Reading Group Discussion Questions:
Kindred Spirit
Note: Discussion questions contain plot spoilers and therefore should be read AFTER the novel.
1. Maggie Ryan, one of the Tri-State Ghost Researchers, is described as a psychic "sensitive", a person attuned to paranormal or otherworldly phenomena. Other characters in KINDRED SPIRIT exhibit certain behavior that indicate they might be sensitives as well. In what ways would you say the following characters exhibited sensitive tendencies: Hallie? Shane Galloway? Perry Grubb? Any others?
2. Communication is a running theme throughout KINDRED SPIRIT. What types of communication take place in the novel? How do the jobs of the characters reflect the theme of communication? In what ways is the lack of communication or miscommunication important to the story?
3. After Hallie makes contact with Heather's spirit, Hallie begins to make changes in her personal and professional life. What changes does Hallie make on her own or because of what happened to Heather? And what changes do you believe Hallie makes because of the influence of Heather's spirit in her life?
4. A secondary theme in KINDRED SPIRIT is perceptions, whether actual, perceived or mistaken. Perceptions become reality for several characters in the story. As a child, Perry Grubb believes his mother has abandoned him. Does she see it that way? He later perceives his mother, and her treachery, in other women. How much of his perception is a result of his compulsion or sickness? How much is affected by the paranormal elements of the story? Tom and Shane initially and rightly view Hallie as sister-in-law and aunt, respectively. During the course of the story, as Heather's spirit more deeply inhabits Hallie, that family dynamic changes to wife and mother. Since Hallie's body remains her own, paranormally altered perceptions account for the change in relationships. Who is most responsible for guiding this change? Who is most accepting of the change?
5. Hallie is a Philadelphia celebrity because of her popular Hallie's Comet telecasts. She is seen by hundreds of thousands, if not millions, through a camera lens. How does this affect her relationship with people she meets on the street? There are numerous true life incidents where fans of news reporters become dangerous stalkers. Why do some fans -- one in particular in KINDRED SPIRIT -- become fanatic or even psychotic?
6. The camera lens is omnipresent in KINDRED SPIRIT. Hallie is initially filmed for live broadcast, but later is demoted to pre-recorded segments and less visible time slots. This represents a professional demotion for her. But why should that be true in our society? As Hallie's personal life takes on more significance, she begins to accept the diminishing virtual life she has in broadcast news? How much of this change is attributable to Heather's spirit in her life? How much is due to Hallie's own personal growth? How is this reflected in her final professional and personal decisions?
7. Perry Grubb, the main antagonist in KINDRED SPIRIT, has his own fascination with video cameras and views recorded perceptions as reality. Why does he believe he can confirm his suspicions about other women (and ultimately Hallie) by filming them? Why do we feel we know strangers on television better than the people in our lives or neighbors we see in the neighborhood grocery store? Do we trust broadcast reality more than what we perceive with our own senses? Or do we need confirmation of what’s real or important from outside sources?
8. Hallie gradually remembers sharing a telepathic bond with her twin during childhood, a special connection that was lost after Heather's accident. Was the bond broken after that trauma or merely dormant? Why? A year after her murder, Heather's spirit contacts and ultimately inhabits her twin's body. Why do you believe Heather chose -- if the choice was hers to make -- contact at this time? Was she trying to stop her murderer from killing again? Or did she have unfinished business with her family before she could move on?
9. Hallie becomes a conduit for Heather's needs. Heather's life choices represent the "road not taken" to Hallie. After experiencing her twin's life, would Hallie have made different choices in her own life, if given a second chance? Initially, Hallie welcomes Heather's spirit into her life, eventually allowing Heather to take control and, in a way, live again. When Hallie senses that she is losing her own identity, she becomes frightened and regains her focus on solving her sister's murder. How is identity related to our instinct for self-preservation? What would have happened to Hallie if she continued to allow Heather to exist within her mind?
10. The Oxford American Dictionary defines a kindred spirit as "a person whose interests or attitudes are similar to one's own." In KINDRED SPIRIT, the phrase takes on a much deeper meaning. Hallie and Heather, as identical twins, share a special bond and are certainly kindred spirits. (When Hallie is under hypnosis, Holly Grubb sarcastically refers to Heather as her kindred spirit because the two obviously have so little in common.) Discuss the other kindred spirits in Hallie's life? In what ways are they important to her? Do you have a kindred spirit? How important is it for people to have kindred spirits in their lives?
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