Odd Thomas

Odd’s traumatic childhood shaped his adult life, particularly his relationship with his mother. How does this manifest in both his positive and negative character traits? How is this connected to his relationship with Stormy?

How does Dean Koontz use dreams and nightmares to foreshadow later events or misdirect the reader? How do the dreams tie into the theme of The Interconnectedness of Destiny and Free Will? What does this say about the novel’s genre, too?

Odd chooses not to warn Stormy about the approaching danger in Green Moon Mall because he believes in the fortune they received, which has tragic consequences. How does this tie into the book’s theme of The Interconnectedness of Destiny and Free Will? How is this theme nuanced elsewhere?

How does Odd Thomas’ perspective on life and death differ from that of other characters? Does his own perspective change over the course of the story?

How does Koontz use humor and wit as narrative devices to balance the novel’s darker elements, and why did he decide to write this into Little Ozzie’s instructions for Odd? What does this say about the novel’s themes and ideological perspective?

Stormy avoids sexual intimacy due to her past trauma and has brushed off Odd’s prior proposals. She changes her mind on both of these over the course of the story. What might be the reason for this change? How does this reflect the novel’s themes?

Regarding Odd’s supernatural abilities and his need to save people, Stormy says, “Maybe it’s not a gift. Maybe it’s a curse” (71). Why might she believe this, and how does this contrast with the other characters’ attitudes regarding Odd’s powers?

How do religion and spirituality play a role in the story, particularly regarding Odd’s views on the dead and the afterlife? How does the author’s Catholicism inform the novel?