The Shell Seekers

Content Warning: This section of the guide contains discussions of illness, death, and mental illness.

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. How did you respond to Pilcher's choice to structure the novel through multiple time periods and perspectives? Did this enhance or detract from your reading experience? How does this novel compare to other multigenerational novels that employ similar techniques, such as Isabel Allende's The House of the Spirits?

2. What was your initial reaction to Penelope's decision to check herself out of the hospital against medical advice? How did this early scene shape your understanding of her character?

3. Which of the novel's many settings—from wartime Cornwall to 1980s London—felt most vividly realized to you? What role do these distinct locations play in the story?

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

1. The novel explores different characters’ responses to inherited objects of both monetary and sentimental value. What meaningful objects have been passed down in your family, and what stories do they tell?

2. Penelope's garden provides her with both physical activity and emotional solace. What activities in your life serve a similar dual purpose?