Question 4: Had the novel gone on one more chapter, how do you think Lily might have reacted to her father‘s letter about the farm sale?

Make sure to check out @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks for questions 1, 3, and 5. Thanks to those who participated! I think we had a great discussion this month!

Hello! Welcome to our last week of discussion for The Kind Worth Killing! I‘ll have questions 2 and 4; check out @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks for 1, 3, and 5.

Question 2: How might the story have been different if perspectives like Detective Kimball‘s had been introduced earlier? Do you think you would have predicted the ending if those POVs had occurred sooner?

#thebelljarinas

Question 5: What else do you have to say about this section? Post it here! Be sure to check the rest of my page for questions 1 and 3 and Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks for questions 2 and 4!
#thebelljarinas

Question 3: The two female leads of the novel center their evil actions around the men in their lives. How do you feel about this? Do you think the story/characters would be different if the author were female? If so, how so?

Make sure to check out Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks for questions 2 and 4!

#thebelljarinas

Welcome to Week 3 of our discussion of The Kind Worth Killing! I will have questions 1, 3, and 5, while @alwaysbeenaloverofbooks will have 2 and 4.

Question 1: What do you think Lily‘s ultimate motive is? Is there something more she‘s after that she hasn‘t revealed yet?

#thebelljarinas

Question 4: How much do you think Detective Kimball knows/suspects?

Make sure to visit @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks for questions 1, 3, and 5 this week!

#thebelljarinas

Welcome to week 2 of our discussion! I will have questions 2 and 4 this week, while @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks will have 1, 3, and 5.

Question 2: Lily says after killing Eric, she planned to “be the only person responsible for my happiness.” However, she says she developed feelings for Ted. Were you surprised by this? Do you think it will cause her to slip up in whatever else she has planned, especially considering Ted‘s death?

#thebelljarinas

Question 5: What else are you thinking about for our reading this week? What are your burning questions? Post them here!

Check out questions 1 and 3 on my page and 2 and 4 on @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks page!

#thebelljarinas

Question 3: Why does Ted leap to the idea of killing Miranda instead of confronting her or asking for a divorce, especially when he says money is not an issue?

Check out @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks for questions 2 and 4, and enjoy the week 1 discussion!

#thebelljarinas

Hello and welcome to our first week‘s discussion of The Kind Worth Killing! I‘ll have questions 1, 3, and 5, and @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks will have 2 and 4.

Question 1: How reliable are our two narrators? Can we trust that they‘re telling the “absolute truth,” as they claim to be telling each other?

#thebelljarinas

Question 4: What statement about “chosen family” does Kate Quinn make with this last section and the book as a whole? What lessons can readers take away?

Be sure to check out @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks for questions 1, 3, and 5! It‘s been a pleasure discussing this wonderful book. We hope you will join us in July for Peter Swanson‘s The Kind Worth Killing!

#thebelljarinas

Welcome to our final discussion of The Alice Network. What a ride! I will have questions 2 and 4; make sure you visit @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks for 1, 3, and 5!

Question 2: Do you agree more with Evelyn‘s idea of vigilante justice or Charlie‘s notion of legal justice for Rene? Why? What did you think of Rene‘s end?

#thebelljarinas

Question 5: Lots happening in this week‘s section. What else are you wondering about, #thebelljarinas?

Be sure to check out questions 1 and 3 from me and 2 and 4 from @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks !

Question 3: Despite their differences and the nature of their work, Eve and Lili care deeply about one another. Why do you think the author chose to highlight this friendship?

Fellow #thebelljarinas, make sure to check out @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks for questions 2 and 4. Lots to discuss this week!

Welcome to week 3! We hope you can join us for our discussion. I will have questions 1, 3, and 5, and @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks will have 2 and 4.

Question 1: What was your reaction to reading that Rose is dead? Do you think Eve will be successful in her revenge mission?

#thebelljarinas

Question 4: Do you think Lili is a double agent? Do you think Eve will be able to keep up appearances with Monsieur Bordelon?

