Reading Group questions

1. Is this the story of a pirate’s daughter? Why or why not? Is there more than one pirate in the novel?

2. How does Cezair-Thompson use the concept of pirates to tell the larger political story of Jamaica’s path to independence? What does this book say about Colonialism?

3. Is this a novel about race? Is it a novel about class?

4. Passions run deep in this novel, both love and hate. Do you consider this a love story? Is it a love story between couples, or a love song for Jamaica, or both? What various kinds of love fuel the plot? What kinds of hatred drive the narrative?

5. Strong mothers abound in this book, even the mothers we read about only in passing who leave Jamaica for New York to earn a living for their children. Do you think Ida is a good mother? Do you think that is a fair question, given the challenges she faced? How important are fathers, and father figures?

6. Maps play a significant role in this novel. The greatest mysteries, though, are finding ways to understand hearts and histories. What guides May in her journey toward self-discovery? How does Nigel find peace?

7. How does the story of Errol Flynn and Hollywood add to the novel?

8. How do the interplay of fact and fiction enliven the story?

9. Place is critical in this novel. How does Cezair-Thompson use different settings to advance her tale?

10. What notions of beauty shape this story?

11. Much of the novel is about seduction, but not always the literal kind. What seduces different characters, and why?

12. Movies are important to the story, but in the end May is most influenced by words and books. Why does she seem more interested in one form of media over the other?

13. How important to the novel is the theme of forgiveness?

14. Is Jamaica a character in this novel?

Win an exclusive holiday at The Tryall Club, Jamaica

Find out more about the book
Reading group questions
About the author
Interview with the author
Reviews
Buy Online

http://www.myspace.com/thepiratesdaughter