Book Club Discussion Questions
For supplemental discussion material see our Beyond the Book article, and our BookBrowse Review of Breath and Bones.
Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!
About the Book
In the late 1880s, Famke Summerfugl is a young orphan struggling to survive in a small Danish convent. Her budding youth and growing promiscuity soon force her out of the convent and into dreary farm life in a nearby village. A chance meeting with Albert Castle, a mediocre artist, offers her freedom from this rural life and a new home in the seductive lair of the artist’s studio. Now as his model and lover, Famke becomes the legend of his painting – the mythological nymph of his masterpiece. But her idyllic life ends abruptly when Albert’s wanderlust leads him to take passage on a ship bound for America, leaving Famke behind. Months go by and though she hasn’t heard from Albert, Famke is convinced that he simply cannot live without her. So she schemes her way on board another ship sailing to America and launches a search for her lover. Once in America, her adventurous journey leads her to the seamy side of life – through brothels and bordellos, finds her entangled with polygamists and introduces her to quite pleasurable yet unorthodox treatments for tuberculosis as she crisscrosses the American frontier in search of her lover.
In this her second novel, Susann Cokal spins a lyrical tale of lust and greed, polygamy and prostitution, disguise and deceit, and wit and humor.
Discussion
- After living at the orphanage with its rigid structure and rules, Famke is liberated and sent to work on the farm in Dragor. When she leaves with Albert, she believes she’s been given even more freedom. Yet, in truth, living with Albert is even more restrictive than her earlier life. What draws Famke to Albert initially and what not only makes her stay but leads her on a tumultuous adventure?
- Before they leave for America, the Mormon women imagine what their lives will be like in the promising new world America: no more bad smells, no more hard lives. How does Famke react to America when she arrives? Utah’s hot, arid climate is not at all what she was used to in Denmark. Were there any similarities?
- Famke feverishly pursues Albert for months. What is she learning along the way? What compels her to continue, even as she becomes increasingly ill? What is her reaction once she finds him?
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- How does the author develop themes of identity and belonging throughout the narrative?
- What role does the setting play in shaping the characters' decisions and relationships?
- Discuss how the ending reframes the events of the story. Were you surprised?
Unless otherwise stated, this discussion guide is reprinted with the permission of Unbridled Books.
Any page references refer to a USA edition of the book, usually the trade paperback version, and may vary in other editions.
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