Let’s Discuss Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie!

Here are some discussion questions for you to think about. Please share what you thought about the book! Hope you’ve enjoyed this book as much as I have.

With her high level of knowledge, her erudition and her self-reliance, Flavia hardly seems your typical eleven-year-old girl. Or does she? Discuss Flavia and her personality, and how her character drives this novel. Can you think of other books that have used a similar protagonist?

With her excessive interest in poisons and revenge, it’s no surprise that Flavia is fascinated, not scared, as she watches the stranger die in her garden. In your view, is her dark matter-of-factness more refreshing or disturbing?

Flavia reminds us often about Harriet, the mother she never knew, and has many keepsakes that help her imagine what she was like. Do you think the real Harriet would have fit into Flavia’s mold?

Flavia’s distance from her father, the Colonel, is obvious, yet she loves him all the same. Does their relationship change over the course of the novel in a lasting way? Would Flavia want it to?

Like any scientist. Flavia expects her world to obey certain rules, and seems to be thrown off kilter when surprises occur. How much does she rely on the predictability of those around her, like her father and her sisters, in order to pursue her own interests (like solving the murder)?

Discussion questions are from the book’s publisher Random House.

About Alan Bradley

Born in Toronto, Alan Bradley grew up with an education in electronic engineering. He worked at many radio and television stations and was a Director of Television Engineering in Saskatoon, SK, before he started writing during his early retirement. He is the author of many short stories, children’s stories, newspaper columns, and the memoir the Shoebox Bible. Bradley became involved in the Saskatoon writing community by becoming the first President of the Saskatoon Writers and a founding member of the Saskatchewan Writers Guild. His short story Meet Miss Mullen, received the Saskatchewan Writers Guild Award for Children’s Literature. Bradley was one of the founding members of the Casebook of Saskatoon, which is a society that studies Sherlock Holmes. Here, he met Dr. William A.S. Sarjeant, which led to the collaboration of their book Ms. Holmes of Baker Street, which theorizes that the famous detective could have been a woman. Most recently, Bradley has won the Crime Writers’ Association Debut Dagger Award for the Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie. He has written five more in the series, where Flavia is the main character.

The author lives in Malta, with his wife Shirley and two calculating cats.

Check out his website for more information on the author and the Flavia de Luce series.

About The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie

The July Featured Book of the Month, the Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie, is unlike most detective stories, being told from the perspective of an eleven year old girl who has a passion for poison! Flavia de Luce is a chemistry loving, bicycle riding, spirited and intelligent girl who stumbles upon peculiar events. Set in the 1950s, Flavia starts out her summer in an English village fighting with her two older sisters and brewing dangerous potions in her secret laboratory. Suddenly, life takes an unusual turn when a dead bird appears on their doorstep with a bright orange stamp on its beak. A strange red-headed man has an argument with her father and the next morning Flavia discovers the unknown man dying in their cucumber patch. Young girls would normally be frightened of a murder committed outside their own home, but Flavia’s interest burns with curiosity. “I wish I could say I was afraid, but I wasn’t. Quite the contrary. This was by far the most interesting thing that had ever happened to me in my entire life.” The summer starts to look very promising to Flavia and she is determined to solve this murky mystery!

Alan Bradley presents a young heroine who is an engaging, quick-witted, and fearless sleuth. Winner of the 2007 Crime Writers’ Association Debut Dagger, this inventive detective story is a delightful read with many twists and turns.

Awards:
Winner of the 2007 - Crime Writers’ Association Debut Dagger
Winner of the 2009 - Arthur Ellis Award for Best First Novel

Read an excerpt from NPR’s website

Check out the international versions of the book covers!


Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Here is a trailer to promote the book: