,
By Suzanne Koven
August 27, 2013 - Bookshelf: Q&A With Hanya YanagiharaPsychology Today, By Nando Pelusi, Ph. D., published on September 02, 2013
Discussion Questions
(From the bookbundlz.com)
General Discussion Questions:
Story:
1. What is the significance of the title?
2. What were the themes of the book? Do you feel they were adequately explored? Were they brought to life in a cliche or in a unique manner?
3. What did you think of the structure and style of the writing?
4. What scene was the most pivotal for the book? How do you think the story would have changed had that scene not taken place?
5. What scene resonated most with you personally in either a positive or negative way? Why?
6. Were there any particular quotes that stood out to you? Why?
Characters:
7. Did any of the characters remind you of yourself or someone you know? How?
8. What is motivating the actions of the characters in the story? What do the sub-characters want from the main character and what does the main character want with them?
9. What were the dynamics of "power" between the characters? How did that play a factor in their interactions?
10. How does the way the characters see themselves, differ from how others see them? How do you see the various characters?
11. How did the "roles" of the various characters influence their interactions? Ie. For a woman: Mother, daughter, sister, wife, lover, professional, etc.
12. What past influences are shaping the actions of the characters in the story?
The Ending:
13. Did you think the ending was appropriate? How would you have liked to have seen the ending go?
14. How have the characters changed by the end of the book?
15. Have any of YOUR views or thoughts changed after reading this book?
16. What do you think will happen next to the main characters?
Overall:
17. Are there any books that you would compare this one to? How does this book hold up to them?
18. Have you read any other books by this author? Were they comparable to your level of enjoyment to this one?
19. What did you learn from, take away from, or get out of this book?
20. Did your opinion of the book change as you read it? How?
Reserve a copy
The People in the Trees by
ISBN: 9780385536776
Recommended Reading
If you liked The People in the Trees, you might enjoy the following books.
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ISBN: 9780374299163A daring, spellbinding tale of anthropologists, missionaries, demon possession, sexual taboos, murder, and an obsessed young reporter named Mischa Berlinski. When his girlfriend takes a job as a schoolteacher in northern Thailand, Mischa Berlinski goes along for the ride, working as little as possible for one of Thailand's English-language newspapers. One evening a fellow expatriate tips him off to a story. A charismatic American anthropologist, Martiya van der Leun, has been found dead, a suicide, in the Thai prison where she was serving a fifty-year sentence for murder.