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Book Club Discussion Questions
Although The Storyteller’s Daughter: Where the Story Begins is written for young adults, there are themes and layers of meaning for readers of all ages to explore. The combination of pathos and humour create a complex narrative that brings to life the trials and tribulations of coming of age. It is a tale of familial love and loss, the seductive power of fantasy, and the importance of being able to experience life one breath at a time. The following questions are intended to spark discussion, and provide leaping-off points to get your club talking.
1. Setting
The Storyteller’s Daughter is set in southern Manitoba. Although the novel belongs to the fantasy genre, much of the action takes place in the real world—Winnipeg, Manitou, Ninette, and Y-Point at Pelican Lake. The character of Larry Selby is likewise a real person and a real lawyer. What is the effect of this juxtaposition of the real and the fantastic? Would the effect be different if the story had been set in a more exotic location? What role does Mr. Selby play in the novel?
2. Themes of memory, narrative, and identity
Sociologists and cultural critics agree that we are all storytellers: we constantly narrate and interpret for ourselves and for each other the events of our lives. However, this narrative—like memory itself—is not static. It changes as we do, and is subject to revision according to our ongoing experiences. The novel continuously returns to this connection between narrative/storytelling and identity. How do we see Skye’s personal narrative evolving over time? Other characters make attempts to “rewrite” or reinvent their pasts and the narratives of their daily lives according to their fantasies. Who do we see tampering with their own stories? Why do they do this? Do we see such “revisions” in real life?
3. Change
At the beginning of the novel, Skye’s life is changed not only by tragic loss, but by the haste with which her parents’ lives and deaths are put to rest. How do people deal with change in real life? Do Skye’s reactions to her changing circumstances seem authentic? What effect do elements of fantasy have on the way Skye copes with her losses?
4. The Fates
The Morríghana are drawn from a number of mythologies and traditional sources, including Greek, Norse, and Celtic myths. In The Storyteller’s Daughter, the three women represent multiple aspects of a single entity. Is it necessary to be familiar with the traditions being drawn upon in order to fully appreciate these characters? To what extent are authors responsible for representing their sources accurately? To what extent are authors free to take artistic or creative liberties?
5. Fate versus free will
How would you describe the relationship between fate and free will in the novel? To what extent do you think the Fates intercede on Skye’s behalf? What role does coincidence play in the unfolding plot? What is the role of personal choice and responsibility in a world that contains three Fates?
6. Magic
Skye explains that “being a seannachie isn’t really magic. It’s the kind of thing people do all the time when they get caught up in a story and lose track of time. Or when they remember something so strongly they can smell it or taste it or see it. The truth is, people are always skirting the edges of what seannachies do. Seannachies just do it more. They go further” (114). How does this imagining of the seannachies’ power compare with magic as it is represented in other fantasy novels? What do you think of this form of magic?
7. Parents
What role do parents play in this novel? How would you describe the relationship between parents and their children? Although none of the parents in the novel are perfect, can you relate to any of their motives or reactions? Can you sympathize with them?
8. Character arcs
Each of the three girls has a distinct character arc and series of lessons that she has to learn. Each girl is also essential to the quest. How does each of the three girls contribute to the evolution of the plot? What does each girl have to learn in order to fulfil her role?
9. Randall
Randall is an ambiguous character. How would you describe him? What role does he play in the novel? Who is he? What happens to him in the end?
10. The final battle between Bertram and Taranis
The final battle takes place between Bertram and the god Taranis, not Skye and Taranis. What is Bertram’s role? Is his transformation significant? Does his role in the fight with Taranis detract from Skye’s role as heroine?
11. Maggie
For fifteen years, Maggie is trapped in a story of her own devising. How does she become ensnared? What finally draws Maggie back into the world? Why does Skye succeed when she meets her mother on the beach, when she was failed before? How does grief manifest in real life? Is the novel’s representation of grief realistic?
12. Final lines
How would you describe the tone of novel? What is its over-arching message? Is this a hopeful ending? Were you satisfied by this novel? Would you recommend it to others?
Although The Storyteller’s Daughter: Where the Story Begins is written for young adults, there are themes and layers of meaning for readers of all ages to explore. The combination of pathos and humour create a complex narrative that brings to life the trials and tribulations of coming of age. It is a tale of familial love and loss, the seductive power of fantasy, and the importance of being able to experience life one breath at a time. The following questions are intended to spark discussion, and provide leaping-off points to get your club talking.
1. Setting
The Storyteller’s Daughter is set in southern Manitoba. Although the novel belongs to the fantasy genre, much of the action takes place in the real world—Winnipeg, Manitou, Ninette, and Y-Point at Pelican Lake. The character of Larry Selby is likewise a real person and a real lawyer. What is the effect of this juxtaposition of the real and the fantastic? Would the effect be different if the story had been set in a more exotic location? What role does Mr. Selby play in the novel?
