The author chooses to end the novel with a new sales rep coming to an Island Books that is no longer owned by A.J. Fikry? Did you guess who Maya’s father was? If so, what were the clues?ĩ. has lots of preferences on books that he will read or not read but by the end of the book his preferences changed. asks Maya, “Is a twist less satisfying if you know it’s coming? Is a twist that you can’t predict symptomatic of bad construction?” What do you think of this statement in view of the plot of The Storied Life of A. Fikry Book Club Discussion Questions Read synopsis here. a man who cannot exist in a world with e-books? What do you think of e-books? Do you prefer reading in e- or on paper?Ĩ.

How do you think the arrival of the e-reader is related to the denouement of the story? Is A.J. Which do you consider to be more accurate and why?ħ. Compare Maya’s “fiction” about the last day of her mother’s life to Ismay’s version. When did you become aware that Leon Friedman might be an imposter? What did you make of Leonora Ferris’s reasons for hiring him?Ħ. At one point, Maya speculates that perhaps “your whole life is determined by what store you get left in.” Is it the people or the place that makes the difference?ĥ. Do you think Lambiase’s reaction is different than it would have been if he hadn’t taken up reading?Ĥ. How do you think becoming a reader changes him? Consider the scene where he decides not to confront Ismay about the backpack. Lambiase moves from an occasional or nonreader, to a reader, to a bookseller. creating a canon for Maya? How does the book itself function as a kind of canon? If these are A.J.’s favorites, what do they say about A.J.

Discuss some of the ways the stories relate to the chapters with which they are paired. Each chapter begins with a description of a short story. Why do you think Gabrielle Zevin chooses to set the book on an island? How does the island setting reflect A.J.’s character?Ģ.

The storied life of aj fikry review