1. Is The Remnants a love story? Why or why not?
2. What kind of a book would The Remnants be if it had been written without whimsy? What other authors reach deep into difficult subjects through humor and wit? How would your reaction to the book change if the characters had more normal names?
3. This novel is about aging and the final days of a community, but the word “death” never appears, and “die” appears only once. Can you find it?
4. Are there main characters in this novel? If so, who are they, and how does Robert Hill emphasize them over the others? If not, list some of the characters who have big roles in shaping New Eden’s trajectory.
5. Who is the narrator? Is it one person? Is it a person at all?
6. Name some factors that contribute to New Eden’s decline. Would any one thing have stopped, or slowed, its end?
7. Why does Kennesaw leave to study at the library? Why does he come back home every night?
8. True Bliss takes on a leadership role in New Eden. Name one or more instances where she alters the course of the town.
9. What is the purpose of folding so many memories into what is essentially a single story? How do the memories add weight to the front story tea-party plot?
10. Is the cover a graveyard? A path? Stone tablets?
11. New Eden is not anchored by real-world geography. Where do you think it is? Have you visited any ghost towns or once-thriving communities that now have small or nonexistent populations? Why do you think the author made the choice to avoid setting it in a “real” place?
12. Talk about dweller. Why is he part of the book? Does his presence make the fate of this particular town more universal? How about spear-wielder?
13. Each chapter of The Remnants could be considered a short story. Why did the author choose to use this format to write about the fate of a small town? Why do you think this book is labeled as a novel instead of a linked story collection? Are there any chapters that don’t work as independent pieces?
14. This novel features numerous riffs on the indignities of aging. How is True’s aging shown? Kennesaw’s? Hunko’s?
15. Would you want to live in such an isolated town? Why or why not?
To invite Robert Hill to your book club, contact him through
forestavenuepress.com or roberthill-theremnants.com.