Discuss A Constellation of Vital Phenomena by Anthony Marra

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Book Jacket

A Constellation of Vital Phenomena
"Simply spectacular" - Ann Patchett

Summary and Reviews
Excerpt
Reading Guide
Author Biography

A Constellation of Vital Phenomena by Anthony Marra

Questions for the author....

9

Mar. 03, 2014
by Denise B-K

What age do you feel the reader has to be to read this book?

7

Apr. 24, 2014
by sandrah

Overall, what do you think of A Constellation of Vital Phenomena?

27

Apr. 22, 2014
by N*Starr

Is the use of torture ever justified?

13

Apr. 16, 2014
by maryj

Do you think the idea of returning to one's homeland is a universal concern?

10

Apr. 16, 2014
by maryj

Why do you think art is so important to the plot?

9

Mar. 30, 2014
by elizabethg

What did you think of Khassan's decision to spare his son?

8

Mar. 30, 2014
by elizabethg

What did you think of the characters in the novel? Did your opinion about any of them shift over the course of the story?

9

Mar. 23, 2014
by cb

How would you describe Constellation to a friend?

13

Mar. 23, 2014
by cb

Cover art for paperback version

2

Mar. 22, 2014
by kate

What did you think of the time shifts that were part of the story's layout?

5

Mar. 20, 2014
by kateg

Would your faith be impacted in similar circumstances to that experienced by the characters?

7

Mar. 19, 2014
by cb

Would you become an informant if your life depended on it? Can suspicion and corruption ever rise to a level that makes loyalty impossible?

10

Mar. 19, 2014
by cb

The book jumps ahead to show the characters in the future. Did this change how you feel about the characters

7

Mar. 12, 2014
by djn

Before reading "A Constellation of Vital Phenomena", how much did you know about Chechnya? Which of the novel's cultural details surprised you the most?

19

Mar. 10, 2014
by joanr

What stood out for you about Marra's writing style?

9

Mar. 10, 2014
by joannev

Which are better at capturing historical events - novels or non-fiction?

14

Mar. 09, 2014
by sandrah

Why did the author choose to include levity throughout the plot?

9

Mar. 09, 2014
by sandrah

Sonja's Motivation

3

Mar. 06, 2014
by valeriec

Why do you think the author chose A Constellation of Vital Phenomena as the book's title?

7

Mar. 04, 2014
by mal

Cultural heritage is important to each of the characters' identities. Do you identify with a particular culture, and if so, how and to what extent does it influence your life and the lives of your family?

7

Mar. 04, 2014
by guntak