1. Do you think Broken is ultimately a hopeful novel? Why or why not?

2. There are three fathers–Archie Cunningham, Bob Oswald, Mr Buckley–one mother–Mrs Buckley–and one mother figure–Cerys–in Broken. How would you characterize the care they take of the children in their charge? To what extent do you think society or popular culture drives the behaviour of children and teenagers, compared to the influence of parents and home life?

3. Could events such as those in Broken happen in your own neighbourhood? Why or why not?

4. Is there a particular character in Broken that you identify with or feel you understand especially well? Are any of the characters true villains? Or true heroes? Why or why not?

5. In his acknowledgements to the novel, Daniel Clay writes: “If I hadn’t read Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, this novel would never have been written.” If you have read Lee’s 1960 novel, set in 1930s Alabama, can you see ways in which the story told in Broken is similar? Ways in which it is different?

6. What do you think are the defining characteristics of Daniel Clay’s writing style? If you have read To Kill a Mockingbird, compare his style with that of Harper Lee. How are they different? How are they similar?

7. On pages 88—95, Mr Jeffries, having just turned the ripe old age of 27, presents his class with his theory of life: to what extent do you think he’s right? Do you think he still holds this theory at the end of the novel?

8. Do you think the author had to overcome any particular challenges in narrating the novel in the voice of an 11-year-old girl in a coma? What are the special strengths of this approach?

9. Is Broken a comedy? A tragedy? Both? Something else entirely?

10. “But love — it isn’t a good thing. At least, it wasn’t for Mrs Buckley. All the love she had for Broken. What good did it do for her? And Broken. Poor old Broken. He thought he loved Saskia Oswald. What good did love do for him? Love. It’s just a four-letter word, a bad thing, nasty destructive, like Bob Oswald’s love for his daughters. Poor old Bob Oswald. Thanks to his love for his daughters, he wore handcuffs to Sunrise’s funeral. Thanks to his love for his daughters, he had two policemen beside him throughout the service.” (p. 294)

Before she finally decides to choose life, Skunk tries to slip away from it because she is horrified by the damage she believes love has caused. Does Skunk’s state of mind her make sense to you? Have you ever felt similarly?

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