The Glass Wives (35 page)

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Reading Group Questions

  1.
The Glass Wives
begins at shiva, the Jewish mourning ritual, and concludes at the Passover Seder, a combined meal and service commemorating the end of the Israelites’ bondage in ancient Egypt. Why do you think the author framed the story between these two significant ceremonies?

  2. Throughout the course of the novel, Evie is forced to reconstruct her definition of “family” for the second time after her ex-husband’s death. Did this get easier for her as time passed? If so, was there a defining moment or epiphany for Evie?

  3. In today’s world do you really believe there is such a thing as a so-called normal, or typical, family like the one Evie wanted for her children?

  4. Tolstoy famously said that “all happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.” Evie does her best to cultivate a happy family, especially for her children. Do you think she succeeds? Why or why not?

  5. Nicole was the other woman before she married Richard Glass. Do you think this makes her a less honest character? At what point in the book does she become a sympathetic character? (Assuming that she does.)

  6. Why do you think the author gave the Glass family a dog? What role does Rex play in the book—and in the family?

  7. In one scene, Evie reprimands children that are not her own. It’s often cited as one of readers’ favorite passages. Why do you think this episode is so powerful—and memorable? What does it suggest about Evie’s character? Or do you find it’s out of character for Evie?

  8. In the book, Evie bakes when she’s upset or anxious. Take a moment to list examples of her doing so. Why do you think Evie does this? Moreover, why do you think the author chose to assign this behavior, or quirk, to her protagonist?

  9. Some of the characters in
The Glass Wives
are intolerant and impatient. Again: Why do you think the author created characters with negative personality traits in a story about family and friendships? How important—or necessary—is it to include characters who are not readily “likable” in any novel? You may wish to take this opportunity to talk about some of your favorite heroes, or anti-heroes, in literature as well.

10. If you could ask the author anything about
The Glass Wives
—clarification on a plot point, a detail about a particular character, scenes from the cutting-room floor—what would it be? (You may choose to contact the author and ask her yourselves!)

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

THE GLASS WIVES.
Copyright © 2013 by Amy Nathan Gropper. All rights reserved. For information, address St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010.

www.stmartins.com

Cover design by Elsie Lyons

Cover photographs: teacups © Plainpicturebildhuset; clouds © Norbert Schafer / Getty Images; window frame © Stephanie Frey /
Shutterstock.com

ISBN 978-1-250-04016-9 (hardcover)

ISBN 978-1-250-01656-0 (trade paperback)

ISBN 978-1-250-01657-7 (e-book)

First Edition: May 2013