What Kind of Paradise

How old were you in the '90s when a big part of this book was set? If you can remember it, how did the Internet Revolution make you feel at the time? Do you think the author did a good job grounding her novel in the time period?

The author, Janelle Brown, is a former tech reporter (at Wired and Salon). How do you think her background influenced her writing of this novel?

Discuss the ways that the book explores technology's promise and perils. Do you see any parallels between the rise of the Internet in the '90s and the rapid acceleration of AI in our current era? What do you personally believe about whether technology is a force for good? Was there any validity in Jane's father's beliefs?

Why do you think the author chose the title that she did? Discuss how "What Kind of Paradise" relates to the themes of the novel.

What did you think of the novel's structure and the way it alternated between timelines? What did this add to the story?

How did the pacing of the novel feel to you? It's not a conventional thriller, but did you find it to be a "page-turner" or were there any parts that felt slow?

Is Jane a reliable narrator?

Jane has a very abnormal childhood, but in some ways she is a normal teenager. Discuss this dichotomy.

Talk about the parent-child dynamic between Jane and Saul. How does his mental illness affect him, and her?

There's a saying that "ignorance is bliss." Do you think this is true? Would Jane say this is true? What is the value of knowledge?

"What Kind of Paradise" is many things, including a coming of age story. Did you find Jane's transformation inspiring? How does she find the strength to break free from indoctrination? How does she reinvent herself?

Which characters did you want to yell at? Which did you want to hug? Was it ever the same character at the same time?

The reader can tell that Saul is hiding what really happened with Jane's mother. Did you guess the truth as you were reading, or what other theories did you form?

While Jane's father is an extreme example, there have always been people seeking to distance themselves from modern society and reconnect with the wilderness. Do you sympathize with that urge at all? Could you ever see yourself moving "off the grid"?