DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 1
5
Despite the She Shed’s jocular
When Liz becomes possessed, she
beginnings, the four friends share
isn’t afraid to wreath havoc on the
a deep need for such an enclave.
town. Do you think other people
What does the She Shed represent
in the neighborhood noticed the
to them?
drastic change in Liz to the same
2
Amy, Liz, Jess, and Melissa are all quite different. But their reluctant acceptance of their suburban roles
degree that her friends did? Would others have sensed the presence of something eerily abnormal? Discuss.
6
and their hatred for what they call
Author Maureen Kilmer touches
the Mom Mafia unite them. Do
on some darker themes: addiction,
you think their bonds of friendship
depression, isolation. Outside of the
would have been just as strong if
story’s obvious horror elements,
the Mom Mafia didn’t exist?
in what forms do we see darkness
3
Amy realizes something is off with Liz when Liz fails to clean up her house after their movie night. What
or evil surrounding a character? Is darkness limited to a certain kind of character? If so, why?
7
would be the first sign of demonic
The suburban life is relentlessly
possession in your best friend?
social, awfully competitive, and
4
continually hectic. The husbands of Whispering Farms subdivision
The demon offers its first tangible
should share (mostly) the same
threat by slaughtering the
burdens as their wives, yet the
bunnies on Amy’s lawn, which
women seem to bear the weight of
is only discovered during the
exhaustion more readily. Discuss the
neighborhood block party. Why do
husbands’ methods of coping with
you think this was the demon’s first
their respective living situations as
statement of threat?
compared with their wives’.
8
11
Amy has her hands full with her two
Once Amy realizes it’s up to her,
kids, for whom she must engage
Melissa, and Jess to save Liz, she
with the PTA and pretentious block
tries to rally her friends to exorcise
parties. But what she wants to
the demon. Instead, she’s left with
do is make a difference. Name
empty text messages from Jess
a few reasons why Amy might
and Melissa, who decide it would
dread organizational projects
be best to leave town—and Liz. Do
for the school.
you understand the impulse to leave
9
The pressures of motherhood don’t always allow for many bonding moments between mother and
town? In what instances do loyalty (and exorcisms) trump fear and safety?
12
child. On top of searching for a
During one of their movie nights,
job, Amy must orchestrate top-tier
Amy mentions that she “was a
playdates and take her kids out for
serious horror movie fan as a
ice cream and pizza, all the while
teenager” (page 8). Meanwhile,
cleaning up after their messes. But
Melissa grew up fearing the mildest
when Mavis emerges, Emily’s ability
of threats: birth control, Halloween,
to see Amelia brings Amy’s more
weed. Discuss how their respective
intimate moments with Emily into
backgrounds inform their reactions
focus. Discuss how the pressures
to the Ouija board. What strengths
of motherhood can both bring one
do each of the women bring to
closer to individuals and create
the table both in terms of demon-
distance in one’s relationships.
fighting and excelling at the
10
Amy quickly learns how to deal with a volatile Liz: how to decipher the real Liz from the possessed Liz. Amy can render these two versions as clearly distinct. Would you find it difficult to see your friend in the same way if they had attacked you, despite knowing they were possessed?
suburban way?