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Book club questions for Call the Canaries Home by Laura Barrow explore the impact of unresolved pasts on present relationships, the enduring bonds of sisterhood, and the pursuit of forgiveness.
This novel had me from beginning to end. The mystery of Georgia’s disappearance kept me hooked but also the relationship between all the girls and their grandmother.
If you like a story about complex family dynamics and a coming home take then this one’s for you!
What are your thoughts on this novel? ✨
Call the Canaries Home by Laura Barrow
In this blog post you will find the discussion questions for Call the Canaries Home by Laura Barrow. I’ve also added some additional recommendations worth reading below.
The discussions may explore the significance of the family’s shared history, and how the discovery of long-buried secrets shapes character’s understanding of each other and themselves.
Have an amazing discussion with your book club! ✨
About the Author | Book Club Questions
About the Story
Call the Canaries Home is a novel about three sisters who reunite in their hometown in Louisiana after being estranged for years.
The story revolves around Savannah, who convinces her older sisters, Rayanne and Sue Ellen, to revisit their past by retrieving a time capsule they buried as children. The catalyst for this reunion is the disappearance of Savannah’s twin sister, Georgia, when they were four years old. As they sift through the past and confront old memories, tensions and secrets resurface, leading them to reconsider what they thought they knew about each other and their family.
The novel explores themes of family, grief, secrets, and forgiveness, highlighting the importance of family bonds and the journey to uncover the truth about their unresolved past.
About the Author
Laura Barrow is a former teacher and a lover of books. She received her bachelor’s degree in music education from Centenary College in northwest Louisiana, where she grew up.
Laura’s writing is fueled by a passion for stories that delve into the emotions and experiences of women. Her writing reflects not only the human experience but also the rhythms of her own life. In 2023, Laura published her debut novel Call the Canaries Home, and it quickly became a bestseller on Amazon. I can’t wait for her upcoming books!
Laura resides with her husband, three daughters, a moody cat, and a beloved labradoodle named Teddy, just outside Dallas. Beyond writing, you might catch her on a tennis court, engrossed in a good book, or shuttling her busy kids while tuning into podcasts.
Book Club Questions for Call the Canaries Home
Disclaimer: the following discussion questions contain spoilers, so proceed with caution if you haven’t finished the book yet.
- How does the author portray the complexities of family relationships in the novel, especially among the three sisters – Savannah, Rayanne, and Sue Ellen? How do their individual experiences shape their views on family?
- Sue Ellen, Rayanne, and Savannah have distinct personalities. Which sister did you relate to the most, and did your opinion of them change as the story unfolded?
- The story revolves around the loss of Georgia and the impact it has on the family. How does each sister handle grief differently, and how does it affect their relationships with each other and the people around them?
- Meemaw is described as a force to be reckoned with. How does her character contribute to the narrative, and what role does she play in the lives of the sisters? How does her influence shape their decisions and perspectives?
- The discovery of the time capsule brings forth old memories and secrets. How do these revelations impact the sisters’ understanding of their past and each other? Discuss the significance of the photograph and the woman in the background.
- Several characters undergo significant growth and transformation in the novel. Which character’s development did you find most compelling, and how did their growth contribute to the overall theme of the story?
- Share moments from the book that elicited strong emotions. Did you find yourself empathizing with specific characters or situations? How does the author skillfully evoke emotions through the storytelling?
- Explore the theme of sisterhood in the novel. How do the relationships between the sisters evolve throughout the story, and what challenges do they face in rebuilding their bond?
- Meemaw imparts wisdom throughout the story. Share some of Meemaw’s memorable quotes or moments that resonated with you. How does her character contribute to the overall tone of the narrative?
- The novel is told from multiple perspectives, including the sisters and Meemaw. How does this storytelling technique enhance or challenge your connection to the characters? Did you find certain perspectives more compelling than others?
- The story is set in a small town in Louisiana. How does the setting contribute to the overall atmosphere of the novel? Discuss the significance of returning to the hometown in the context of the sisters’ journey.
- Forgiveness is a central theme in the book. How do the characters navigate forgiveness for themselves and each other? What role does forgiveness play in their healing and the resolution of past conflicts?
