4UI - Independent Novel

Making Connections to Book

Club

No Great Mischief
Alistair MacLeod

This novel explores the experiences of the

Macdonald clan and the importance of family and
Scottish heritage through the eyes of Alexander.
Recollections collide and the intersection of lives
and choices emphasize the power of the
connection between family members.

No Great Mischief: Potential Themes

Family
Brotherhood
Personal Responsibility
Sacrifice
Resilience
Guilt

The Attack
Yasmina Khadra

The Attack explores Arab-Israeli relations from

divergent perspectives. Amin must face the
devastating nature of terrorism. In doing so,
much of what he knows to be true is proven
false

The Attack: Potential

Themes

Prejudice
Responsibility
Truth
Perception
Identity

The Book of Negroes

Lawrence Hill

Laurence Hills novel traces the life of Aminata. Her

freedom is stolen from her. She lives her life with
resilience and endurance, always striving to restore her
stolen freedom. Her quest for freedom takes her from
Africa to the United States and Canada, back to Africa and
eventually on to England.

The Book of Negroes: Potential

Themes

Racism
Sacrifice
Responsibility
Strength
Survival
Identity

The Sisters Brothers

Patrick DeWitt

Eli and Charlie Sisters are hired to kill Hermann

Kermit Warm. Set in the Old West, The Sisters
Brothers is a dark comedy that follows these two
killers as they experience many work related
struggles.

The Sisters Brothers: Potential

Themes

Brotherhood
Responsibility
Violence
Morality
Influence of Surroundings
Development of Self

Sarahs Key
Tatiana De Rosnay

Julia Jarmonds journalistic assignment serves to

uncover and highlight a neglected history of France
and the Holocaust. This in turn leads to a better
understanding of her husbands family and the farreaching and long-lasting effects of genocide.

Sarahs Key: Potential

Themes

Prejudice
Anti-Semitism
Responsibility
Truth
Identity

Lullabies for Little Criminals

Heather ONeill

Lullabies is a coming of age story. It

follows the unique struggles
experienced by Baby, growing up with
a heroin addicted father in Montreal.

Lullabies for Little Criminals:

Potential Themes

Responsibility
Drug addiction
Loss of innocence
Coming of age
Influence of surroundings

The Book Thief

Markus Zusak

The narrator of The Book Thief is unexpected. Death seems

like a completely appropriate narrator since the novel is set
during WWII in Nazi Germany. Death follows nine year old
Liesel as she survives life in Nazi Germany during World War II.
Although she steals comfort and support for herself, she
unwittingly offers it to those around her.

The Book Thief

Potential Themes

Anti-Semitism
Family
Responsibility
Loyalty
Courage
Sacrifice
Violence and/or Mistreatment