The Tiger Flu

In Part 1, the book opens with Kiri lovingly harvesting Peristrophe’s organs; in Part 5, the novel closes with Kiri wondering if she will ever see Peristrophe again. In a dystopian world of survival, what does this structure reveal about the novel’s treatment of love?

There are three epigraphs at the beginning of the book, each of which comes from an author/figure with a distinct national background: A British poet (William Blake), a French novelist (Monique Wittig), and a Chinese author (the Yellow Emperor, translated by Fredric Henry Balfour). How do these epigraphs highlight and emphasize the book’s messaging, especially around its themes regarding the fragmentation of society?

N-lite is a drug, but it also seems to bring about some very real experiences in the book. Examine three scenes involving N-lite and discuss how the substance functions in the book.

Songs and chants are peppered throughout The Tiger Flu: The Grist sisters sing, the hawkers outside of the Pacific Parkade sing, and the mysterious voices in the Dark Baths sing. How do songs function in the book? Choose one song/chant and explain how it relates to the ideas and themes of the book.

Betrayal, especially among family members, is a key theme in the book. Looking across the Ko family alone, recount the number of betrayals and use them to examine themes of greed and corruption in the book.

Kora has a special connection with her pet goat Delphine and her catcoat. What does Kora’s relationship with the animal world say about Kora’s character?

The Grist sisters are a spiritual community and often make reverent references to “Our Mother.” In Chapter 41, Elzbieta emerges from a statue of a figure known as “Our Mother of a Thousand Hands.” Discuss the role and nature of religion, organized and otherwise, in The Tiger Flu.

The New Origins Archive was once a haven for the Grist sisters. However, by the conclusion of the novel, Elzbieta has turned on the Grist women and threatens the safety of both Kiri and Kora. Treating the New Origins Archive like a character, examine its arc throughout the book and discuss its transformation in terms of themes related to greed and corruption.