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- When Cecilia finds the letter addressed to her from her husband,
"To be opened only in the event of my death," she is tormented by
the ethics of opening it. Do you agree with her ultimate decision?
What would you have done?
- Consider the title THE HUSBAND'S SECRET. Several characters in
the book have secrets they hold on to that they eventually reveal.
Felicity and Will share the secret of their affair to Tess;
John-Paul guards his secret from Cecilia until he is forced to admit
it. What are the ramifications of their secrets? Is secrecy is ever
warranted and justifiable?
- Tess has suffered her whole life from crippling social anxiety.
How has this made everyday situations a challenge for her? Why has
she never confronted her problem? Why doesn't she tell anyone about
it?
- The Berlin Wall is referred to throughout the novel as Esther
works on her school project. And in fact, we learn that Cecilia met
John-Paul on the day the Wall finally came down. What does the Wall
signify in the book?
- Grief is a major theme in the novel, and many of the characters
have suffered as a result of their losses. How has grief affected
Rachel? Rob? Tess? John-Paul? How do they each cope? In what ways
have their lives have been irrevocably altered as a result of their
grieving? Do you think people can fully stop grieving and move on
with their lives?
- The concept of guilt also plays a major role in the novel.
Rachel feels that because of a brief flirtation with Toby Murphy she
was absent when Janie died. John-Paul continues to sacrifice things
that he loves, out of guilt for what he did to Janie. It seems that
these characters have never been able to recover from the feelings
of guilt caused by their actions. Yet at the same time, other
characters in the book do not appear to feel guilt in the same way.
Consider Felicity and Will. Do they have remorse for their affair?
And does Tess regret her fling with Connor? What determines how
guilty one feels-is it the situation, or is it determined by the
individual's character?
- Tess and Felicity have a history of making snide comments about
other people. Tess realizes this only once she is out of the comfort
zone she's shared with Felicity for so many years. How has such
negative energy affected her relationships with others? Do you think
she and Felicity are actually cruel, or is there another reason for
their unkind behavior?
- Ethics and morals are important themes in the book. Discuss how
John-Paul, Cecilia, Tess, Will, and Rachel have each done something
they would not have thought possible. Have you ever acted in a way
that seems entirely out of character? How did you feel? Does love
cause people to do things they wouldn't normally do?
- Consider the notion of betrayal in this book. Which characters
have betrayed someone they love? Are their acts of betrayal
premeditated, or are they unplanned decisions that become
regrettable actions? When one person betrays another, can that
person be forgiven? Or is the damage irreparable?
- The novel is narrated in third-person and in past tense. Given
the intense focus on three women, why did the author choose to tell
the story from this point of view? How does this perspective add a
sense of mystery and foreboding?
- Cecilia has been married to John-Paul for fifteen years and has
three children with him. Until she opens his letter, she seems to
trust him and believe him to be the wonderful husband and father
she's always thought him to be. But when she discovers his terrible,
sinful secret, she begins to question him. How well can one know
one's spouse? Is it possible to ever completely know another person?
* Some questions from Reading Group Guides
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