Each month we choose a newly released book that we feel is perfect for a book club. Then we roadtest it.

Here are our thoughts on whether Masha Gessen’s The Tsarnaev Brothers: The Road to a Modern Tragedy is a good pick for for book clubs.

Does the book make for good conversation?

Absolutely! This book raises so many questions that there is simply no doubt that good conversation will be had. Gessen’s exploration of terrorism and the immigrant experience is important and relevant to what is happening in Australia, and the world today. In addition, Dzhokhar’s recent sentencing will add to the conversation.

Are there multiple characters or narrative threads to inspire debate?

There are two main threads in the book: the Boston Marathon bombing, ensuing manhunt and various conspiracy theories is one, and the immigration of the Tsarnaev family to the USA from Chechnya and Dagestan is another. Regards the latter, Gessen takes an in-depth look at each member of the family (so there would be much to discuss here in terms of characters) and their different-yet-related experiences as immigrants. None of us knew a great deal about Russian history or politics and Gessen’s depiction of this part of the book is clear and engaging; we were all absorbed by her writing.

What are the themes a book club might choose to discuss?

Book clubs could discuss immigrant dislocation and the effectiveness of the so-called ‘war on terror’. While the book is about American immigration policies, it easily lends itself to a discussion on our own policies involving immigration and asylum seekers here in Australia. We were all particularly fascinated by Gessen’s closing discussion on ‘radicalisation’. The issue of terrorism is so much more complex than what often appears in the media and this led us to reflect on government efforts being rolled out today to stop young people joining ISIS.

Could the book be considered offensive by any readers?

Gessen’s even-handed approach to this book was greatly admired – she considers subjects from several different angles and her discussion is all the more interesting for this tactic. And while this is a brutal read (and it is daunting in this sense), the content is never graphic or sensationalist which could have made it offputting.

Is there anything book clubs should know before choosing this title?

At the beginning of the book there are four pages under the heading ‘cast of characters’. Don’t be scared off by this as we each reported referring to it less than a handfull of times, if at all. It’s also worth noting that only one of our readers was well-informed about the Boston Marathon bombings before we began the book, while the rest of us were coming to it with little knowledge. So, we can now confirm that the book would still be a rewarding read for those who have no prior interest in the topic.