All the Sinners Bleed

1. General Impressions

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

• If you were tasked with writing a brief description of this book for a dust jacket, press release, etc., which elements would you include, and why?
• Thrillers seek to elicit feelings of dread, suspense, and surprise. What part of the book did you find the most shocking or disturbing?
• Is this your first experience with the Southern Gothic genre? If so, how did you like it? If not, what other works have you read, and how did this one compare?

2. Personal Reflection and Connection

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

• Did you find Titus a sympathetic protagonist? If so, did your feelings about him change once you learned about the events that led him to leave the FBI? 
• All the Sinners Bleed presents a generally bleak perspective on the criminal justice system’s ability to remediate societal wrongs—particularly those related to racism and the legacy of slavery. Do you agree with this perspective? Why or why not? 
• Titus runs for sheriff hoping to reform law enforcement from the inside. In general, do you think trying to change institutions from within represents a viable option? Or does meaningful change require outside pressure?
• The past is both omnipresent and suppressed in All the Sinners Bleed. How do you feel about the adage that “those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it”?
• How did you feel about Kellie’s true-crime podcast covering the murders in Charon County? Is she drawing attention to a neglected issue or sensationalizing the deaths of an already marginalized sector of the population?
• At the end of the novel, Titus leaves law enforcement to become a college professor. Have you ever undertaken a major career change? What motivated you to do so, and how do you feel about it looking back?

3. Societal and Cultural Context

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

• The vehicular killing of a counter-protester during the neo-Confederate parade is a clear allusion to the murder of Heather Heyer during the 2017 Unite the Right Rally in Charlottesville, Virginia; however, the gruesome serial killings that are at the heart of the novel’s plot are entirely fictional. What commentary on racism does the novel offer by juxtaposing these more Gothic elements with real-world headlines?
• With some exceptions, the novel is generally critical of Southern Christianity. What does Cosby suggest has gone “wrong” in these churches? What solutions, if any, does the novel propose?
• Although its main focus is racism, All the Sinners Bleed also considers other forms of inequality, including class. What is the relationship between race-based and class-based oppression in the novel? How do you see similar dynamics playing out (if at all) in the real world?

4. Literary Analysis

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

• Consider the novel’s prologue. What purpose does this panoramic depiction of Charon County and its history serve? 
• What parallels does the novel suggest between the murderer (Royce) and Charon County—or even the US writ large? How do these parallels develop the novel’s critique of racism in the US?
• Many of the novel’s characters have names with religious or otherwise symbolic resonance (“Gabriel,” “Lazare,” “Elias,” “Crown,” etc.). How do these names serve their bearers’ characterization? How do they relate to the novel’s themes?
• Consider the various kinds of masks that appear in the novel, literal and figurative. Do they primarily function as a way of deceiving others or deceiving oneself, and does the novel suggest that there is a difference?

5. Creative Engagement

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

• Imagine you’re Titus, preparing for your first class. What will your lesson plan include?
• Charon County is fictional, but the setting plays a key role in establishing the novel’s atmosphere and themes. If you were adapting All the Sinners Bleed as a movie, where would you film it?
• Create a playlist that captures the work’s Gothic tone as well as its interest in religion, history, and injustice.

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