If you like Upstairs at the White House, you might also enjoy these books: The Perfect Wife The Wife Upstairs has received other very favorable ratings and I would encourage you to read more reviews. 10. 16. Paris and Megan Miranda. In the tradition of Olive Kitteridge and The Woman Upstairs, this “deeply human and morally saturated novel” (Library Journal, starred review) explores how a terrible crime changed one woman’s life forever. 15. I may be biased, but Mom's Book Nook is the best online moms book club you'll find. 14. book club book club questions book lists books books 2021 books to read contemporary fiction historical fiction literary fiction mysteries thrillers women's fiction Heather Caliendo I love to read and review various genres with a focus on contemporary fiction, historical fiction with some mysteries/thrillers and also select nonfiction and memoirs. Paris and Megan Miranda. I hope these questions are useful for your club. “The Wife” was first published in 2003. Author Bio • Birth—July 19, 1968 • Where—London, England, UK • Education—Epsom School of Art & Design • Awards—Melissa Nathan Award For Comedy Romance • Currently—lives in London, England Lisa Jewell is a British author of popular fiction. By sharing my experiences, I will lead you to a richer reading life. 22. Book Club Discussion Questions – If you could change anything about your life/past, what would you change? How so? 25. . ... Kane leaves us with some lingering questions about how much Lila knew and when she knew it. As an Amazon Influencer, I earn from qualifying purchases. 2. What do you think happened? You’re welcome! Meet the Author, Rachel Hawkins Were you surprised by the ending? Paris and Megan Miranda. Choose from five monthly reads, vetted by cool people with great taste. Much of the book revolves around Joe’s winning of the Helsinki Prize. The Wife Upstairs: A Novel. 1. From the first line to the last line, this book was a non-stop, up and down, twisting tracks, and around the curves roller coaster. The following version of this book was used to create the guide: Jewell, Lisa. How well do you think the author built the world in the book? Why do you think Eddie changed his will to pass everything to Jane? Do you agree? 12. 3/1–3/31/21 @ MCPL Stratford; adults book club ». I pushed myself through this book because I thought it *had* to get better. I consider myself an outlier with my opinion. At this point in your reading, do you see Joe as a fraud? What is the significance of the conversation early on between the book’s narrator and protagonist, Joan, and the author Elaine Mozell? I hope your club can use them. 23. Meet Jane. Which character did you connect with most? Do you believe that? Star Rating: 3 Stars (2.5 rounded up) The Wife Upstairs Information Here. Why or why not? My book club, which has been in existence for nearly twenty-five years and made up exclusively of old white ladies, decided to read this book for no other altruistic reason than its e-version was available for unlimited checkouts from our library. Mystery / Suspense / Thriller … The Wife Upstairs, Rachel Hawkins It's a fascinating concept. The twists aren't sharp but they are there. Overall a very enjoyable thriller, definitely one to watch out for! Why do you think Joan uttered the final line she did? 8. Want to see these questions in action, and join a fun monthly online book club (no awkward silences, promise!)? Check out our complete Events Calendar! The Snail says to read these new and notable books! Newly arrived to Birmingham, Alabama, Jane is a broke dog-walker in Thornfield Estates––a gated community full of McMansions, shiny SUVs, and bored housewives. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. How did those experiences affect their adult choices both negatively and positively? Wow, welcome to week four of discussing The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins. Nora Eldridge, an elementary school teacher in Cambridge, Massachusetts, long ago … Learn more about the book club here. Today I sit down with my book club ladies Cathy and Kirsten to book club the book “The Wife Upstairs” by Rachel Hawkins . I’m still in a state of shock after this book. How did this structure propel the story toward its conclusion? 