Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. What did you think of the twist at the end of the story? Did you have any clues as to who the murderer was while reading?

2. Discuss the novel’s blend of mystery, philosophy, and dark humor. How does the novel defy genre categorization? Have you read other works by Olga Tokarczuk—e.g., Flights or The Books of Jacob? If so, would you call this genre-blending a feature of her style?

3. Analyze Janina as the first-person narrator. How did seeing the story through her unreliable narration affect your understanding of events?

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

1. Reflect on Janina’s strong beliefs on morality, justice, and the treatment of animals and how this makes her an outsider in her community. Have your beliefs ever isolated you from others?

2. Discuss Janina’s belief in astrology. Do you think there is value in looking for patterns of meaning or explanations for human behavior in the cosmos?

3. The book posits that there is a fine line between eccentricity and mental illness.