We couldn’t wait to start discussing The Story of the Forest from nearly the first page.
Be proud: We held our thoughts until we got to the very last page. Packed with themes of family, loyalty, love, and ambition, survival and resentment, resignation and revival, there’s so much that is thought provoking packed in the pages of Linda Grant’s novel. Get your book pals together and dig in. But beware: There are a few spoilers below! P.S. Be sure to check out the full Page & Pairing guide to The Story of the Forest.
The Story of the Forest
by Linda Grant
1. The Story of the Forest follows one family over generations and countries. How does each character differ from one another based on their different life experiences? What are the differences and similarities across generations? How are their identities shaped by their time period?
2. Readers move through early 20th-century Europe to mid-century Liverpool and contemporary London. How does the author use these settings to influence the characters and their choices? What role does the sense of place play in the characters’ identities?
3. How do the characters’ lives and identities evolve over the course of the novel? What role do personal choices versus societal expectations play in these transformations?
4. Which character did you sympathize with the most? Who did you have the most trouble with? Why?
5. Each character has different interpretations of pivotal events that have happened in the family. Why do you think this is done? What does it say about family lore and the power of storytelling?
6. Do you think Mina really encountered the Bolsheviks in that forest? Why or why not does it matter what really happened?
7. The novel is loosely inspired by Grant’s own family records and lore. How did that affect your perception of the story?
8. Explore the theme of immigration and assimilation. How do characters maintain or redefine their cultural and personal identities as they move countries and cultures?