A Guide to Oysters, Pearls and Magic Read online



  A Guide To Oysters, Pearls and Magic

  For Bookclubs and Small Groups

 

  Introduction

  Dear Bookclub and Small Group Readers, welcome to the Guide To Oysters, Pearls and Magic. In this guide, you will find chapter summaries followed by discussion questions. The goals of the guides are simple: 1) To generate discussion and 2) To make reading the text more enjoyable.

  Oysters, Pearls and Magic is a Young Adult novella set in a distant future, where colonists from Earth (Terra) had settled on an Earth-like planet. The main character is Mirra, a descendant of “first-wave immigrants from Old Terra”.

  The novella is divided into two parts: A Sea of Waves and A Tree Of Branches.

 

 

  A Sea Of Waves

  Prologue

  Summary: After a tumultuous event, Mirra is forced to leave her village.

  1.Women are not allowed to use magic, yet they play such an important role in the harvesting of oysters as divers. Why is there such a gender divide?

  2.Comment on the societal structure in the village. What do you think about polyandry?

  3.Do you think Mirra's village is matriarchal?

  Notes: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

  Wave One

  Summary: Mirra has journeyed to the City and found Auri, the sea-witch.

  1.Why is such misogyny directed at Auri?

  2.Why do you think Mirra has grown to love the City?

  3.What is the purpose of the crafting “recipe”?

  Notes: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

  Wave Two

  Summary: The School is open to all learners.

  1.We see a role reversal in Benyi's case. Let's discuss more about the gender divide. Why do such beliefs still exist?

  2.How do you think Mirra copes with the grief and trauma?

  Notes: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

  Wave Three

  Summary: Mirra looks at herself in the mirror.

  1.Mirra experiences self-hatred and self-doubt. Have her past experiences affected her?

  2.What would you think if you were Mirra?

  Notes: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

  Wave Four

  Summary: Mirra encounters problems when she tries to learn magic.

  1.Mirra's experiences at her village have affected her. How do you feel about her trauma?

  2.What would you tell Mirra?

  Notes: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

  Wave Five

  Summary: The City is built on unstable ground.

  1.We get hints of the City's vulcanic past. How is this interlinked to Mirra's inner self?

  2.Lambs Quarter is such an enjoyable place for Mirra. Is it a good safe space for her?

  3.We see Mirra's growing feelings for Auri and Josh. What do you think of this current development?

  Notes: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

  Wave Six:

  Summary: Mirra's thoughts.

  1.Mirra is still dealing with her inner demons. How do we cope with our own?

  Notes: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

  Wave Seven

  Summary: Mirra experiences homesickness and finds affinity with Josh.

  1.We get the feeling that Mirra is still trying to find herself here. Is she looking for a sense of belonging or identity?

  2.Why does she remember the song sung by her grandmother?

  Notes: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

  Wave Eight

  Summary: The City is struck by an earthquake.

  1.Again, we see the motif of scars. Why are scars so important to Mirra?

  Notes: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

  Wave Nine

  Summary: Auri tells Mirra of her past.

  1.Auri is raped by one of the men in her village. How does this make you feel?

  2.Her decision to defend herself is mocked by her people. In this way, her path mirrors Mirra's . Do you admire her courage?

  3.What do you think Auri should have done?

  Notes: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

  Wave Ten

  Summary: Mirra slowly becomes whole.

  1.Josh and Auri bring healing to Mirra's life. What do you think about the existence of the Triad (polyamory)?

  2.Are you intrigued by this social pairing? Are you repulsed? Why?

  Notes: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

  Wave Eleven

  Summary: Mirra meets Second Father.

  1.Does seeing Second Father bring closure to Mirra's life?

  Notes: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

  Wave Twelve

  Summary: The City celebrates Yule.

  1.Discuss the importance of celebration in this chapter.

  Notes: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

  Wave Thirteen

  Summary: Mirra's personal letter to
Auri and Josh.

  1.What do you think of Mirra now? Is she happier?

  Notes: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

  Wave Fourteen

  Summary: Mirra returns back to her village and learns new things.

  1.Mirra's return to the village triggers more questions inside Mirra. Why?

  Notes: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

  Epilogue

  Summary: This chapter brings closure to A Sea of Waves.

  1.How do you feel after reading the first part of the novella?

  2.What are the motifs and themes current in the novella?

  Notes: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

  A Tree Of Branches

  First Branch

  Summary: Mirra is now bonded to Josh and Auri as part of the Triad.

  1.We see a change of theme. What are your thoughts regarding the theme of 'rootedness' (as seen in the she-oak)?

  Notes: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

  Second Branch

  Summary: Auri brings sad news.

  1.Why does Auri's inability to conceive hurt her so much?

  2.What do you think? Discuss in pairs.

  Notes: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

  Third Branch

  Summary: There are premonitions of more bad news.

  1.Auri's news signaled a change. What do you think of the change?

  Notes: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

  Fourth Branch

  Summary: Mirra dreams.

  1.Do you think Grandmother was a magic-user too?

  2.The idea of being uprooted is terrifying to us, not only to Mirra. Is being uprooted a good or bad thing?

  Notes: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

  Fifth Branch

  Summary: Anak Jamu erupts and the Triad is forced to evacuate.

  1.Leaving hurts. How do you feel abou this chapter?

  Notes: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

  Sixth Branch

  Summary: The refugees make their way across the Innerlands.

  1.What is the significance of the wishing tree?

  2.Why do people put so much faith in wishing trees?

  Notes: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

  Seventh Branch

  Summary: The refugees shelter at a caravansari.

  1.Why doe Fiona show hostility towards the refugees?

  Notes: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

  Eighth Branch

  Summary: Fiona confronts and attacks Mirra.

  1.Do you think Fiona is crazy?

  2.How are people with mental illness treated in Mirra's world?

  Notes: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

  Ninth Branch

  Summary: Fiona is found dead.

  1.How does Fiona's death make you feel?

  Notes: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

  Tenth Branch

  Summary: The discovery of the silver fish instils the urge to return back to the City.

  1.Does Mirra's piloting of the silver fish surprise you?

  2.Is technology a gendered tool in this world?

  Notes: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

  Eleventh Branch

  Summary: Auri disagrees with Mirra.

  1.Why do you think Auri is so adamant that she could fly the silver fish?

  Notes: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

  Twelfth Branch

  Summary: The death of Auri.

  1.This is a painful chapter. What do you think of it?

  Notes: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

  Thirteenth Branch

  Summary: Mirra tries to cope with Auri's death.

  1.What would you say to Mirra here?

  Notes: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________