SYP North Book Club: Saltwater Reading Questions

Posted on January 24, 2024 in North

As our next online SYP North Book Club approaches, we’ve taken the time to think about some of the themes and ideas explored in Jessica Andrews captivating novel Saltwater. Join us on January 31st to chat about the below and share your thoughts!

If you can’t make it live, feel free to think about these in your own time – you can also share your ideas in our SYP North Discord server!

Reading Questions

1. Narrative Structure: The novel alternates between Lucy’s past and present. What did you think of this method? Did you find it effective in understanding the character and narrative?
2. Identity and Belonging: How does Lucy’s journey of self-discovery and understanding of her identity parallel her relationship with her family and roots in the North of England?
3. Mother-Daughter Relationships: Thinking about Lucy’s relationship with her mother, what does it reveal about the challenges of generational differences and expectations?
4. Sense of Place: How does the setting of the novel, both in London and the North, contribute to the overall atmosphere and themes? Does her connection to her hometown influence her sense of self?
5. Symbolism of Water: Water is a recurring motif in the novel. Think about its significance in Lucy’s journey and the broader context of the themes explored in Saltwater.
6. Generational Shifts: Explore the differences between Lucy’s grandmother, mother, and herself. How do these generational shifts reflect broader societal changes, especially in terms of women’s roles and expectations?
7. Community and Isolation: Lucy often grapples with a sense of isolation in both urban and rural settings. Think about how the theme of community versus isolation is portrayed and the impact it has on Lucy’s character.

Further Reading:

1. Check out this short story by Jessica Andrews that explores similar themes of mother-daughter relationships, the female body and shifting selves: https://atthetable.co.uk/editorial/the-fishmonger – December 2018
2. Read this piece where Andrews reflects on the transformative journey of leaving and returning to Sunderland, exploring the tension between shedding your past and preserving the essence of home: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/sep/04/left-sunderland-precarious-invincibility-working-class-people-history – September 2019
3. A piece where Andrews connects books she’s loved to her own working-class upbringing, and how they inspired her to tell her own story:  https://lithub.com/finding-the-literature-i-needed-everywhere-but-university/ – January 2020

Join us on Wednesday 31st January where we will be chatting about Saltwater for our online SYP North January Book Club! Whether you’ve finished the book or haven’t started it yet, come and join us for a relaxed hour of bookish chatter. Sign up here.

You can follow SYP North on Instagram @syp.north and Twitter @SYPNorth.