Description: 1. The Book of Esther creatively blends a reimagined WWII political backdrop, a steampunk (or dieselpunk)fantasy landscape, a Joan of Arc character, commentary on the role of women in Judaism, historical Khazars broughtforward into the twentieth century, and the bones of the story of Esther from the Bible. What did you make of theresult? Did this book remind you of other recent novels that reimagine history? 2. Before reading The Book of Esther , were you familiar with the biblical story of Esther and the Jewish festival ofPurim? If not, what have you learned since reading this book? In what ways does this Esther remind you of her biblicalcounterpart, and in what ways does she surprise you? 3. When Esther's father refuses to allow her a say in planning Khazaria's defense, Esther disobeys him and runs awayfrom home with Itakh. Do you think she was right to follow her own moral compass, even though it meant defying herfather? What would you have done in her shoes? 4. Amit reveals a secret to Esther and Itakh about his past. How do you think The Book of Esther contributes to ourcontemporary conversation surrounding LGBTQ issues? 5. Both Amit and Esther take very different paths to achieving goals that seemed out of reach because of theirgender. Who do you think is more successful? More transgressive? And were you surprised that Amit is often infl exibleabout "the way things are done" in light of his secret? 6. How do you feel about the love triangle between Esther, Shimon, and Amit? What do you make of the nature ofEsther's relationship with Amit? 7. What signifi cance does Esther's encounter with the volkelake hold? Why does it sway other characters' opinionsof her? 8. Seleme and the golems display wills of their own although they are manmade. Esther struggles with understandingtheir roles in the world, as well as their relationships to herself, to her fellow humans, and to God. How did you feelabout her empathy toward the golems and mechanical horses? Did you, like Esther, wonder whether they might havesouls or spirits of some kind? 9. Itakh is a slave and has far fewer opportunities than Esther, even though he is considered a "son" of the household.Over time, Esther comes to believe that Khazaria's system of slavery (which differs from more typical ways we understandslavery in our world) is unfair. Do you think that she will act on this new realization after the war ends? Do youthink she will be able to make a difference? 10. Is it important that Esther and the other principal characters in this story are young people? Why or why not?If you think their age is important, what role do you think it plays in shaping the narrative? 11. Esther and Shimon break tradition by working on the Sabbath, saying that war makes it necessary and thereforeallowable. Others, like some of the refugees, strongly disagree. Who would you side with? Can you think of any moralcodes or religious observances you would bend or break in extreme circumstances? 12. If you are at all familiar with contemporary Jewish religious practices, what differences do you notice betweenthose and what the various Jewish characters practice in the book? How does this fi ctional Judaism refl ect on the realworld? In writing about a somewhat different form of Judaism, is Barton engaged in a sort of modern-day midrash(traditionally, the body of texts that explicate Torah)? 13. Why do you think Barton chose to end this book where it does? Do you think this choice affects the novel'sthematic meaning?

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