Discussion Guide
The Thicket
By Noelle West Ihli and Noelle W. Ihli
These book club questions are from the author's website.
Book club questions for The Thicket by Noelle West Ihli
Use these discussion questions to guide your next book club meeting.
This book plays with classic slasher tropes. How does Norah embody or subvert the typical “final girl” in horror stories?
The book blurs the line between staged and real violence. Where else does this conflict show up in modern life?
The story occasionally shifts into the killer’s perspective. How effective did you find this in terms of building tension? Would you have liked more insight into the killer’s motives?
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Create My ClubThroughout the book, characters are faced with decisions that test their morality, especially in the context of the killings. Were there any choices made by the characters that you strongly agreed or disagreed with? How would you have acted in their place?
After the murder in the Thicket, the attraction becomes more popular, with people drawn to the “real horror.” What does this say about the role of media and sensationalism in today’s society? How do you think the book comments on the public's fascination with true crime?
The Thicket Book Club Questions PDF
Download a printable PDF of these discussion questions to bring to your meeting.