Ten Swamps

A poignant coming-of-age tale that follows a resilient young girl wading through the emotional mire of feuding divorced parents and the haunting mystery of a vanished brother, uncovering hard truths and hidden strength in the murky depths of family.

In the town once known as Ten Swamps, twelve-year-old Ellie walks a precarious line between her warring parents, each armed with their own version of the truth. Her father's house is a minefield, with each step potentially dangerous. Her mother's home stands empty of the brother who vanished without explanation. And the ancient woods that surround them all hold mysteries that have been lurking beneath the surface for generations. When Ellie forms an unexpected friendship with Larry, a peculiar classmate who seems to understand her in ways no one else can, they create a sanctuary in the threatened woods behind her house. But as strange signals call from the trees and unexplained red dots flicker across her television screen, Ellie begins to wonder if the forest is trying to tell her something—something about the town's forgotten history, or perhaps about Edward, the brother who either escaped or was taken.

Nancy Doyne’s Ten Swamps masterfully captures the raw confusion of adolescence, the ache of fractured families, and the magic of discovering a friend who sees the world the way you do. With unforgettable characters and a setting rich in atmosphere, this novel is a poignant exploration of memory, myth, and the choices that define us.

These questions were provided by the future of agency.

Book club questions for Ten Swamps by Nancy Doyne

Use these discussion questions to guide your next book club meeting.

Why do you think it’s so difficult for Edward and Ellie to speak openly with one another?

Why do conversations between siblings become freighted or dangerous?

Edward believes his parents are essentially selfish, preoccupied with their feelings for each other, and that their feelings supersede their concern for their children. Do you think that’s correct?

What are the consequences of growing up with a narcissistic parent? What makes a narcissistic parent destructive?

Without hesitation, Ellie describes her parents as hating one another. What do you think is the consequence of a child feeling this way about her parents?

When it comes to being a parent, how should you speak about a former spouse who you believe is a dangerous influence on your child? Is it always best to be honest with a child? Or, how honest might be too honest?

Do you think that Larry traveled to outer space on a spaceship? Did Ellie or Larry really believe it?

Have you ever had a fantasy that was so compelling it was more powerful than the facts of your waking life?

How do you think Larry got his ring?

What do you think about the flirtation between Ellie and Bruce? Why are they attracted to each other?

Why did Larry’s mother insist that Ellie take her diamond bracelet?

Have you ever given something away and then wished you could get it back? What were the circumstances?

Do you think Ellie’s father did the right thing in taking her out of New Jersey to a boarding school?

Why do you think it was so important to Ellie’s father that Ellie switch her custody to him?

When you’re a parent, when, if ever, do the ends justify the means?

In the novel, it is said that Edward either ran away or was kidnapped. What do you think happened?

Ten Swamps Book Club Questions PDF

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