Book Club Friends Discussion Guide For:
The Nature of the Beast by Louise Penny
The Nature of the Beast is Book #11 of the Chief Inspector Gamache series
Hardly a day goes by when nine year old Laurent Lepage doesn’t cry wolf. From alien invasions, to walking trees, to winged beasts in the woods, to dinosaurs spotted in the village of Three Pines, his tales are so extraordinary no one can possibly believe him. Including Armand and Reine-Marie Gamache, who now live in the little Quebec village.
Published: 2015
The Nature of the Beast Discussions
Please note that all discussions may contain spoilers.
Detecting The Wisdom of Gamache
Sleuth work: The Wisdom of Gamache in The Nature of the Beast: 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.20/08/2024The spirit of the Three Pines community
Identify a passage or scene that embraces the spirit of Three Pines in The Nature of the Beast. What does the phrase or scene mean to you? How does it inspire you?21/08/2024The humour of Louise Penny
What’s your favourite passage or scene that demonstrates Louise’s humour in The Nature of the Beast?22/08/2024An insight into human nature
Identify a passage or scene that demonstrates an insight into human nature in The Nature of the Beast. Discuss the quote or scene and what it means to you or how it has impacted you.23/08/2024A historical detail of interest
In The Nature of the Beast, did you pick up on any historical or geographical details of interest? Tell us about it and what you appreciated learning about in The Nature of the Beast.24/08/2024An enticing food moment
Tell us about your favourite food moment in The Nature of the Beast! Has the food in this book inspired you to try a new dish or bake/cook something new?25/08/2024Discussion 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?27/08/2024- 03/01/2024
How do you view Ruth’s character then and now? What guilt and other demons is she wrestling with?
Ruth says in Chapter 34, “I was nice once, you know. And kind. Perhaps not the most kind, nor the nicest, but it was there.”05/01/2024What would you like to discuss about the book?
Burning questions? Reactions you’d like to share? Have at it!07/01/2024
The Nature of the Beast 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 The Nature of the Beast 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.
Highwater, Quebec
The Atomium
Three Pines
Manneken Pis
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.
Tap image to enlarge
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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