2. Themes of memory, narrative, and identity
Sociologists and cultural critics agree that we are all storytellers: we constantly narrate and interpret for ourselves and for each other the events of our lives. However, this narrative—like memory itself—is not static. It changes as we do, and is subject to revision according to our ongoing experiences. The novel continuously returns to this connection between narrative/storytelling and identity. How do we see Skye’s personal narrative evolving over time? Other characters make attempts to “rewrite” or reinvent their pasts and the narratives of their daily lives according to their fantasies. Who do we see tampering with their own stories? Why do they do this? Do we see such “revisions” in real life?
3. Change
At the beginning of the novel, Skye’s life is changed not only by tragic loss, but by the haste with which her parents’ lives and deaths are put to rest. How do people deal with change in real life? Do Skye’s reactions to her changing circumstances seem authentic? What effect do elements of fantasy have on the way Skye copes with her losses?
4. The Fates
The Morríghana are drawn from a number of mythologies and traditional sources, including Greek, Norse, and Celtic myths. In The Storyteller’s Daughter, the three women represent multiple aspects of a single entity. Is it necessary to be familiar with the traditions being drawn upon in order to fully appreciate these characters? To what extent are authors responsible for representing their sources accurately? To what extent are authors free to take artistic or creative liberties?
5. Fate versus free will
How would you describe the relationship between fate and free will in the novel? To what extent do you think the Fates intercede on Skye’s behalf? What role does coincidence play in the unfolding plot? What is the role of personal choice and responsibility in a world that contains three Fates?
6. Magic
Skye explains that “being a seannachie isn’t really magic. It’s the kind of thing people do all the time when they get caught up in a story and lose track of time. Or when they remember something so strongly they can smell it or taste it or see it. The truth is, people are always skirting the edges of what seannachies do. Seannachies just do it more. They go further” (114). How does this imagining of the seannachies’ power compare with magic as it is represented in other fantasy novels? What do you think of this form of magic?
7. Parents
What role do parents play in this novel? How would you describe the relationship between parents and their children? Although none of the parents in the novel are perfect, can you relate to any of their motives or reactions? Can you sympathize with them?
8. Character arcs
Each of the three girls has a distinct character arc and series of lessons that she has to learn. Each girl is also essential to the quest. How does each of the three girls contribute to the evolution of the plot? What does each girl have to learn in order to fulfil her role?
9. Randall
Randall is an ambiguous character. How would you describe him? What role does he play in the novel? Who is he? What happens to him in the end?
10. The final battle between Bertram and Taranis
The final battle takes place between Bertram and the god Taranis, not Skye and Taranis. What is Bertram’s role? Is his transformation significant? Does his role in the fight with Taranis detract from Skye’s role as heroine?
11. Maggie
For fifteen years, Maggie is trapped in a story of her own devising. How does she become ensnared? What finally draws Maggie back into the world? Why does Skye succeed when she meets her mother on the beach, when she was failed before? How does grief manifest in real life? Is the novel’s representation of grief realistic?
12. Final lines
How would you describe the tone of novel? What is its over-arching message? Is this a hopeful ending? Were you satisfied by this novel? Would you recommend it to others?
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Additional Resources:
Changelings
The Oxford English Dictionary defines a “changeling” as “a person or thing (surreptitiously) put in exchange for another;” and as “a child secretly substituted for another in infancy; esp. a child (usually stupid or ugly) supposed to have been left by fairies in exchange for one stolen.” The notion of the changeling is pervasive in many nations’ mythologies and folklore; such stories provided an explanation for why some children were weak or sickly. They also legitimised or excused some terrible abuses of such children by their parents. For a wide range of articles and legends that focus specifically on the legends of the British Isles, check out D. L. Ashliman’s page:
http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/britchange.html
Edinburgh’s Storytelling Centre
In The Storyteller’s Daughter, Skye learns that storytelling has been an important part of her family history, going back to the Highland clans and the seannachies. Historically, storytelling and oral narrative played an important role in Scottish culture, a fact illustrated by the ongoing existence and vibrancy of Edinburgh’s Scottish Storytelling Centre—where, in the novel, Skye’s grandmother Morag was employed for a time. To learn more about the tradition of storytelling, check out the Centre’s website:
http://www.tracscotland.org/scottish-storytelling-centre
Memory, Narrative, and Identity
For a lengthy dissertation on the connection between memory, narrative, and identity—particularly as it is represented in Canadian literature—my dissertation can be downloaded from the University of Edinburgh archives.
https://www.era.lib.ed.ac.uk/handle/1842/6318
However, for a more concise discussion, Wikipedia actually provides a relatively reliable and well documented introduction:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narrative_identity
The Morríghana and Fate
While The Storyteller’s Daughter takes some liberties with the mythical tradition of the Morríghana, there is a rich body of literature upon which the novel draws. Again, Wikipedia provides a relatively reliable place to start:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Morr%C3%ADgan
The Encyclopedia Mythica provides some fun and interesting tidbits, as does the Order of Bards, Ovates, & Druids (the latter in particular being rather more impassioned than scholarly): http://www.pantheon.org/articles/m/morrigan.html
http://www.druidry.org/library/gods-goddesses/morrigan
Finally, Myths and Legends of the Celts by James MacKillop provides a good starting point for readers who wish to know more in general about the myths and legends of the Celts but who prefer more academic resources.
