How much of an impact do the judgments and actions of the narrator have on how you feel about the people and events she describes? Does she like her friends?Ĥ. Do you like and trust the narrator of the novel? Is she always honest with herself and others? What do you think motivates her?ģ. Did you prefer one style of narration to the other? Did you have any questions about the narrator that were left unanswered?Ģ. In other parts there is a third-person narrator. In parts of this novel, there is first-person narration from an unnamed woman: a wife, friend, and mother-to-be. In this modern retelling of Edith Wharton’s The House of Mirth, feminism, friendship, and the unwritten laws of society are braided together and showcased in this beautifully descriptive, inquisitive novel about a woman trying to change her fate.ġ. When failed iconoclast Ellie Hart returns to her hometown after divorce and scandal, she challenges this cosseted group’s priorities, morals, and expectations. Generations later, these original family names are still Cleveland’s elite, bonded together through an unspoken code of behavior and a web of interwoven relationships. The wealth from this commerce set up a society of leading civic families. We hope that these ideas will enrich your conversation and increase your enjoyment of the book.Ĭleveland, like many rust belt cities at the dawn of the twentieth century, was an industrial juggernaut fueled by coal, steel, and shipping on the Great Lakes. The suggested questions are intended to help your reading group find new and interesting angles and topics for your discussion. This reading group guide for Gilded Age includes an introduction, discussion questions, ideas for enhancing your book club, and a Q&A with author Claire McMillan.

The necklace by claire mcmillan