Book Club Discussion Questions and Guide for Penitence by Kristin Koval

1. In the opening scenes of Penitence, the reader learns that 13-year-old Nora has killed her older brother Nico. Nora and Nico's parents, Angie and David, have very different ways of handling the crime and moving forward. Were you surprised by either of their reactions? If you were a parent, what do you think you'd do in this situation?
2. Angie and David turn to local lawyer Martine and her son – Angie's former lover – Julian to represent Nora in court. Taking into consideration Martine and Julian's past relationship with Angie's family, why do you think each of them agreed to take on this case? Do you think they made good decisions?
3. At the beginning of the novel, Julian has an encounter with a tourist to Lodgepole who read about Nora's case on social media and made a snap judgment about Nora's guilt and what she might or might not deserve. Do you think this type of snap judgment happens frequently in our current society? How has this affected you directly?
4. When Julian and Angie were teenagers, Julian was directly involved in Angie's sister's death. Why did Julian keep his role in the accident secret for all these years? How did that secret affect his mental health, his career, and his relationship with Angie?
5. Angie kept her own secret from Julian. What do you think of her decision? Was there a time when Angie should have told Julian the truth?
6. Angie worked at a gallery and had dreams of becoming an artist. What role did art play throughout Angie's life? Did you understand the character more through her artwork?
7. Julian and Angie lived in New York City during the attack on the World Trade Center on September 11. How do you think the events of that day changed their relationship? Could Angie and Julian have stayed together if it had never happened?
8. After Nico's death, Nora stops talking. Why do you think she did this? Would it have helped or hurt her case if she had been willing to talk about what happened?
9. While Nora is in prison awaiting trial, the district attorney tries to make a case for trying her as an adult. Do you agree or disagree with his reasoning? Should a juvenile ever be charged as an adult, and if so, under what circumstances?
10. Many of the main characters have experienced loss throughout their lives: the loss of parents, siblings, longtime partners, careers, and dreams for the future. How was that grief manifested through their actions?
11. Why do you think Nora killed Nico? Why do you think the author chose not to answer this question for readers?
12. Nico had been diagnosed with Juvenile Huntington's Disease, which had a bleak prognosis of quick-onset dementia and death within five to 10 years. Would Nora's actions be understandable if Nico had wanted to end his own life before suffering the effects of his diagnosis? In what scenario, if any, would her actions be justifiable?
13. How did your perception of the characters change by the end of the book?
14. The novel illustrates how guilt can linger for years. Discuss a character whose guilt seems to define their life. How does this unresolved guilt affect their mental and emotional well-being, and what coping mechanisms do they employ, if any, to deal with it? Suggested by MJ's IRL Book Club (Ontario, Canada)
15. One major theme of Penitence is forgiveness. Should asking for forgiveness absolve guilt? What role do the concepts of blame, mercy, and empathy play in forgiveness?
16. Are certain actions unforgivable? To what extent do our worst actions define who we are — in the eyes of others? In our own eyes?
17. Is forgiveness approached differently in Penitence — and in our world generally — based on whether it's meted out by individuals, by the criminal justice system, or under the authority of a religion? Do you think this makes sense?

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