Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers

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

1. Although the novel employs humor, it touches on several heavy subjects. Did you find that Vera’s struggles with grief and loneliness made her a more believable and sympathetic character? Do any of her experiences resonate with you?

2. One of the main ways that Vera demonstrates her care for others is through cooking. Are there any particular recipes that you associate with love and care? How do you like to express your care for your loved ones?

3. The novel examines how parenting styles can either instill a fear of failure or an understanding that mistakes are a natural part of learning. What lessons did your upbringing instill in you about the learning process? How might one approach encouraging oneself and others to take healthy risks and learn new things?

4. In the novel, Chinese culture’s expectation of filial piety clashes with American culture’s emphasis on independence, resulting in conflict between Vera and her son. Have you ever experienced tension with a relative due to differing generational or cultural views? How did you resolve the situation?   

5. Sutanto’s novel celebrates the importance of found family. Are there people in your life whom you consider family even though you’re not related? In your opinion, what distinguishes found family from friendship?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. What insights does the story offer into familial struggles, especially those between first- and second-generation immigrants? What lessons from Sutanto’s story may help family members work toward greater understanding and compromise?

2. What does the novel have to say about how society views and treats the elderly? How does Vera’s story challenge ageist presumptions and advocate for intergenerational friendships?

3. Throughout the novel, Vera’s isolation causes her emotional pain and even physically endangers her health. How does Sutanto use Vera’s struggles to critique American society’s emphasis on independence?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. Vera becomes a maternal figure to each of her four suspects. How does her use of the Chiaoshun parenting style contribute to the young people’s character arcs? What lessons about teaching, learning, and failure does Sutanto offer through her examination of motherhood?

2. How does the revelation that Alex killed Marshall complicate the novel’s theme of family? How do traditional values like loyalty and filial piety inform Alex’s motivation?

3. How does the author use the setting of the tea shop to symbolize Vera’s maternal desire to care for others? How does the transformation of the physical space mirror the protagonist’s development over the course of the novel?

4. How do the marks on Marshall’s body represent the damaging effects of immorality? How does his death lead to a symbolic rebirth for Vera?