- The novel has elements of mystery surrounding the disappearance of Georgia. Did the resolution of the mystery meet your expectations? Were there any surprises or twists that stood out to you?
- How did you feel about the resolution of the story and the fate of the characters? Were you satisfied, or did you have different expectations for the ending?
- Share your overall thoughts on the book. Did you find it emotionally resonant? What aspects of the story, characters, or writing style stood out to you the most?
Additional Recommendations
Hope you enjoyed the book club discussion questions and reading guide for Call the Canaries Home by Laura Barrow.
Here are some more of my book club recommendations related to this book, along with their synopses:
The Cypress Maze by Fiona Valpy
In this haunting tale from the bestselling author of The Storyteller of Casablanca, Beatrice kept a wartime secret to protect the innocent. Now, could telling it set her free?
Tuscany, 1943. Stranded in war-ravaged Italy, Beatrice’s dream of an escapist year teaching English is shattered. Granted shelter at the Villa delle Colombe, she seeks refuge in Francesca and Edoardo’s beautiful walled garden, hidden from the outside world, with an elaborate cypress maze at its heart.
But Beatrice is not the only one seeking an escape here. Francesca has brought children to the safety of the house, as well as other adults, all of them seeking sanctuary on the estate with its mysterious maze. As the war closes in, the residents are forced to witness―and do―unthinkable things…
2015. Tess arrives at the villa raw from the agonising loss of her husband. Beatrice, now custodian, guides her to the solace of its gardens, where Tess begins to heal. But all hope of peace is shattered by the arrival of Marco, the estate’s absent owner, who wants nothing more than to hand it over to developers.
Distraught, Beatrice realises she must finally reveal the villa’s painful past if she wants to save it. As the extraordinary story unfolds, Tess realises that Villa delle Colombe is not just a refuge, but a beacon of hope in the darkest of times. Can she convince Marco to give it a new lease of life―and find a way back to happiness herself?
The Secret Stealers by Jane Healey
A female American spy in Nazi-occupied France finds purpose behind enemy lines in a novel of unparalleled danger, love, and daring by the Amazon Charts bestselling author of The Beantown Girls.
Anna Cavanaugh is a restless young widow and brilliant French teacher at a private school in Washington, DC. Everything changes when she’s recruited into the Office of Strategic Services by family friend and legendary WWI hero Major General William Donovan.
Donovan has faith in her―and in all his “glorious amateurs” who are becoming Anna’s fast friends: Maggie, Anna’s down-to-earth mentor; Irene, who’s struggling to find support from her husband for her clandestine life; and Julia, a cheerful OSS liaison. But the more Anna learns about the organization’s secret missions, the more she longs to be stationed abroad. Then comes the opportunity: go undercover as a spy in the French Resistance to help steal critical intelligence that could ultimately turn the tide of the war.
Dispatched behind enemy lines and in constant danger, Anna is filled with adrenaline, passion, and fear. She’s driven to make a difference―for her country and for herself. Whatever the risk, she’s willing to take it to help liberate France from the shadows of occupation and to free herself from the shadows of her former life.
The Words We Whisper by Mary Ellen Taylor
From the bestselling author of Honeysuckle Season comes a sweeping saga that interweaves the past and present in an epic tapestry of love, war, and loss.
As a hospice nurse, Zara Mitchell has already seen more death than most people will experience in a lifetime. So when her older sister asks her to help care for their ailing grandmother, Zara agrees―despite strained family relationships.
Though pale and tired, Nonna has lost none of her sharp mind. She’s fixated on finding something long forgotten, and she immediately puts Zara to work cleaning out the attic. Unexpectedly, amid the tedium of sifting through knickknacks and heirlooms, Zara also reconnects with a man she’s attracted to but whose complicated past makes romance seem impossible.
But then Zara finds what Nonna was looking for: a wooden chest, an emerald broach, a leather-bound journal. As she immerses herself in stories of heroism and loss set against the backdrop of war-torn Italy in 1943, Zara finds answers to questions she didn’t know she had. And they change everything she thinks she knows about love, regret, and seizing the day.
Happy reading! ❤️