Honey & Spice

Honey & Spice is part of the “new adult” genre that focuses on protagonists in their early twenties, often within a college setting, exploring identity, relationships, and their place in the world. How does the novel portray personal growth and self-awareness in this context?

In the closing scene, Kiki kisses Malakai and thinks, “It tasted like honey and spice, twined” (349). Explore the metaphor of honey and spice in the novel.

Analyze the importance of friendship in the novel. Is this presented as more or less important than romantic relationships?

Examine the ways in which the different romantic experiences that Kiki has with the men in her life shapes the book’s emotional trajectory.

Analyze the ways in which the book compares and contrasts the real and unreal in the public and private spheres, including performance, illusions, pretense, and self-projection.

Dr. Miller advises Kiki to “stand in her power and truth,” a theme echoed elsewhere in the novel when Kiki is enjoined to use her voice. Discuss what you believe these terms mean, using examples from the novel as evidence.

Advice-giving is a frequent theme of the novel. Explore the importance of this advice in terms of voice, community, and power.

Discuss how the author’s use of “Whitewell” and “Blackwell” shaped your reading of the book’s message. In what other ways does the novel allegorize the structural racial discrimination in predominantly white institutions?