Book Club Questions: The Hollows
Has your book club read The Hollows, my chilling novel about a cabin resort deep in the woods of Maine? Would you like to suggest it to them?
I’ve pulled together a list of questions and possible discussion points that might help you. If you can think of any more great questions, please leave a comment – or let me know what your book group thought of my novel.
SPOILER ALERT:
Do not read these questions if you haven’t already read The Hollows because they contain major spoilers regarding the plot and the characters, including the ending.
1.
The Hollows centres around dark tourism and people who travel to places associated with death and tragedy: In this case the murder of two teachers in the surrounding woods of Hollow Falls. Why do you think people like visiting scenes of such horrific crimes? What do you think they gain from it? Is this something you’d take part in?
2.
When Tom and Frankie arrive at Hollow Falls there is no phone signal or wi-fi. Tom doesn’t mind but Frankie is annoyed. How would you feel in this situation? Discuss the impact of the lack of phone signal/wi-fi in the book?
3.
Ryan posts a negative comment about Penance on his Instagram account. Tom later questions whether teenagers are emotionally mature enough to be active on social media. How do you feel about teenagers having access to social media? Should there be an age limit, if so what age? Do you have children who use it? What are the pros and cons?
4.
How do you think Tom and his daughter Frankie’s relationship changes throughout the book? How do you think him living in the UK and her in America would impact it?
5.
What do you think about Tom kickstarting his journalism career by writing an article on Hollow Falls? What would you do in his situation?
6.
The pranks and ritual murders were committed by Crow, Fox and Goat in order to protect the woods that they believed to be sacred? Why do you think they took such extreme action?
7.
There are several ‘guilty’ characters in the book most of which end up dying at the hands of each other. Who do you think was most at fault?
8.
Do you feel any sympathy for bookshop owner Nikki who befriended Tom and failed to be completely honest with him?
9.
Did you suspect Carl as being Crow at any point? Why do you think Darlene and Buddy turned against him?
10.
What role did Abigail play in the ritual murders? She died before they took place but how do you feel her influence affected Crow, Fox, and Goat and what happened?
11.
Why do you think Buddy and Darlene imprison Ryan and Frankie? What do you think they were hoping to achieve? How would you have coped being locked underground?
12.
What do you think Darlene does at the end of the book? How do you think she might get revenge on Frankie?