Witch's Market (Yip) - Discussion Questions

Discussion Questions
1. Surveys show many people still believe in witches. Are you one of them? If so, why?

2. What is the difference between a shaman and a witch?
   
3. Do you believe that some people possess supernatural powers such as the ghost-seeing yin eye?
   
4. Should Eileen continue to be a professor of witchcraft, or should she follow her Laolao's footstep and be a shamaness?
   
5. Do you think Eileen would be happier with the poor furniture maker Luis, or with her rich ex-boyfriend, Ivan?
   
6. Each character in the novel teaches us a different life lesson. What do you think these lessons are?  
   
6. Alfredo’s maid, Maria, is loyal to him until his death. What do you think of what she does after?
   
7. Laolao and Uncle Wang both seem to have supernatural powers. Do you think these powers are real? What do you think about how each uses them?
   
8. The protagonist, Eileen Chen, learns much of importance from her dreams. Do you learn from your own dreams?
    
9. Divination, or fortune-telling, plays an important role in the novel. What do you think of using divination to make important life decisions?
(Questions courtesy of the author.)

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