READERS GUIDE
Reading Guide1. Adults in the O’Dougherty home don’t tell Thomas early on that Mariah is his real mother. Are there any merits to their decision? At what point should the truth have been revealed to Thomas? Who should have told him? How might knowing the truth sooner have changed his life?
2. The issue of “prettiness” appears throughout Unrest. Public judgment of Mariah’s scars drives her to seclusion and her self-worth suffers. Biddy’s good looks are weaponized to Mariah’s detriment. After fire mars Biddy’s face, she loses the privilege of prettiness upon which she relies and her fortunes reverse. What have you witnessed in life that reminds you of Mariah or Biddy’s experience? Discuss the scrutiny of women’s faces you observe in our broader culture.
3. What changes do you see in Thomas throughout the novel? At what points in the story did his ideas and behaviours frustrate you? Why? What are Thomas’s biggest life lessons by the end of the book?
4. In your opinion, what is Mariah’s most triumphant moment? Why do you think so?
5. Seamus O’Dougherty is a man of contradictory thoughts and actions ranging from noble to disappointing. Do you feel sympathy or annoyance toward Seamus?
6. Discuss the causes of frustration building inside the women of Unrest. Do they direct their anger outward or inward? How does that choice impact themselves and other characters?
7. Peter Aylen appears to have been an opportunist, and his Shiners a violent rabble. Together they terrorized Bytown and neighbouring areas with intensity from 1835 to 1837 (and to a lesser degree until 1845). Yet there are those who credit Aylen and the Shiners with helping poor Irish to find work, thus saving many families from certain disaster. Should history view Peter Aylen and his followers as heroes or villains?
8. Peg teaches Mariah a strategy to survive overwhelm. Fran encourages her to imagine a satisfying future and to actively pursue making it happen. And Mary at Golden Lake encourages patience and healing. Their advice brings Mariah perspective and shifts her thinking in directions that help her grow. When in your life has a woman shared wisdom that changed your thinking for the better or given you courage to move forward?
9. Past the ending of the book, how do you envision Thomas’s relationship with Biddy and Seamus going forward? Why? In your opinion, should Mariah ever consider reconciling with Biddy or Seamus?
