The Echo of Old Books: A Novel

Content Warning: This section of the guide contains discussion of religious discrimination and gender discrimination.

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. How did the dual narrative affect your experience with the novel? Did you resonate with one timeline more than the other?

2. What sort of person would benefit most from reading this book? Why?

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

1. Several characters in the novel find fresh starts after a particularly difficult time. Have you ever had to start over in this way? How did you manage it?

2. Deception and misdirection are constant threats throughout the novel. What steps would you have taken to avoid misunderstanding if you were in these characters’ shoes?

3. Ashlyn is gifted with psychometry, which allows her to sense emotional impressions from objects. Do you believe in (or have you experienced) similar phenomena?

4. Consider the dynamics of privilege and wealth portrayed in the novel. What role does privilege, or the lack of it, play in your own life?