FAMISHED
Book group questions to whet your appetite and ruin your dinner.
One for each story and a few for luck
- Which was your favourite story and why?
- Did you find any of the stories too horrifying or too creepy?
- Why do you think the author chose a linking theme of food?
- What do the inhabitants of the house/s want from the carpenter in Cave Venus et Stellas?
- In Feasting/Fasting, what happens to the new wife and what happens to the husband?
- What was your opinion of Myfanwy in Seaside Rock and Other Homicides?
- A Tale of Tripe. How did you react to the descriptions of the foods in this story?
- Nanny Lovett and Pop Todd. Are they good bakers?
- Henry and His Surfeit of Lampreys. Why do the lampreys do what they do?
- Another more general question: do you think any of the stories is in poor taste or goes too far.
- In Hot Cross Buns, Sharp Teeth and a Tongue, who’s the bad guy?
- Shame: some readers have commented that this is different from the other stories in the collection. Do you agree and if so, why?
- Cucumber sandwiches. What is going on in both countries in this story?
- Shadow Babies’ Supper. Why are the dolls so scary?
- The Choracle. What was the moral of this story?
- Jar and the Girl. What was interesting for you about this story?
- Sherbet. Do you think it’s really possible to construct a creed, cult or religion on anything?
- Bread and Salt. The shortest story in the book. Was the ending a surprise?
- Trimalchio Jones. Why can’t the guests leave?
- Sweetie. Who or what is Sweetie?
- Do you have any thoughts about how language is used in the stories?
- Which story was the funniest?
- What could be the link (or links) between traumatic experience and food in this book?
- How are families presented in Famished?
- Any story you might like a sequel to? Or a prequel!
Anna Vaught Writes 