26. You are viewing book club events. ISBN-13: 9780307596901 Summary From the New York Times best-selling author of The Emperor’s Children, a masterly new novel: the riveting confession of a woman awakened, transformed and betrayed by a desire for a world beyond her own. What role does Nathaniel Bone play in the book? Joe Castleman tells his class at Smith College that he loves books in part because “as you get older, life sort of eats away at you like battery acid,” and books seem to ward off that feeling. The novel makes a strong case that you never really know a person. I went back and forth between the audi... Three and a half stars. A delicious twist on a Gothic classic, The Wife Upstairs pairs Southern charm with atmospheric domestic suspense, perfect for fans of B.A. Book Club Discussion Questions for The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins Which character did you connect with most? 5. Did they remind you of anyone? The Woman Upstairs Claire Messud, 2013 Knopf Doubleday 272 pp. This is her adult thriller debut, which is a Jane Eyre retelling about a woman called Jane who meets Edward Rochester and decides she wants his money. Sign up for my mailing list to receive newsletters and book recommendations all year long. It was implied that maybe Eddie and Be a somehow survived the fire at the end of the novel. Synopsis In Deacon King Kong, Cuffy "Sportcoat" Lambkin is a 71-year-old deacon for a church in the projects.One day, he gets trashed and goes to the neighborhood plaza and shoots Deems Clemens, a ruthless 19-year-old local drug dealer. 11. Paris and Megan Miranda. 6. Atria Books, 2019. Why doesn’t Joan sleep with anyone else? April Book Club: The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins. Of his walnuts? Newly arrived to Birmingham, Alabama, Jane is a broke dog-walker in Thornfield Estates––a gated community full of McMansions, shiny SUVs, and bored housewives. What are your feelings on ambiguous endings in books. I loved the ending, but it also feels rushed and impersonal. What if you were able to go back in life and take the path not taken? There’s a slight issue with Rochester’s ex-wife though… I enjoyed this book but it wasn’t the best adult thriller I’ve read. Newly arrived to Birmingham, Alabama, Jane is a broke dog-walker in a gated community full of McMansions, shiny SUVs, and bored housewives. Sat, Apr 24, 1:00 PM EDT. Jewell divides The Family Upstairs into a prologue plus four parts: Part I (Chapter 1 through Chapter 33), Part II (Chapter 34 through Chapter 48), Part II (Chapter 49 through Chapter 65), and Part IV (Chapter 66 through Chapter 69). .we’ve done one book so far, ever. What is the significance of Joe’s constant hunger? Do you agree with this characterization? The Family Upstairs. The Novel Post’s Book Club: Week 4, The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins | Lily Ashtree. My mom and my sisters do a little family book club (this makes it sound way more official than it is. What were his motivations for advancing their relationship? This is a brutally honesty memoir, written with grace and good intentions. If you do, please let me know and feel free to add your own in the comments. The Wife Upstairs will be available on January 5th, 2021. Most questions were tied up by the end, though. Each month, we share top book picks from Indie Next and LibraryReads, as well as the Target Book Club title and Pennie's Pick for Costco. “The Wife” goes back and forth in time between the present and many incidents in the past. If you have specific questions, I’d be happy to answer them in the comments. And it was a year ago), and it’s my turn to pick next and we’ll be doing Upstairs at the White House. [Read The Times’s review of “The Wife” and a profile of the author, Meg Wolitzer .] The characters were strongly affectedly their childhood experiences. I weed out the overhyped trendy titles. I couldn’t find discussion questions online so I created my own again! My book club met at the end of November to discuss Red at the Bone by Jacqueline Woodson.I only found one set of questions online and they were a bit wordy for my liking. Spend more time reading and less time figuring out what to read. Did the characters seem believable to you? You know? Sixteen people see the shooting, but no one talks. Book Club Discussion Questions for Fiction. Our February pick for the PBS NewsHour-New York Times book club is Meg Wolitzer’s “The Wife.” Become a member of the book club by joining our Facebook group, or by signing up to our newsletter. I was not familiar with Elizabeth Vargas prior to reading this, but I admire her greatly now. Meet Jane. A delicious twist on a Gothic classic, Rachel Hawkins's The Wife Upstairs pairs Southern charm with atmospheric domestic suspense, perfect for fans of B.A. Rachel Hawkins. For more hot new releases, recommended by Lady and local librarians on the monthly Librarian Book Chat, click HERE. What do you think has changed in marriage in America — and in how men and women relate — since then. I created my own and edited them after out discussion to reflect what came up most for us. Do you believe there are fundamental differences between male and female writers? We talk about our thoughts on the book, what we loved and hated, shows we have been watching, our favorite books, and much more! The novel begins with the statement: “The moment I decided to leave him …” Are you drawn in by the narrator’s voice? Here is my book review of The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins! The Wife