From Goodreads:
In 2024, with the world descending into madness and anarchy, one woman begins a fateful journey toward a better future.
Lauren Olamina and her family live in one of the only safe neighborhoods remaining on the outskirts of Los Angeles. Behind the walls of their defended enclave, Lauren’s father, a preacher, and a handful of other citizens try to salvage what remains of a culture that has been destroyed by drugs, disease, war, and chronic water shortages. While her father tries to lead people on the righteous path, Lauren struggles with hyperempathy, a condition that makes her extraordinarily sensitive to the pain of others.
When fire destroys their compound, Lauren’s family is killed and she is forced out into a world that is fraught with danger. With a handful of other refugees, Lauren must make her way north to safety, along the way conceiving a revolutionary idea that may mean salvation for all mankind.
Zoom information will be provided closer to the planned meeting: 12:00pm-1:00pm, February 26th, 2025.
1. Lauren Olamina has a syndrome that makes her “share” both the pain and the pleasure of those around her. How has this illness made Lauren different from other people? Why do you suppose it is significant to the story that she has this illness?
2. Is Earthseed a system of beliefs that appeals to you? What excerpts from Earthseed’s “Book of The Living” did you find profound or touching?
3. According to Lauren, “The Destiny of Earthseed is to take root among the stars.” Do you think space colonization is a logical end goal for Earthseed to pursue? Why or why not?
4.What do you make of the ending of this book, with the formation of ‘Acorn’? Is this a hopeful ending?
5. This book was published in 1993 and set in the 2020’s. The author has said that she came to this vision of the future by imagining our current woes progressing unchecked to their logical ends. How close to reality was the author’s vision of society in today’s world?
Discussion questions taken from here.