Questions for Discussion

1. RESTORATION is both a literal and symbolic concept throughout the novel. Risa arrives in England to restore a centuries-old barn, but she is also confronting fractures within herself and her family history. How does the restoration of the barn parallel Risa's personal evolution? In what ways does repairing a structure differ from repairing a life? In what ways is it similar?

2. Early in the book, Risa discusses how gallery spaces shape the experience of viewing art, suggesting that architecture itself becomes part of the work. How does RESTORATION encourage readers to think differently about buildings, landscapes and the spaces we inhabit? 

3. How would you describe the relationship between Risa and Helen? What misunderstandings, assumptions or silences shape their connection? How does Risa's understanding of her mother evolve over the course of the story?

4. Following a personal loss, Risa wonders if her ambivalence, confusion or uncertainty somehow contributed to what happened. How does the novel portray grief, self-blame and the stories people tell themselves after tragedy?

5. Risa often feels simultaneously drawn to and unsettled by places like the barn, the henge and the surrounding landscape. The novel incorporates moments of mysticism and spiritual resonance without fully explaining them. How did these elements affect your reading experience? Do you believe places can retain memory or emotional resonance? 

6. As Risa uncovers new information about her mother's past, her understanding of Helen's life becomes more complicated. How does the novel explore the limited choices available to women in earlier generations? How does this information impact your perception of Helen’s choices and behavior in San Francisco?

7. Several characters suggest that understanding history requires imagination as much as evidence. How does the novel balance historical fact, family lore, memory and intuition? Are there moments when imagination reveals truths that documents alone cannot?

8. At certain points in the novel, Risa acts in ways that surprise even herself, creating tension between her sense of responsibility and her feeling of being carried along by forces she doesn't fully understand. How do you interpret these moments? To what extent do her actions reflect her broader search for identity and independence?

9. Dreams involving drifting, birds, ancient women and powerful symbolic imagery recur at important moments. How did you interpret these dream passages? Do you see them as psychological, spiritual, ancestral or something else entirely?

10. The novel is set during the 1980s, but many of its themes feel remarkably contemporary. How did the political and social backdrop --- including conversations around workers' rights, reproductive healthcare, mental health treatment and women's independence --- shape your understanding of the story? Did you find yourself drawing parallels to current events?