Discussion Guide
The Hacienda
By Isabel Cañas
Mexican Gothic meets Rebecca in this debut supernatural suspense novel, set in the aftermath of the Mexican War of Independence, about a remote house, a sinister haunting, and the woman pulled into their clutches…
These book club questions are from the publisher, Penguin Random House.
Book club questions for The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas
Use these discussion questions to guide your next book club meeting.
In the beginning of the novel, Beatriz chooses to marry against her mother’s wishes. If you were in her position, what decision would you have made?
Which character did you relate to the most, and why?
Do you think that Juana or Ana Luisa were sympathetic characters? Why or why not?
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Create My ClubDo you believe in ghosts of any kind? Why or why not? Have you had any experiences that sway your beliefs one way or another?
Did you trust Andrés when he was first introduced? Why or why not?
What did you think of the novel’s portrayal of religion?
Was Rodolfo a villain or a victim?
The Mexican War of Independence is a subject rarely taught in American high schools and universities. Did the novel’s historical themes (class, land ownership, and race, among others) change your perception of Mexican history? How so?
Andrés has a close relationship with his grandmother. Is there a member of your family, perhaps of an older generation, with whom you are close? Have you learned beliefs or stories from them that connect you to your family’s history?
Beatriz, Juana, and Paloma experience the world of Mexico in 1823 and the hacienda in different ways. What did you think of the novel’s portrayal of female autonomy in this historical period?
The Hacienda Book Club Questions PDF
Download a printable PDF of these discussion questions to bring to your meeting.