Hachette Livre

Hachette Reading Group Guides

Welcome to our Reading Group guide for A Carrion Death by Michael Stanley. We invite you to consider and discuss the following questions when reading this book:

  1. One of the themes of A Carrion Death is the tension between traditional values – the witchdoctor, for example – and Western values. How does this best show up in the book? Are there similar tensions in your own country? If so, how do they manifest themselves?
  2. Would you like to have Joy and Kubu as friends? Why?
  3. How successful would Kubu be if transplanted to a police force in your own country?
  4. What do you think are Kubu’s views of South Africa?
  5. How do you think Minnesota-trained academic Bongani fits into Botswana life?
  6. How does the authors’ love of Africa come through in the book?
  7. Are you able to tell which of the authors wrote which parts of the book? How do you think two people write fiction together?
  8. What are your reactions to the relationships that Kubu has with his wife and parents?
  9. What is your impression of Botswana? How would you describe it to a friend?
  10. Why do you think Botswana is such a successful and stable democracy?
  11. Do you think that Kubu should stick to his diet? Why?
  12. The story is told at three levels: through the actual narrative of the book, through the visions of the witchdoctor, and through the quotes from Shakespeare. Can you link the three together? Do you think this device works to give different perspectives on the mystery?

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  11. The Camel Bookmobile by Masha Hamilton
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  16. Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn
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  18. The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
  19. The Rose Labyrinth by Titania Hardie
  20. The Return by Victoria Hislop
  21. A Small Part of History by Peggy Elliott
  22. A Carrion Death by Michael Stanley
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  24. Sea of Poppies by Amitav Ghosh
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  29. Ghostwalk by Rebecca Stott
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  31. Golden Age by Tahmima Anam
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  33. The Keep by Jennifer Egan
  34. The Saffron Kitchen by Yasmin Crowther
  35. Pirate’s Daughter by Margaret Cezair-Thompson
  36. The Blood of Flowers by Anita Amirrezvani
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