Questions About Boy, Snow, Bird

by Helen Oyeyemi (Goodreads Author)

Reader Q&A

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Answered Questions (7)

Anyone know what the primary conflict of this book is? I'm kind of stuck between a few and it's killing me.

Jamie I think it's about how easy it can be to fall into the roles (and archetypes) others have picked out for us even when those are in direct contradictio…moreI think it's about how easy it can be to fall into the roles (and archetypes) others have picked out for us even when those are in direct contradiction to the identities that come from within.(less)

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What did you feel was the significance of Bird (and Snow) occasionally not appearing in mirrors?

Atembe Fonge Giles Since this is a very liberal take on the classic Snow White, I think the mirrors were an hommage to the magic found in that fairytale, and how the mir…moreSince this is a very liberal take on the classic Snow White, I think the mirrors were an hommage to the magic found in that fairytale, and how the mirror was kind of like the Truth-Teller in the classic Snow White, whereas in this novel the mirror was kind of the opposite--depending on whether the reader trusts the views of Boy, Snow and Bird. Sometimes narrators cannot be trusted in books; they have their own jaded view points and see or remember things differently than they may really be in real life. For instance, Boy suspected Snow of being evil, like the Rat Catcher did of Boy, although neither character proved to be AS evil as the other suspected. Then again, I as a reader could never really say whether or not either Boy or Snow were truly good at heart...

Anyway, I think that Boy was a little obsessed/entranced by mirrors because she was made to believe, by the Rat Catcher, that she was worthless, and I think she realized that her beauty was real and there was something meaningful behind it; she existed and had worth. I think Snow and Bird couldn't see themselves because they were beautiful, but in a world where their looks were either seen as a blessing or a curse depending on the company they were in. It was hard to feel like they belonged anywhere so the mirror was showing that they don't belong in any specific place, even though they both knew they were loved and wanted.(less)

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From the reviews, I feel like many of us truly wanted to like this book, but struggled--why?

Barbara My book club read this book and also wanted to like it, but couldn't quite. Some of us felt like we were somehow missing something, that there must be…moreMy book club read this book and also wanted to like it, but couldn't quite. Some of us felt like we were somehow missing something, that there must be more to the book than we were getting. A couple people even tried to read it a second time to figure out what they were missing. The concensus of the group was that there just wasn't something there to get. The book had interesting elements but they didn't lead to insights or even a coherent theme.(less)

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Do you recommend this book for a book club?

Ann Dorsett I think that skin color and "passing" are huge elements of this novel. Identity-- being a woman, being a black woman. Also the mother/daughter relatio…moreI think that skin color and "passing" are huge elements of this novel. Identity-- being a woman, being a black woman. Also the mother/daughter relationship. This book is so much more than a fantasy re-telling of Snow White.(less)

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Is this book transphobic?