What Happened to Ruthy Ramirez Reading Guide & Discussion Questions

Book Club Discussion Questions

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For supplemental discussion material see our Beyond the Book article, Missing People in the U.S. and our BookBrowse Review of What Happened to Ruthy Ramirez.

Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!

1. Dolores is the mother who knows more about the harsh challenges of the world than her daughters; Jessica is the protective older sister; Ruthy is the middle child; and Nina is the baby. Describe the way that each woman's voice is distinct and how it reveals the role that each character plays in this family.
2. In the aftermath of Ruthy's disappearance the Ramirez family's lives are irreversibly changed. Thirteen years later, though the Ramirez women have carried on, they hold grief and the wounds of this enormous loss at every turn. In what ways is it reflected in their actions?
3. Discuss the ways each of the characters want more for themselves and their lives, what they are doing to achieve this, and the forces that work against them.

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.