Book Club Questions

Were you hooked on the story right away? If not, what were your initial impressions? Did they change as you continued to read?
Which character did you relate to the most, and what was it about them that you connected with?
A book would not be the same without its minor characters. Who was your favourite minor character, and what did they add to the overall story?
Why do you think the author chose to write both Hannah and Huia’s stories in first person (rather than in third person)? How did the author’s choice impact on the overall emotion of the story?
What moment in the book prompted the strongest emotional reaction for you? Why?
The author wrote Hannah & Huia with the aim of readers seeing the people behind mental illnesses, and not just their diagnosis. Was the author successful in doing so? Have any of your opinions or preconceived ideas around mental illness and/or mental health units changed since reading this book? If so, how?
What other messages do you think the author was trying to convey?
In chapter 46 (p. 188), Hannah comes to the realisation that 'every one of us has a story.' Discuss what you think the author meant by this. How does this message relate to the story? How could it relate to our everyday living?
Do you agree with Hilda’s comment: 'But you have to remember, it was a different time back then' ? (Ch. 50, p. 208). Why or why not?
Are there lingering questions from the book that you’re still thinking about? Was there anything missing from the story? If so, how would you rewrite it?