Printable Book Club Questions for Land by Maggie O’Farrell

Why was Land the right title for this novel? What did the land represent for Tomás and his family?
How did the land itself serve as a central character in the story?
What did the copse represent? Why was Tomás changed as a result? How would life have been different for this family if he had never gone in?
Did you feel the magical realism elements fit within the larger narrative? Why or why not?
In what ways are Tomás and Liam different? And what are the ways they are similar?
There are many religious elements from the priest’s exorcism of Tomás to Liam’s aspiration to become a priest. What were some of your key takeaways from this focus on religion in this time period?
Maggie O’Farrell provides details of Tomás Cartography work in the region. What were some of the key aspects that stuck out to you? Did you learn something new about that specialty, especially during this time frame?
The story changes timelines from the present of 1865 to the years of the Great Hunger. Why was it important for us to have the backstory of Tomás and Phina?
Enda aspires to something more than being a wife and taking care of a home. She wants to continue her education and play her music to a crowd. But the circumstances of the time stifle her growth. How did this cause her to take on Liam’s identity and leave her home behind forever?
But when she gets to Canada, there are more hardships, and she ends up working at different households. Even there, she wasn’t able to pursue more education and just had to do what she could to survive. But at the same time, she was able to play music and gain a following. What is your overall impression of Enda’s journey? Is it a tragic one as well?
Eugene is nonverbal and feels a kinship with the land. Why did Eugene have a deeper connection to the land compared to his siblings? Why did he jump from the ship and swim back home?
Rose is the one character who has to consistently hold it together. Is Rose designed to be the most relatable to the reader? Why or why not?
What do you believe are the key takeaways from this story? What is the central message?
Let’s discuss the following passage: ‘You will never understand how the land remembers, how deep the roots grow.’ What does this passage mean for the story as a whole, and what does it mean to you?