Check out @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks for questions 1, 3, and 5!

#thebelljarinas

Picture: the real Louise de Bettignies!

Welcome to week 2 of our discussion of The Alice Network!

Question 2: What did you think of Charlie‘s decision to keep her baby and continue on with Finn and Evelyn?

Check out @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks for questions 1, 3, and 5!

#thebelljarinas

Question 5: What other questions do you have about chapters 1-9? Post these burning inquiries in the comments, and be sure to check out @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks for more discussion!

#thebelljarinas

Question 3: “Rose plus me equaled happiness.” What statement has the book made so far about the importance of friendships between women? How do the different relationships among the female characters reflect different aspects of this idea?

Make sure to check @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks page for questions 2 and 4! I‘ll post the open-ended discussion shortly!

#thebelljarinas

Welcome to week 1 of our discussion of The Alice Network. Please join me for questions 1, 3, and 5 and @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks for questions 2 and 4.

Question 1: “She might not like me, but she spoke to me like an equal, not a child or a slut.” Why do you think Eve takes a risk for Charlie and decides to help her, even though she allegedly does not like her?

#thebelljarinas

What other questions or commentary do you have about this section of The Bell Jar or the novel as whole? Share in the comments, and thanks for reading along with me and @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks ! Be sure to join us next week for our first discussion of The Alice Network!

#thebelljarinas

Question 3: “Those girls, too, sat under bell jars of a sort.” How does the society in which Esther exists function as its own sort of bell jar?

Check out @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks for our other discussion questions!

#thebelljarinas

It‘s our final week of discussion, #thebelljarinas! Make sure to check this page as well as @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks so you can respond to all the questions!

Question 1:
“Whether she knew it or not, Philomena Guinea was buying my freedom.” What does this section imply about Esther‘s security in her own identity versus the beginning of the novel?

Question 4: “I wanted to tell her if only something were wrong with my body it would be fine.” Esther‘s symptoms seem largely misunderstood by people around her, including medical professionals. How is this statement a reflection of the stigma surrounding mental illness?

Check out @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks for questions 1, 3, and 5!

#thebelljarinas

Hello, #thebelljarinas, and welcome to our week 3 discussion. I will have questions 2 and 4; be sure to visit @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks for 1, 3, and 5!

Question 2: “I didn‘t know why I had never bought any of these papers before. They were the only things I could read.” Why do you think Esther has little trouble reading these tabloids, and what connection, if any, do you see with her experience of mental illness?

#thebelljarinas , use this space for any other comments or questions on this week‘s reading of The Bell Jar! Be sure to check out questions 1-4 on my page and @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks and add your responses there as well!

Question 3: “I saw the years of my life spaced along a road in the form of telephone poles, threaded together by wires.” Esther is presented with numerous opportunities but seems to pass on almost all of them. What do you think holds Esther back from taking advantage of the opportunities she is given?

#thebelljarinas , be sure to check in with @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks for questions 2 and 4 this week! Happy Mother‘s Day to all celebrating!

Welcome to Week 2, #thebelljarinas !

As always, @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks and I will be hosting and posting some discussion questions about chapters 6-10 of The Bell Jar! Here‘s question 1: “I thought a spectacular change would come over me the day I crossed the boundary line.” Esther is constantly concerned with proving that she belongs wherever she is. Why do you think Esther feels this need to “perform”?

Open discussion: post any other questions or comments about chapters 1-5 in the comments!

Visit @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks for questions 1 and 3!

#thebelljarinas

Question 4: Discuss Buddy and Esther‘s relationship. What do you think happens at the end of chapter 5? How do you think the fig tree pertains to Esther and Buddy?

Visit @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks for questions 1 and 3!

#thebelljarinas

Question 2: We get a brief indication that Esther does have a baby and has hopefully recovered from her depression mentioned in chapter 1. Why do you think she tells the story after the action has taken place? Does this change how you read the novel?

Visit @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks for questions 1 and 3!

#thebelljarinas