Reading Group Discussion Guide

1. Tansy, the heroine of the novel, belongs to that first generation of backpackers who went travelling in their youth but now, all grown up, have families, jobs and other responsibilities. What effect did backpacking have on Tansy’s life? Do you think it’s possible to combine a thirst for exotic adventures abroad with a family and domestic responsibilities?

2. Central to this novel is Tansy’s decision to leave her husband and kids behind as she goes on a soul-searching trip to India. Did you feel that her decision was a selfish act, or one necessary to maintain her sense of self? How far should a mother go to put her family’s happiness before her own? Do fathers experience the same pressure?

3. At various points in the story, Tansy asks herself whether she and her husband could leave their London lives behind to settle in India, and bring up their children there. What kind of benefits do children get from an unconventional upbringing? What do they miss out on?

4. In The Life You Want Emily Barr shows us India in many guises: from bustling metropolises filled with high-rise office blocks and designer-clad inhabitants to sleepy ashrams set deep in the rainforest. How did you feel about the way India is depicted in the novel? Did it conform to or defy stereotype?

FURTHER READING

Have you read BACKPACK?

Discover Emily Barr’s dazzling debut novel and find out where Tansy’s journey first began.