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The Possibilities of Sainthood Reading Guide & Discussion Questions

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The Possibilities of Sainthood by Donna Freitas

The Possibilities of Sainthood

by Donna Freitas
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  • Critics' Consensus (5):
  • First Published:
  • Aug 5, 2008, 280 pages
  • Paperback:
  • Aug 2010, 304 pages
  • Reviewed by BookBrowse Book Reviewed by:
    Jo Perry
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Book Club Discussion Questions

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For supplemental discussion material see our Beyond the Book article, Contemporary Saints and our BookBrowse Review of The Possibilities of Sainthood.


Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!

  1. The book opens with Antonia’s letter to the Vatican offering herself as the Patron Saint of Figs and Fig Trees. Reread the letter and make a list of the things you know or assume about Antonia from the start. After you finish reading the book, go back over the list. Was your perception of Antonia on target?

  2. If you were to be a patron saint, what would your specialization be? Write a letter making your case and e-mail it to [email protected].

  3. Discuss Antonia’s two main aspirations (to become the first living saint and to get her first kiss from the right boy). On the surface, these goals seem very different, but do they have anything in common? What are your aspirations?

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  1. How does the author develop themes of identity and belonging throughout the narrative?
  2. What role does the setting play in shaping the characters' decisions and relationships?
  3. Discuss how the ending reframes the events of the story. Were you surprised?


Unless otherwise stated, this discussion guide is reprinted with the permission of Square Fish. Any page references refer to a USA edition of the book, usually the trade paperback version, and may vary in other editions.

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