His & Hers

What role does physical evidence play in the novel? How are objects made to lie or used to reveal a hidden truth?

The mother-daughter relationships in the Andrews family are central to the novel. Examine the text’s other examples of this relationship as a point of similarity or contrast. You might consider Helen’s mother, Zoe’s daughter, or Cat’s children.

Analyze the role of self-deception and the unreliable narrator in the novel His & Hers. How do the characters’ internal thoughts and personal experiences suggest manipulation and distorted truth?

Explore the similarities and differences between Anna and her mother. Use them to draw conclusions about the representation of identity in the text.

Explore the role that norms about gender and beauty play in the novel’s relationships among the teenage girls. How do they contribute to the development of more extreme abusive behaviors?

How does the character of Cat Jones/Catherine Kelly serve as a foil for Anna Andrews? Focus on their shared traumatic experiences and different perspectives.

Analyze the setting of Blackdown. How does this stereotypical English village affect the tone of the novel or enrich its exploration of a key theme?

How does the novel His & Hers portray the dynamic between memory and trauma? Discuss the impacts of suppressed memories on the characters’ identities and actions.