Upstairs by Freida McFadden was about a young women who stumbles into a job taking care of the wife of a famous author. ‎Wife of the Party - The LeeAnn Kreischer podcast Wife of comedian Bert Kreischer talks to friends in the mancave about, marriage, family, and what its like to be married to the life of the party. This last week we read chapters 20 through 28, and there is a lot to discuss… Ugh! Did this book seem realistic? Spoiler alert on questions further down. What is the meaning of Joe’s many infidelities? Between Breaths: A Memoir of Panic and Addiction, 3 Reasons to Quit the Book You're Reading - RamonaMead.com, What To Do If You Hate Your Book Club Pick, Five Things Friday: March 19, 2021 - RamonaMead.com. Many thanks to Lisa Jewell for taking the time to answer my questions so thoughtfully, and to her fantastic US publicist for facilitating this conversation. Do you believe that the life we are living is the life we’re meant to have or do you believe there are infinite possibilities for our lives? What do you think Eddie saw in Jane when he first met her? It took a little while to get into, and I got bogged down by the heavy science in the middle but otherwise this is a pretty good book. Or do you believe his wife only sees him this way? Was the trade-off that Joe and Joan made in any way fair? My book club met her the weekend to discuss The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins. Several times in the book, Wolitzer describes male writers as trying to capture the whole world in their books, while women are expected to write about domestic scenes, or in miniature. Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free. Learn more about the book club here. What is the importance of the scene in which David holds a knife to his father’s neck? This is a thriller that unravels gradually. [Read The Times’s review of “The Wife” and a profile of the author, Meg Wolitzer.]. We announce the book selection on the first Monday of the month and discuss on the last Monday of the month at 9:00pm Eastern. A delicious twist on a Gothic classic, The Wife Upstairs pairs Southern charm with atmospheric domestic suspense, perfect for fans of B.A. Every single character is unlikable, their behavior deplorable, but I couldn't help rooting for them at times. Joan’s reading of Tosha Bresner’s suicide is so different from Joe’s. 9. April Book Club: The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins ... Rachel Hawkins's The Wife Upstairs pairs Southern charm with atmospheric domestic suspense, perfect for fans of B.A. 18. We meet in a private Facebook group and chat about a new book every month. Did the book’s pace seem too fast/too slow/just right? 4. There is a mystery gradually unfolding, which we learn about from the first person narration of a wife who reluctantly a... Three and a half stars. Each month, we share top book picks from Indie Next and LibraryReads, as well as the Target Book Club title and Pennie's Pick for Costco. What is the significance of the contrast? . Paris and Megan Miranda. Is this award the final straw for Joan, or do you believe she’d be ready to leave him anyway? This book has been marketed as a re-telling of. 17. Read on for more information about THE FAMILY UPSTAIRS, a direct link to my full review of the book, and, of course, my conversation with Lisa Jewell. You can also submit your own questions for Wolitzer on our Facebook page, some of which she will answer on the NewsHour broadcast at the end of the month. This reading group guide for The Family Upstairs includes an introduction, discussion questions, and ideas for enhancing your book club. 7. The last 25 pages were the best part because I got resolution of open issues, but otherwise reading this was a waste of time. 3. Newly arrived to Birmingham, Alabama, Jane is a broke dog-walker in Thornfield Estates––a gated community full of McMansions, shiny SUVs, and bored housewives. A delicious twist on a Gothic classic, Rachel Hawkins's The Wife Upstairs pairs Southern charm with atmospheric domestic suspense, perfect for fans of B.A. About The Wife Upstairs: December 2020 Book of the Month Club Pick * January 2021 IndieNext Pick * One of the “Best New Books Coming Out in 2021” (PopSugar) * One of the “Most Anticipated Thrillers of 2021” (She Reads) * One of “The Best and Most Anticipated Thrillers of the Year” (Mystery and Suspense Magazine) Meet Jane. How did your opinion of that character (and the others) change over the course of the book? Welcome to week 3 of discussing The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins! Meet Jane. His pig heart? 24. The suggested questions are intended to help your reading group find new and interesting angles and topics for your discussion. I can recommend the “right” books for whatever you're facing in life. Below are questions to help guide your discussions as you read the book over the next month.