Nobody's Magic Reading Guide & Discussion Questions

Book Club Discussion Questions

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For supplemental discussion material see our Beyond the Book article, Who Really Has Your Back? Queerness and the Black Community and our BookBrowse Review of Nobody's Magic.

Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!

1. Having been sheltered her entire life, Suzette is gaining new skills and a greater understanding of her family and friends, and she must finally face the ways people in her life see her. Discuss how Suzette actively learns more about the world around her and accomplishes her goals. Discuss the ways in which the people around her helped or hindered her from reaching those goals. How did her relationships with those people evolve?
2. Maple's story examines three very different women: Maple, Momi, and Nana. In what ways do Maple and her grandmother approach their grief differently? Why do you think that is, and what could they learn from each other?
3. Discuss how Agnes's relationship with her sister, Berniece, shapes her life. What does she gain from the relationship and how does their relationship hurt her?

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