Book Group Discussion Questions for The Secret Life of Miss Mary Bennet
Whether you’re discussing The Secret Life of Miss Mary Bennet with your book club, or just want questions for further thought, I’ve prepared book group questions, links to articles, food ideas, and other resources.
Book Group Questions
- Is Mary a likeable character in Pride and Prejudice? Is she likeable or sympathetic in The Secret Life of Miss Mary Bennet? Is she sympathetic? Does this change over the course of the novel?
- In the novel, Lady Trafford says, “Sometimes we look at a person and we assume we know everything about them. We think we know all of their sides. Yet often there is more to a person than meets the eye. There is a side we have not seen, and until we see it, we cannot know them.” Who was the most interesting character with an unseen side? Which characters do you hope you see more of in future books?
- When does Mary figure out who she is and who she wants to be?
- Even though they are not physically present, in many ways, Mary brings her family with her to Castle Durrington. When is this a challenge for her, and when does this help her? Are there people who are not physically present who you bring with you?
- At the beginning of the novel, Mary’s viewpoint and perspective on life and morality might be considered closed or narrow-minded. Does she become more open-minded throughout the novel? When does she keep a closed perspective? What are the advantages and disadvantages or having a closed or open perspective?
- What is Mary Bennet’s biggest challenge or obstacle in the novel?
- Mary manifests her grief in many ways throughout the novel. How does she deal with her grief and her regrets? How does she reconcile her imperfect relationship with her father?
- How does Castle Durrington impact the story? Is the castle a character or a backdrop? How does tying a story to a setting help or hurt the story?
- How and why do you think Mary struggles in social situations? Were her struggles relatable? Are there parts of herself that she can’t change, and is this a good or a bad thing?
- What is the most interesting thing that Mary learns? How much of her success at solving the mystery was due to new things she learned, and how much was due to things she already possessed?
- If you could take lessons on anything, what would you want to learn?
- Would you enjoy reading a book from the perspective of other Jane Austen characters or other characters from classic literature? What appeals to you about this character’s perspective?
If you have written other good book group questions for The Secret Life of Miss Mary Bennet, or had other interesting topics of conversation, I would love if you shared in the comments!
Links and Further Reading for The Secret Life of Miss Mary Bennet
The Big Idea behind The Secret Life of Miss Mary Bennet
My Favorite Bit: Letterlocking in The Secret Life of Miss Mary Bennet
Review and Author Interview by Jane Austen’s World
Austenesque Reviews: Guest Post on the Castle Durrington and the Setting of The Secret Life of Miss Mary Bennet
My Jane Austen Book Club: Guest Post on the Many Interpretations of Mary Bennet
Inspirations for the Novel: The Scarlet Pimpernel
Lit Service Podcast: How to Write an Adaptation with Katherine Cowley
Katherine’s blog Jane Austen Writing Lessons, with lessons on how to write like Jane Austen
Food Ideas: The Secret Life of Miss Mary Bennet
In Jane Austen’s Mansfield Park, Sir Thomas says, “Indeed I would rather have nothing but tea.”
A tea party is always appropriate for a book group setting, and tea is featured in several key scenes in The Secret Life of Miss Mary Bennet. A tea party can be as simple as you like, or, if you’d like to go all out, there are plenty of blog posts and youtube videos on hosting a Jane Austen tea party.
Other Resources for Your Book Club
The Secret Life of Miss Mary Bennet is one of five nominees for the Mary Higgins Clark Award, and it’s a finalist for the Whitney Awards in the Best Mystery/Suspense category and the Best Novel by a Debut Author category. Read Katherine’s reflections on the nominations.
Coming Soon
I will soon be posting book group questions for the second book in the Mary Bennet series, The True Confessions of a London Spy. I will add that link once it is available.
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