To Catch a Raven DIY Book Club Questions

We are so glad you were excited about the Beverly Jenkins To Catch a Raven Book Club Kit from IU Libraries, offered at the Lilly Library while supplies last in January 2025.  The page includes each of the discussion questions provided in the kit, and is designed to be easily printed for use during your book club or hosted discussion.  To request a PDF with questions sized to create printable index cards, please email libcomm @ iu.edu. 

 

Discussion questions for To Catch a Raven by Beverly Jenkins

Questions prepared by Rebecca Baumann, Head, Curatorial Services & Curator of Modern Books at the Lilly Library.  


1.    This novel is set during the aftermath of the American Civil War and Reconstruction. Did you learn anything new about American history from this novel?


2.    The novel takes place in New Orleans, Charleston, and Boston. How are the three different cities represented? How are racial tensions and relations different in the three locations? If you had to live in one of these cities in 1878, which one would you choose and why?


3.    One of the recurring themes of this novel is the idea of romantic partners being “equally yoked.” When Raven says this, she is largely referring to the discrepancies between herself and Braxton in social and economic status. How do Raven and Brax resolve their differences in order to become “equally yoked?” In what ways can social and economic discrepancies cause problems in relationships, both in the past of the novel and in the present day?


4.    Both Raven’s and Braxton’s extended families play a large role in the novel. Which side character was your favorite and why? What is Jenkins telling her readers about the importance of family and community? Which family—the Moreaux or the Steeles—would you rather be a part of and why?


5.    Jenkins is known for her steamy sex scenes. How did the sex scenes in this novel contribute to the plot and to your understanding of the characters and their relationship to each other? What did you think was the most romantic moment between Raven and Braxton?


6.    The villain of the novel is Pinkerton detective Ruth Welch. What are her motivations? If this novel was set in modern times, how might Welch’s racism and ambition manifest in different ways today? Do you think Welch’s punishment at the end of the novel was deserved? What did you think of the novel’s other villainous pair, the Stipes?


7.    The modern term “code switching” means “adjusting one’s style of speech, appearance, behavior, and expression in ways that will optimize the comfort of others in exchange for fair treatment, quality service, and employment opportunities.” What sorts of code switching must Raven (or other characters) perform throughout the novel to be successful? Do you see parallels with the kinds of code switching that people of color and others from marginalized communities must perform today?


8.    The main requirement of a romance novel is a satisfying “happily ever after.” Were you satisfied with Raven and Braxton’s ending? Is there anything about it you might question or change? What real world factors might threaten the possibility of such a happy ending?