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1. On page 7, Samantha asks Nellie one of the
defining questions of the novel: "Ever think he’s too good to be true?"
At what point did you start to think that Sam might be right, and
Richard might actually be too good to be true?
2. What do you think is the significance of Vanessa’s new job at an
upscale clothing store? How might it affect her to still be in the upper
class world she once occupied, but in a much different role? Compare and
contrast her experience there to her previous job as a teacher.
3. Throughout the novel, Aunt Charlotte and Vanessa have an extremely
close relationship, even when Vanessa struggles to be honest with her
aunt. How do you see this relationship affecting the choices Vanessa
makes? Is there someone in your family with whom you have a similar
bond?
4. When did you realize who Vanessa, Nellie, and Emma actually are? How
did this new understanding shape your experience of the rest of the
story, and how do you think it will affect your experience if you reread
the novel?
5. On page 162, Vanessa says, "I guess I thought marrying Richard would
erase my concerns. But my old anxieties simply yielded to new ones." Do
you think that that is a common misconception about entering into a
marriage? If so, why do you think so many men and women believe this?
6. The Wife Between Us asks difficult questions about how much
someone’s past can explain or excuse their behavior. What’s your
opinion? Did getting to know more about Vanessa’s or Richard’s backstory
help to explain or justify their choices at all?
7. The theme of sight—foresight, hindsight, and even real, physical
eyesight—is wound throughout the entire novel. Maggie, the young
sorority pledge, repeatedly says, "I hate it when I can’t see." Do you
think that anyone in this novel could (or should) have been able to see
more clearly the consequences of their actions? Do you believe in the
old saying, "Hindsight is 20/20?"
8. Did the end of the novel leave you questioning who was really calling
the shots and who had a full picture of what was going on? Which
character do you think was truly orchestrating the events that were set
into action—or was there more than one person responsible? Why do you
believe this?
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