Kantika

1. General Impressions

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

• Kantika is a work of historical fiction. How does this novel differ from other historical fiction novels you’ve read? How does the author’s relationship to the central character affect your experience as a reader?
• Elizabeth Graver presents members from multiple generations of the Cohen family. How does the author’s use of structural and narrative techniques affect your connections to the characters? Of the different members of the Cohen family, which ones do you relate to most, and why? 

2. Personal Reflection and Connection

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

• As Rebecca strives to create a home for her family in Spain and later in the United States, she contends with the effects of displacement and discrimination. Have you ever felt like an outsider? If so, what helped you build community and find a sense of belonging?
• Rebecca helps Luna transform her relationship with her body and realize her strength as a woman. Identify the women who have played a formative role in your own life. What lessons have they taught you, and how have you put this wisdom into practice?
• The novel follows Rebecca’s life from her childhood to the night she learns that she is a grandmother, capturing moments of great joy and love but also profound grief and loss. Which moments did you find most moving and why? Do the scenes you selected resonate with any of your own experiences? 
• The novel’s title, Kantika, is the Ladino word for “song.” Why is music so important to the protagonist? What role has music played in your life? Do you have an outlet that allows you to express yourself the way that Rebecca communicates her emotions through song?

3. Societal and Cultural Context

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

• Rebecca lives during a tumultuous period of history. How do major historical events shape her personal life? Did the novel and its characters give you a new understanding of World War I, the Spanish Civil War, or World War II? 
• How does the novel examine the effects of discrimination, particularly antisemitism and xenophobia? How does Kantika contribute to contemporary conversations about immigration and the lingering impact of historical injustices?

4. Literary Analysis

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

• Consider the significance of gardening to the theme of displacement and the meaning of home. How does gardening allow Rebecca to preserve vestiges of her childhood home when her family is uprooted? What does Rebecca’s passion for gardening reveal about her character and her goals for her family?
• How does Graver use the motif of song to express the Cohen family’s resilience, language, and faith? How does music help Rebecca preserve her Sephardic culture despite the considerable changes she experiences over her lifetime?
• Trace the protagonist’s growth and development throughout the novel. How does Rebecca as a young girl differ from the Rebecca at the end of the novel? What struggles and experiences contribute to her growth? 
• How does clothing contribute to Kantika’s thematic meaning and the protagonist’s character development? In what other ways does the story celebrate the often-overlooked labor of women? What overall point is Graver making about women’s role in history?

5. Creative Engagement 

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

• If Kantika were adapted into a film, whom would you cast as the main characters, and why? Given the importance of singing and sewing in Rebecca’s life, discuss ideas for the film’s costumes and soundtrack as well.
• Rebecca makes several pivotal decisions that alter the course of her life and her family’s history. Imagine how her life would change if she made a different choice, such as if she had remained in Turkey or if she hadn’t gone to Cuba to meet Sam. How do you think her story would have played out in this altered timeline?
• Create a collage that reflects Rebecca’s journeys and growth over the course of the novel. During or after collaging, take turns explaining the images you have chosen and what they represent.

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