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75 pages 2 hours read

Abraham Verghese

The Covenant of Water

Abraham VergheseFiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2023

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Book Club Questions

The Covenant of Water

1. General Impressions

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

  • The novel is a long family saga that spans several generations in the life of the Parambil family. Do you enjoy reading narratives that cover this much time, or do you prefer novels set during a more compressed time period (like a day)?
  • Have you read Verghese’s debut novel, Cutting for Stone? Which of the two do you like better? If you haven’t read his first one, does reading Covenant make you want to read it? Why or why not?
  • When you read historical fiction, or fiction set in another country, how much outside research do you do while reading, or afterwards? If yes, what does external knowledge bring to your reading experience? For example, do you confirm facts, seek out background context, or something else?

2. Personal Reflection and Connection 

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