Brodeck Reading Guide & Discussion Questions

Book Club Discussion Questions

Print PDF

For supplemental discussion material see our Beyond the Book article, Kristallnacht - a precursor to the holocaust and our BookBrowse Review of Brodeck.

Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!

1. The novel is set in an unidentified place and time. Why do you think the author chose to make the setting anonymous? Do you think he had a specific historical event in mind? Was this device effective or not? Can you think of another novel in which this is done?
   


2. The first lines of the novel are, "I'm Brodeck and I had nothing to do with it. I insist on that. I want everyone to know." How do you interpret Brodeck's tone? Why is he so adamant about this point? Is it true that he's innocent?
   


3. Brodeck takes it upon himself to assign names to the significant events in his life. Kazerskwir, or "the crater," refers to his two years in the death camp and the Ereigniës, or "the thing that happened," refers to the murder at Schloss's Inn. In your opinion, why does Brodeck name these events? Are these names fitting?
   

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