Deep and Dark and Dangerous

In her role as narrator, Ali pays particular attention to her descriptions of the weather. How do these descriptions contribute to the novel’s atmosphere?

Dulcie is a career artist, but Emma and Ali also create artworks throughout the novel. How are their paintings used to provide insight into these characters’ emotional states?

Defamiliarization—turning ordinary things into something unusual—is a hallmark of horror. How is it used here? What is its intended effect?

Despite Claire and Dulcie’s both having been on the lake with Teresa when she drowned, the sisters are affected differently in the aftermath. In what ways do their disparate responses mirror the realities of experiencing a traumatic event?

Sissy believes her death was “murder,” and her version of justice involves the sisters being punished for their actions. Can, or should, one be punished for such an accident? How does the story approach holding the sisters accountable for their actions?

Ali, an only child, mentions that she has preconceived notions of what being sisters is all about. How do the sibling relationships in the novel challenge her views on sisterhood?

There are many hints of who and what Sissy is that Emma and Ali miss. List some of these hints and discuss the literary devices that Hahn uses to disguise her clues.

Numerous well-known literary works are mentioned throughout the novel. How do Hahn’s seemingly esoteric references to these novels contribute to the plot?