Shatter
by Michael Robotham
Book of the Month: January 2009
Reading Group
Extract from Shatter
Read an extract from Michael Robotham's dazzling thriller Shatter.- Extract from Shatter [shatter.pdf] (0.01 MB)
Reading Group Questions
Reading Group Questions for Michael Robotham's Shatter
Shatter is a gripping story about humanity and inhumanity, love and hate, and how one can become the other. For Gideon Tyler the flipside of love became depravation and cruelty. Do you think his actions can partly be explained by his training and background as an interrogator? What else leads him to punish those he sees as having denied him the chance of happiness? How does the author make Gideon such a frightening character?
The theme of forgiveness runs throughout the book. Would you say that Joe is right to forgive Gideon, taking into consideration the last two paragraphs of chapter 69? Should Julianne forgive Joe?
The story is told in two ‘voices’ – Joe’s and Gideon’s. Does this heighten the tension or distract from the narrative? Besides an interest in psychology, what do Joe O'Loughlin and Gideon Tyler have in common? Are they blinded to their own faults and failings?
Joe’s struggle with ‘Mr Parkinson’ affects his judgment – not just in terms of catching the killer but also in regard to his deteriorating relationship with Julianne. His battles are both internal and external. Do his flaws make him a more sympathetic character?What are your thoughts about the ending? It might not be a happy ending, but is it the right one for this book?
Robotham doesn’t write a traditional crime series but prefers to use a diverse range of characters that drift in and out of his novels. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this? Does this make them ‘standalones’ or do they need to be read in order?
- Reading Group Questions for Shatter [shatter_reading_group.pdf] (0.01 MB)
