Penitence

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. What were your overall impressions of this book’s depictions of fraught family relationships? How does the shooting impact the novel’s two primary families?

2. Which of the characters did you find the most and least likable? Why? 

3. Have you read other novels that depict gun violence or disparities in the justice system? How does this novel compare to them?

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

1. How did you feel about Angie as a mother? How do her actions compare to the way that you have experienced parenting or observed your friends and family members parenting their children? 

2. How does this novel’s depiction of gun violence compare to your views on gun control, the right to bear arms, and gun violence in the United States? 

3. How would you respond if you were put into a situation like Angie and David’s?

4. What broader arguments does this text make about justice and mercy in the United States, particularly regarding incarceration and rehabilitation?