44 pages • 1 hour read
My Year of Rest and Relaxation
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Book Club Questions
General Impressions
Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.
1. How do you feel about the dynamic between Korede and Ayoola? Do you think Ayoola asks too much of Korede? Do you think Korede is too passive and fails to resist Ayoola’s behavior?
2. Were you satisfied by the novel’s ending? Do you feel that the narrative prepared you for Korede’s decision to protect her sister? Elaborate on the plot beats that made you feel this way.
3. In Frieda McFadden’s The Locked Door, the protagonist is related to a serial killer who occupies an antagonistic role in the narrative. Discuss how My Sister, the Serial Killer subverted your expectations about the portrayal of serial killers and psychopathy.
Personal Reflection and Connection
Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.
1. Do you personally believe that physical appearance should affect the way people treat one another? How do you reconcile your beliefs with the way people react to Korede’s and Ayoola’s physical appearances?
2. The novel suggests that Ayoola may have inherited behavioral traits from her narcissistic father. Where do you stand in the debate between nature and nurture? Do you think Ayoola’s penchant for murder stems from a fundamental aspect of her character? Or do you feel the way she was raised influenced her behavior?
3. How do you deal with complicated relationships within your family? Could you relate to the envy and resentment Korede feels for Ayoola? How might you advise Korede to work through her feelings?
4. Muhtar completely changes his life after waking up from his coma, leaving his family to escape their superficiality. Would you ever commit yourself to change your lifestyle in such a radical way? Why or why not? What things would you want to be rid of in your life?
Societal and Cultural Context
Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.
1. The novel critiques sociocultural norms in modern-day Nigeria. Identify some manifestations of impunity or corruption. How might you relate those manifestations to experiences you’ve had in your local community?
2. Discuss the novel’s critique of modern-day beauty standards. What are the standards the novel uses to qualify that Ayoola is beautiful? How might these standards reflect a gendered perspective of beauty?
Literary Analysis
Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.
1. Discuss the knife as a symbolic object in the narrative. How does its backstory and use develop the novel’s themes of nurture versus nature?
2. In what ways does Muhtar reverse the caretaker-patient dynamic he has with Korede? When he wakes up from his coma, how does Muhtar extend care to Korede?
3. Discuss the characterization of the four men Ayoola kill. How does the novel frame the justification for their deaths? Does the novel ever complicate the motivations around the deaths of the men, whether through perspective or ambiguity?
4. Compare and contrast Ayoola and her father. Apart from gender and relationship, how is Korede able to divorce the two characters in her mind? How does this influence her decisions throughout the novel?
Creative Engagement
Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.
1. Tade is left alive at the end of the novel, though it is likely he has a grudge against the sisters for their impact on his career. How might he try to take revenge on him in a sequel to this novel? Alternately, consider other ways a sequel might progress with Tade central to the plot.
2. If you were producing a film adaptation for this novel, who would you cast in the roles of Korede and Ayoola? Discuss your criteria for casting each character. Also, take note of how standards may differ between individuals. Use this to launch a larger discussion of modern-day beauty standards.
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