The Revelation of Dionne Daphne

What were your overall impressions of the novel? What emotions stayed with you after finishing it?

Why do you think this story feels timely right now? Did anything in the book resonate with current events?

In what ways does history—personal, familial, or cultural—shape the characters’ understanding of themselves and their freedom?

How does the story explore the tension between who we’ve been told we are and who we choose to become?

The title centers on “revelation.” What revelations occur in the story? Which felt most transformative and why?

There’s a deeper conversation around shame that is happening throughout the novel as Dionne wrestles with her past. How does her shame appear? And what did you take from her journey?

While The Revelation of Dionne Daphne is set in the 90s, there are many pertinent themes, such as childhood trauma, secrecy in Black families, a woman’s sexual liberation, and family healing. Which themes stood out to you the most and why?

How does the story portray love alongside pain, betrayal, and distance? Did it change your understanding of what it means to love someone?

What do you think the novel is ultimately saying about truth—both the truths we hide and the ones we reveal?

What will you carry with you from Dionne’s story?