Seannachies
The Oxford English Dictionary defines the seannachie as “In Ireland and the Scottish Highlands: One professionally occupied in the study and transmission of traditional history, genealogy, and legend; now chiefly Sc. a Gaelic teller of legendary romances.” Once again, Wikipedia has a decent introduction to the seannachie:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seancha%C3%AD
For an example of one who is considered a contemporary seannachie, see the stories of Eamon Kelly on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzP4FM3WqwY&feature=related
Taranis
Associated with thunder and human sacrifice, Taranis seems to have inspired fear and horror in his followers. Wikipedia and the Pagan Files discuss the evolution of the god in some detail; for a vivid description of Taranis as he is often depicted in myth and ancient artifacts, see the entry in the Encyclopedia Britannica, which alludes to Taranis riding on a footed serpent. MacKillop’s book, Myths and Legends of the Celts, has some good information as well.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taranis
http://alkman1.blogspot.ca/2006/09/celtic-thunder-god.html
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/583342/Taranis
Tarot Cards
The deck of tarot cards that belonged to Skye’s grandmother and which Skye inherits were inspired by an actual tarot deck designed by Caitlin Matthews. The cards delve into many of the stories and legends of the ancient Celts, and provide a fascinating insight into this body of myths. See the images attached for the cards that frame Skye’s quest; for more information on Caitlin Matthews and a glimpse into her thoughts on storyworlds, see her website:
http://www.hallowquest.org.uk/hallowquest-meditation6.html
Changelings
The Oxford English Dictionary defines a “changeling” as “a person or thing (surreptitiously) put in exchange for another;” and as “a child secretly substituted for another in infancy; esp. a child (usually stupid or ugly) supposed to have been left by fairies in exchange for one stolen.” The notion of the changeling is pervasive in many nations’ mythologies and folklore; such stories provided an explanation for why some children were weak or sickly. They also legitimised or excused some terrible abuses of such children by their parents. For a wide range of articles and legends that focus specifically on the legends of the British Isles, check out D. L. Ashliman’s page:
http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/britchange.html
Edinburgh’s Storytelling Centre
In The Storyteller’s Daughter, Skye learns that storytelling has been an important part of her family history, going back to the Highland clans and the seannachies. Historically, storytelling and oral narrative played an important role in Scottish culture, a fact illustrated by the ongoing existence and vibrancy of Edinburgh’s Scottish Storytelling Centre—where, in the novel, Skye’s grandmother Morag was employed for a time. To learn more about the tradition of storytelling, check out the Centre’s website:
http://www.tracscotland.org/scottish-storytelling-centre
Memory, Narrative, and Identity
For a lengthy dissertation on the connection between memory, narrative, and identity—particularly as it is represented in Canadian literature—my dissertation can be downloaded from the University of Edinburgh archives.
https://www.era.lib.ed.ac.uk/handle/1842/6318
However, for a more concise discussion, Wikipedia actually provides a relatively reliable and well documented introduction:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narrative_identity
The Morríghana and Fate
While The Storyteller’s Daughter takes some liberties with the mythical tradition of the Morríghana, there is a rich body of literature upon which the novel draws. Again, Wikipedia provides a relatively reliable place to start:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Morr%C3%ADgan
The Encyclopedia Mythica provides some fun and interesting tidbits, as does the Order of Bards, Ovates, & Druids (the latter in particular being rather more impassioned than scholarly): http://www.pantheon.org/articles/m/morrigan.html
http://www.druidry.org/library/gods-goddesses/morrigan
Finally, Myths and Legends of the Celts by James MacKillop provides a good starting point for readers who wish to know more in general about the myths and legends of the Celts but who prefer more academic resources.
Seannachies
The Oxford English Dictionary defines the seannachie as “In Ireland and the Scottish Highlands: One professionally occupied in the study and transmission of traditional history, genealogy, and legend; now chiefly Sc. a Gaelic teller of legendary romances.” Once again, Wikipedia has a decent introduction to the seannachie:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seancha%C3%AD
For an example of one who is considered a contemporary seannachie, see the stories of Eamon Kelly on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzP4FM3WqwY&feature=related
Taranis
Associated with thunder and human sacrifice, Taranis seems to have inspired fear and horror in his followers. Wikipedia and the Pagan Files discuss the evolution of the god in some detail; for a vivid description of Taranis as he is often depicted in myth and ancient artifacts, see the entry in the Encyclopedia Britannica, which alludes to Taranis riding on a footed serpent. MacKillop’s book, Myths and Legends of the Celts, has some good information as well.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taranis
http://alkman1.blogspot.ca/2006/09/celtic-thunder-god.html
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/583342/Taranis
Tarot Cards
The deck of tarot cards that belonged to Skye’s grandmother and which Skye inherits were inspired by an actual tarot deck designed by Caitlin Matthews. The cards delve into many of the stories and legends of the ancient Celts, and provide a fascinating insight into this body of myths. See the images attached for the cards that frame Skye’s quest; for more information on Caitlin Matthews and a glimpse into her thoughts on storyworlds, see her website:
http://www.hallowquest.org.uk/hallowquest-meditation6.html
