The House in Morocco by Rosalind Brackenbury

Reading Guide

1. What can be learned from the book and from Sarah's interactions with Moroccan women about the differences and similarities in Moroccan and American women's lives?

2. How does belief in magic influence the story? Is it real or imagined? What part does superstition play?

3. What makes a love affair between people of different cultures more difficult than between those of the same culture? Discuss the different relationships in the book in this light - Sarah and Aziz, Yann and Aisha, Nick and Sasha.

4. What, if anything, has changed in the years between Marion's visit to Morocco and Sarah's? What is similar in their experiences, and what different?

5. How does Morocco's colonial past affect the present and the lives of the characters?

6. How do you think the novel might help people in our society relate to Arab cultures?

7. How does Sarah experience the sexism of the culture she finds herself in, and how is it different from the American version?

8. Do you find the characters in The House In Morocco sympathetic? Which characters do you find most interesting?

9. When a parent dies, is it beneficial to discover their secrets? How much do we want to know? How does it affect Sarah to know some of her mother's past?

10. How does Sarah change during the novel as a result of her experiences?

11. How does her meeting with the man who feeds seagulls affect her life and understanding?

12. What to you is the key insight to be gained from reading The House In Morocco?