1. Did Gemma's name take on new meanings for you in the course of reading the novel? What about the other names she uses at various points?

2. In the opening chapters, Gemma's aunt is quite hardhearted, even cruel. Did your opinion of her change by the time you finished the novel?

3. How do you think the various landscapes that Gemma passes through help to change, or inform, her journey?

4. Gemma's uncle is a devout Christian. Do you think Gemma minds losing her faith? Do her childhood values continue to govern her actions as she matures into adulthood?

5. Throughout the novel there are various supernatural occurrences. What is their significance to the story and how do they impact Jane?

6. How do Gemma's relationships with the various orphans she cares for deepen your understanding of her?

7. Gemma is at the mercy of chance but she also takes charge of her life and makes certain crucial decisions. How do you feel about those decisions?

8. What role do animals and birds play in Gemma's life?

9. If you've read Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre, are there places in The Flight of Gemma Hardy where you find yourself remembering Jane particularly vividly? How do those memories impact your reading of Gemma?

10. Did The Flight of Gemma Hardy make you think of other orphan stories beyond Jane Eyre? Why are orphan stories so endlessly appealing?