1. Whose story and/or character engaged you
more, Sara Smythe's or Baily Camden's … and why? What
similarities do you find between the two young women? Overall, are the
characters well developed?
2. What does the novel reveal about the position women occupied at the
end of the 19th century?
3. How well do you think Fiona Davis deals with the sections regarding
Sara's mental illness and its treatment in the 19th century? How well
does she handle Bailey's in the 20th?
4. Talk about the changes within the Dakota from in 1884 to 1985. Is the
author's inclusion of historical and architectural detail of interest to
you …or does it bog down the pace?
5. Do you find that the shifting back and forth between timeframes
enhances … or detracts from your reading experience? Discuss the
differences and/or similarities between the Gilded Age and the "greed is
good" age.
6. Bailey disapproves of Melinda's desire to update her apartment within
the Dakota. What in particular does Bailey dislike? Should residents
living in an older building honor its historical integrity, or do they
have a right to update, even remake, their living spaces? What do you
think?
7. How surprised were you by the various plot twists in the novel. What
about the twist at the end, caught off guard … or saw it coming?
* Some questions from
LitLovers.