Death Dot Questions for Book Club Discussion

In a book group? Considering Death Dot your next read? Here is a suggested list of questions for book group discussion:

How does the cover art reflect the themes in the book?

How is the quote by cosmologist Sean Carroll significant to the entire story?

What are the major conflicts within the story? Ivy's motivation and fear? Charlotte's? Jack's, Teddy's?

What theme, or themes, has the author emphasized throughout the novel?

What message do you think the author is trying to get across to the reader?

What is unique about Ivy's world? What are the advantages to living there? Disadvantages? Which world do you prefer, ours or hers?

How does our own world try to be like Ivy's?

How does Ivy change throughout the course of the novel? Other characters?

What events in Ivy's journey might reflect the author's world view? Jack's? Teddy's?

Death is a prominent theme in Death Dot. Do you think the characters cope with death any differently in their world than those of us here in our world?

Were there certain parts of the book that made you uncomfortable? If so, why? How would you react if you were in the same situation?

According to S.T. Upton's website, her aim as an author is to create a greater awareness for the stranger aspects of quantum physics the general public may not be aware of. She states that Death Dot uses a science fiction approach to present an aspect of real-world quantum mechanics: the possibility of many worlds. According to the her blog, Death Dot, therefore, is the first of many Ivy stories to be written that will demonstrate this aspect of the many-worlds interpretation. After reading Death Dot, has the book's premise increased your interest in any part of quantum physics? If so, in what way?