Book Club Friends Discussion Guide For:
How the Light Gets In by Louise Penny
How the Light Gets In is Book #9 of the Chief Inspector Gamache series
“There is a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in.” —Leonard Cohen Christmas is approaching, and in Québec it’s a time of dazzling snowfalls, bright lights, and gatherings with friends in front of blazing hearths. But shadows are falling on the usually festive season for Chief Inspector Armand Gamache. Most of his best agents have left the Homicide Department, his old friend and lieutenant Jean-Guy Beauvoir hasn’t spoken to him in months, and hostile forces are lining up against him.
Published: 2013
How the Light Gets In Discussions
Please note that all discussions may contain spoilers.
Detecting The Wisdom of Gamache
Sleuth work: The Wisdom of Gamache in How the Light Gets In: Identify phrases in this book that embrace Gamache’s approach to life. ONLY comment with the phrase! Discussion of the selected phrase will take place next week after Louise reveals her phrase.06/08/2024The spirit of the Three Pines community
Identify a passage or scene that embraces the spirit of Three Pines in How the Light Gets In. What does the phrase or scene mean to you? How does it inspire you?07/08/2024The humour of Louise Penny
What’s your favourite passage or scene that demonstrates Louise’s humour in How the Light Gets In?08/08/2024An insight into human nature
Identify a passage or scene that demonstrates an insight into human nature in How the Light Gets In. Discuss the quote or scene and what it means to you or how it has impacted you.09/08/2024A historical detail of interest
In How the Light Gets In, did you pick up on any historical or geographical details of interest? Tell us about it and what you appreciated learning about in How the Light Gets In.10/08/2024An enticing food moment
Tell us about your favourite food moment in How the Light Gets In! Has the food in this book inspired you to try a new dish or bake/cook something new?11/08/2024Discussion of The Wisdom of Gamache phrase chosen by Louise Penny
Discuss The Wisdom of Gamache phrase chosen by Louise. What does this phrase mean to you? How does it inspire you?13/08/2024The title is taken from a verse in Leonard Cohen’s “Anthem”. What meaning do these lyrics have in the story–and perhaps in your own experience?
Leonard Cohen’s “Anthem”: “Ring the bells that still can ring, Forget your perfect offering, There’s a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in.”21/11/2023How is goodness manifested in this book? What about evil?
On her website, Louise says, “If you take only one thing away from any of my books I’d like it to be this: Goodness exists.”22/11/2023What does the stained-glass window, along with the events in the novel, say about courage?
Page 236 describes “the stained-glass window made after the Great War, showing bright young soldiers walking forward. Not with brave faces. They were filled with fear. But still they advanced.”24/11/2023What would YOU like to discuss?
Burning questions? Favorite character? Alternate endings?25/11/2023
How the Light Gets In characters are listed in alphabetical order. Any new additions will be listed on the bottom row, along with credit to the contributor.
*Note: New entries may take up to five minutes to appear.
Food mentioned in How the Light Gets In in order of appearance. Any new additions will be listed on the bottom row, along with credit to the contributor.
*Note: New entries may take up to five minutes to appear.
Saint Joseph’s Oratory of Mount Royal
Vancouver, British Columbia
Chateau Frontenac
Saint-Paul de Vence
Published on Book Club Friends with permission from Louise Penny.
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Want to know more about Ruth Zardo’s Poetry?
“I’m so happy I made, by some miracle, Ruth a poet. Again, contrast. The embittered elderly poet, with such insight into the human heart (sometimes filled with frost), and human condition. Later in the series, as you might know, we find out who hurt her once, ‘so far beyond repair…”
“I wish I could take credit for the poetry, but the fact is, the poetry is mostly from two works…Margaret Atwood’s Morning in the Burned House…and a privately published book by the late Marylyn Plessner.” ― Louise Penny
Louise also credits Leonard Cohen, Stevie Smith, Ralph Hodgson, Mike Freeman, Liz Davidson, Robert Service, and W.H. Auden for poetry quoted in her books.
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Lady Mink: A Sort of Requiem
&
God Be In My Head
by Marylyn Plessner
from Vapour Trails
Three Pines Poetry Sources
Morning in the Burned House
The Essential Leonard Cohen
All the Poems: Stevie Smith
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