Reading guide for What Lies Between Us by Nayomi Munaweera

Reading Guide Questions

Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!

1. This novel provokes questions regarding the loyalty a mother has towards her child. What are the responsibilities we assume as parents and were these met in this story? How did the climax scene on the Golden Gate Bridge affect you? Was it a hard scene to read? Did you anticipate that this is where the novel was heading?
2. Did you suspect who really was abusing the main character? What are the clues? What did you think of Samson? Do you think her mother may have suffered a similar transgression? Why did Ganga assume it was Samson all along? Why was she unable to remember the true abuser?
3. What did you think of the narrator's visions of Bodhi at the end of the novel?
4. What is the book saying about the restorative powers of love. Why was Daniel's loyalty and love not able to save Ganga? Do you think he should have acted differently? What do you think he could have done to prevent what happened?
5. Childhood sexual abuse affects untold numbers of people all over the world. What is the book saying about the lifelong toll of trauma? About the weight of secrets untold upon a life?
6. What do you think of the latter scenes of Samson visiting Ganga in her American life? Why has the writer included these?
7. Ganga's crime is one that is more common than you would think. She is also extremely regretful of her crime. Do you think she should be forgiven? Is this a crime that can be forgiven?
8. What do you think of Ganga's relationship with her cousin Dharshi? What do you think of Dharshi's life choices as compared to Ganga's?
9. What do you think could have saved Ganga? What did she need in order to overcome her dark past?
10. What other writers/books remind you of Munaweera's style? Which ones do you think she might be influenced by?

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