Recursion

Content Warning: This section of the guide contains discussion of illness.

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. How did you feel about Crouch’s approach to time travel in this novel compared to other works in the genre—for example, his Dark Matter? What makes this interpretation unique or compelling?

2. What was your emotional response to the way Recursion handles memory and identity? Which character’s struggle with multiple timeline memories affected you most deeply?

3. The novel alternates between Barry’s and Helena’s perspectives until later sections. How did this structure impact your experience of the story and its themes?

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

1. The characters often struggle with accepting past events they wish they could change. Have any moments in your life been particularly challenging to accept, and how do those moments relate to the characters’ journeys?

2. Helena dedicates herself to helping Alzheimer’s patients through her research. What do you understand to be the relationship between memory and identity?

3. The novel explores different types of love—parental, romantic, and lost love. Which relationship in the book resonated most with your own experiences?