The Outcast Reading Guide & Discussion Questions

Book Club Discussion Questions

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For supplemental discussion material see our Beyond the Book article, Surrey and our BookBrowse Review of The Outcast.

Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!

Introduction

In this brilliant debut, Sadie Jones tells the story of a boy who refuses to accept the polite lies of a tightly knit community that rejects love in favor of appearances. Written with nail-biting suspense and cinematic pacing, The Outcast is an emotionally powerful evocation of postwar provincial English society and a remarkably uplifting testament to the redemptive powers of love and understanding.


Questions for Discussion

1. Sadie Jones worked as a screenwriter for fifteen years—do you think this is reflected in her writing?
2. Do you think Gilbert is jealous of Lizzie and Lewis's strong bond?
3. "He thought there must be something wrong with a person who would rather be in Brixton prison than their own home." Do you agree with Lewis in this statement? Why do you think he feels this way?

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