READER’S GROUP GUIDE

1. From the very beginning of Margaret’s story, it is apparent that she is not like other women. What was your first impression of her, and what events in her childhood do you think were seminal in the formation of her ideas and her resolve?

2. Meeting the prostitute Belotte and delivering her baby has a great impact on the life of young Margaret. What lasting lessons does she learn from her dealings with the woman? What is she inspired to do after this experience, and how does it affect her faith and the way she interacts with the world?

3. Throughout the story of Margaret’s life, we are shown the complexity of the relationships between women in the Middle Ages. There are those who band together and help each other through the difficult times in their lives. From Margaret’s childhood friend, Mary, to her stepmother, to Berthe, her only friend in the house of her first husband, to Hilde and many others, there are those who are good friends to Margaret in small ways and large, even in the face of unspeakable hardship. But there are also those women who pit themselves against one another. Why do you think this is? What examples do you see in the book of this complex balance between kinship and the strength of sticking together and competition and jealousy in the feminine world? Do you think aspects of this dichotomy exist today? Are relationships between women still so interdependent and complex? What was at stake in the fourteenth century, and to what degree does it differ from what women need from each other now?

4. Compare and contrast the faith of Margaret with the faith of Brother Gregory. What do they each gain from the way that they approach God and their relationship with Him? What does religion mean in each of their lives?

5. Consider the relationships between men and women in this book. Many are dysfunctional, or even abusive, but not all. In the cases where characters find themselves in loving relationships, what do you see as the defining characteristics of the couple? Specifically look at Hilde and Sebastian/Malachi and Margaret and Kendall. What is it that makes these people happy together? How are they different from all the couples who are so unhappy?

6. Hilde tells Margaret that God’s main characteristic is a sense of irony. What examples of this do you see in A Vision of Light? Can you think of anything from your own life that would support this theory?

7. Do you see Margaret as innocent and sheltered, or worldly and wise? In what ways is she both? Which do you think she would rather be, if she were given the choice? Which would you rather be?

8. On page 197, Brother Sebastian states that “the other side of disaster is opportunity…. Understand this principle, and you will never grieve and always prosper. It is the way the world works. Everything always has two sides, even disaster.” Do you think he is right about this? Are there examples of this principle in the novel? Do you think Margaret takes this statement to heart? Does it ring true in general or only in the context of the way he personally lives his life?

9. Discuss the relationship between Margaret and Brother Gregory. How do they interact when they first meet, and how does this change as they get to know each other? What judgments do they make that are proven wrong, and are any of their early thoughts about each other proven true? Why do they so enjoy pushing each other’s buttons, going out of their way to irritate each other? And what effect do they have on each other in the long run?

10. What is it about Margaret that makes her receptive to the Vision of Light and the healing power it provides to her? Do you think she handles her newfound talent and power as well as can be expected? Are there any instances when you thought she was using it incorrectly or unwisely?

11. Where do you see Judith Merkle Riley using humor in this book? What character traits or situations did you find humorous? Did the use of humor give you a deeper understanding of the characters or situations, or relieve tension in a particularly intense passage? Why do you think the author uses it where she does?

12. Why is it so important to Margaret to learn to read? What power does this knowledge hold in her world? What danger?

13. Do you think Margaret is guilty of any of the crimes against God she is accused of? Refer back to the recantation she is forced to sign (page 346). What do you think of the bishop’s interpretation of the Bible? In what ways has the story of original sin been used similarly throughout history? Why do you think Margaret’s view of the will of God differs so drastically from the popular view at the time?

14. What do you think of Margaret’s (and Kendall’s) assertion that “money fixes everything” (page 348)? Or of Brother Gregory’s opinion that it is actually money allied to the sword that is the true seat of power? In what ways is each proven true or false throughout the novel?

15. How does Margaret’s childhood and first marriage affect the choices she makes once she’s settled down and happy with Kendall, raising a family of her own? To what degree is she living a better life and in what ways is she just sidestepping her own demons?

16. Do you think David is correct in his opinion that even if there were an island in the sea where Margaret could go to do and think as she likes (as she wishes on page 387) “people would make it just the same as here”? Is it human nature to discourage true individuality and change?

17. From what you’ve seen in this novel, what do you think of the role of the church in fourteenth-century England? What does the institution do for the people and in what ways does it fall short of fulfilling their needs? Do the people we see in this book have their spiritual needs provided for by the church? Why or why not? What does the church stand for? What is the driving force behind its existence as portrayed in A Vision of Light?

18. Why does the Voice command Margaret to stay and write her book? What wider purpose, if any, do you think it will serve? Is the book itself the point or a means to an end, a way to bring her together with Brother Gregory?