Blue Sisters

Content Warning: This section of the guide contains discussion of death, substance use and addiction

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. The novel opens with the statement that “a sister is not a friend” and characterizes sisterhood as “primal and complex” (3). How did Mellors’s portrayal of sisterhood affect you, and in what ways did the relationship between Avery, Bonnie, and Lucky challenge or confirm your understanding of sibling bonds?

2. How does Mellors’s exploration of grief in Blue Sisters compare to her examination of complex relationships in her debut novel, Cleopatra and Frankenstein? What thematic threads connect these works, and what distinguishes them from each other?

3. Each of the three surviving Blue sisters responds differently to Nicky’s death: Avery through isolation and secret behaviors, Bonnie through abandoning her passion, and Lucky through substance abuse. Which sister’s grief journey resonated most strongly with you, and why?

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

1. The Blue sisters initially navigate their grief in isolation before eventually coming together to heal. When have you experienced a situation where sharing pain with others became essential to your personal growth? What did this teach you about vulnerability?