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1. When Dorothy begins hearing voices, she reacts with hostility and keeps telling the voices to shut up or go away. Do you think this was a reasonable reaction and how could she have better handled the situation? How would you have reacted in this situation?
2. When Dorothy is trying to figure out whether the spirits are real or imaginary, she visits a clairvoyant who turns out to be a fake. Do you agree with her that all clairvoyants are fakes? What evidence would you need to persuade you otherwise?
3. Why do you think the spirits who lived in Dorothy’s house seemed unable to remember much about their lives but the spirits she communicated with all had very specific, and often lengthy, memories?
4. Some of Dorothy’s clients seek contact with someone who died quite recently, whereas others want to connect with a loved one who passed many years ago. Would you choose to seek this kind of contact if you knew it could be done? Why or why not? Who would you choose and what would you say to them?
5. When Dorothy arrives for her first American television interview, there is a small group of protestors waiting outside the studio. What do you think would be the core of a protestor’s objection to Dorothy’s ability?
6. Many cultures have beliefs about what happens to us after we die. The ancient Egyptians envisioned the afterlife as a place where they could feast and laze under shady trees while magically reanimated servants would do all of their chores for them. The ancient Greeks thought we went to the Underworld, Hades. Buddhists believe we are reborn numerous times until we achieve Nirvana. What do you think happens to us and what do you base your belief on?
8. In the final chapter, someone has died and joined the spirits who live in Dorothy’s house. Who do you think this is and why?