Quiz I Think We've Been Here Before Suzy Krause

I Think We've Been Here Before Quiz

How well do you remember the intricate layers of Suzy Krause's I Think We've Been Here Before? This quiz covers the whole book—from Nora's arrival in Berlin to the family's final moments in the basement. You'll find 8 plot/sequence questions, 5 character motivation questions, 4 theme/symbol questions, and 3 synthesis questions. Mix of multiple-choice and short-answer formats. After the questions, a complete answer key explains each response.

Plot and Sequence (8 Questions)

  1. At the beginning of the novel, where does Nora move to after her painful breakup?

    • A) Montreal
    • B) Berlin
    • C) Toronto
    • D) Vancouver

  2. What devastating diagnosis does Marlen announce at the Thanksgiving dinner?

    • A) Heart disease
    • B) Terminal cancer
    • C) Alzheimer's
    • D) ALS

  3. What cosmic event threatens to destroy life on Earth?

    • A) Asteroid impact
    • B) Solar flare
    • C) Double gamma ray burst
    • D) Supernova

  4. After hearing the apocalyptic news, what is Ole's first coping action?

    • A) He runs to Iver's house
    • B) He cleans his bedroom intensely
    • C) He bakes with his dad
    • D) He calls the police

  5. Why does Jacob propose marriage to Nora? (Short answer)

  6. What does Hilda paint on the kitchen wall?

    • A) A pastoral landscape
    • B) A mural of her family
    • C) A picture of Nora's cat
    • D) A pattern of birds

  7. Where does Ole go when he disappears from home?

    • A) To a friend's house
    • B) To his grandfather Iver's house
    • C) To the town police station
    • D) To the abandoned farmhouse

  8. In the final chapter, what color is the sky outside the basement window? (Short answer)

Character Motivation (5 Questions)

  1. Why does Marlen secretly write a novel about a gamma ray burst destroying Earth? (Short answer)

  2. Why does Hilda decide to paint every room in the house?

    • A) She is preparing for a home sale
    • B) She is coping with grief and impermanence
    • C) She wants to impress her daughter
    • D) She is following a home-decor trend

  3. Why does Irene spend hours making felt ivy garlands and paper snowflakes?

    • A) She is a professional crafter
    • B) She is in denial and needs to prepare for Christmas
    • C) She is decorating for a party
    • D) She is trying to win a competition

  4. Why does Nora impulsively get a cat tattoo instead of a more meaningful symbol? (Short answer)

  5. Why does Iver buy and set up vintage arcade machines in his living room? (Short answer)

Theme and Symbol (4 Questions)

  1. In Chapter 1, Nora's overwhelming feeling of familiarity with Jacob is compared to what metaphor?

    • A) A hypnotist's trick
    • B) A bedbug
    • C) A dream
    • D) A card trick

  2. What does the image of "Leise Park" (Quiet Park) symbolize for Nora?

    • A) The final resting place for the dead
    • B) A place to find joy amid death
    • C) The inevitability of forgetting
    • D) The silence of the apocalypse

  3. According to Marlen's novel, what happens to a person's consciousness after death? (Short answer)

  4. What does the cat tattoo symbolize for Nora? (Short answer)

Synthesis (3 Questions)

  1. How does the novel connect the theme of déjà vu to the characters' relationships? (Short answer)

  2. Compare Hilda's and Irene's primary coping methods during the crisis. (Short answer)

  3. What does the ending suggest about the nature of time and the possibility of redemption?

    • A) Time is linear, and death is final
    • B) Time is cyclical, and people get chances to improve
    • C) Time is an illusion, and nothing matters
    • D) The world continues as normal

Answer Key

1. B) Nora moves from rural Saskatchewan to Berlin. (Chapter 1)

2. B) Marlen reveals he has terminal cancer. (Chapter 2)

3. C) A double gamma ray burst is announced by NASA. (Chapter 4)

4. B) Ole cleans his bedroom to avoid thinking about the end. (Chapter 15)

5. Jacob proposes so they can legally travel to Canada together to be with his sister Anna. (Chapter 22)

6. B) Hilda paints a mural of her family on the kitchen wall. (Chapter 46, later expanded)

7. B) Ole goes to his grandfather Iver's house, where he stays for weeks. (Chapter 21)

8. Pink photochemical smog. The final chapter describes the sky turning pink as the blast approaches. (Chapter 73)

9. Marlen had a premonition of his own death and felt compelled to write the story; he also wanted to surprise Hilda. (Chapter 6)

10. B) Hilda paints to cope with grief and the impermanence of her family and home. (Chapters 46, 49, etc.)

11. B) Irene is in denial about the apocalypse and channels her energy into preparing for a normal Christmas. (Chapters 44, 48)

12. Nora gets a cat tattoo because it reminds her of her own cat and offers comfort; it's an impulsive choice during a group tattoo outing. (Chapter 13)

13. Iver buys arcade machines to recreate memories of his deceased son Arnie and to surprise his grandson Ole, who looks like Arnie. (Chapters 42, 49, 54)

14. B) Nora's experience is compared to a bedbug—an odd, unwelcome but memorable intrusion. (Chapter 1: "Bedbug metaphor")

15. B) Leise Park (Quiet Park) is a former cemetery turned playground, symbolizing the possibility of experiencing joy in the presence of death. (Chapter 73)

16. According to Marlen's novel, a person's life flashes before their eyes, but that replay continues infinitely, with tiny changes accumulating each time until the life becomes perfect. (Chapter 69)

17. The cat tattoo represents Nora's desire for permanence and comfort in a world that is ending, as well as her attachment to her pet. (Chapter 13)

18. The novel suggests that déjà vu is evidence of previous life cycles or intertwined fates—characters like Nora and Jacob feel an inexplicable bond that hints they have been together before, and the ending reinforces that time loops allow for repetition and improvement. (Multiple chapters, especially 72)

19. Hilda copes by painting murals in the house, creating art as a way to preserve memories. Irene copes by making felt garlands and paper snowflakes, engaging in domestic crafts that give her a sense of control and normalcy. (Chapters 46, 44, 48)

20. B) The ending suggests that time is cyclical; the blast is "the beginning of the same as last time, but better," implying that characters get chances to fix mistakes and relationships. (Chapter 73)

Want to explore more? Check out the book overview, the questions and answers page, or the ending explained.