READERS GUIDE
Readers GuideVanessa Yu’s Magical Paris Tea Shop by Roselle Lim
Discussion Questions
1. Do you believe in destiny? Why or why not?
2. Families are a big part of Vanessa’s life: both her nuclear and her extended. How do you think this affects her life positively and negatively?
3. Vanessa and Evelyn have a complicated relationship. Do you believe they are in conflict because they are too alike or too different? Why?
4. Paris is an iconic tourist destination. If you had to take fortune-telling lessons yourself, where would your ideal locale be?
5. Vanessa has a fear of her fortune-telling gift. She never wanted it. If you were given this gift, would you accept it? Why or why not?
6. Vanessa and Evelyn share a love for French pastries. Do you have a favorite dessert or snack? Is there a significance to it?
7. Family secrets are a common theme in Vanessa Yu’s Magical Paris Tea Shop. Why do you think Evelyn was so guarded about her personal life? What is she afraid of?
8. The blue butterfly and the wind are two important recurring symbols in the novel. What do they represent, and where do you see them?
9. Fortune-tellers do not have red threads. Vanessa is adamant about the unfairness of it all, while Evelyn is resigned to her fate. Why is there such a difference in their points of view?
