The Sentence

Content Warning: This section of the guide contains discussion of death, racism, and illness.

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. Discuss your emotional reactions to The Sentence. Which aspects of the novel were most resonant or surprising for you?

2. Compare your experience reading The Sentence to reading others of Louise Erdrich’s novels. How did the novel compare to Erdrich’s previous titles—for example, The Painted Drum and The Night Watchman? If you have not read these works, are you more or less interested after having read The Sentence?

3. What other works of contemporary literary fiction does The Sentence remind you of? Consider especially other novels set in the 2020 COVID-19 era—e.g., Ann Patchett’s Tom Lake or Jodi Picoult’s Wish You Were Here.

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

1. How did you feel about Tookie’s decision to steal Budgie’s body? What about the sentence she received for it? What ethical considerations inform your response?

2. Birchbark Books features heavily throughout the novel. How did you respond to Erdrich’s depictions of this setting? Have you had a similar attachment to a bookstore or library?