Our Wives Under the Sea

How are Miri and Leah similar? How are they different? How would each of them characterize their marriage? Are their points of view always reliable?

How does transformation function in the book? Consider transformation both internally and externally. Does Miri transform over the course of the novel in ways that are as dramatic as Leah’s physical transformation?

How do the frequent juxtapositions in the novel (land and sea; past and present; time and timelessness, etc.) function? Compare and contrast at least two sets of juxtapositions.

How do Miri’s memories of her mother echo her current situation with Leah? How do those memories affect how Miri views her own life?

How does the ocean function within the novel? What about the “deep sea” appeals to Leah? How does Miri view the water?

What role does the Centre play in the novel? What is the organization’s purpose? What might the Centre represent as a symbol for both Leah and Miri?

How does Leah’s physical reality compare or contrast to her psychological condition? How does Miri’s psychological state reflect her lived experience? How are these situations similar and/or different?

How does the novel employ the tropes of the romance genre? How does it employ the tropes of the horror genre? How do these two genres correspond and/or clash?