Three Things About Elsie Reading Guide & Discussion Questions

Name: Three Things About Elsie
Rating: 4.6 (5 reviews)
Author: Joanna Cannon
ISBN: 9781501187384

Three Things About Elsie

by Joanna Cannon

BookBrowse Review:

Critics' Consensus (5):

Readers' Rating (8):

First Published:
Aug 7, 2018, 384 pages

Paperback:
Jul 2019, 384 pages

Book Reviewed by:
Sarah Tomp
X
- Literary Fiction
- Europe
- UK (Britain) & Ireland
- Contemporary
- Uplifting
- Mid-Life Onwards
Genres & Themes
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About this Book

Book Club Discussion Questions

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For supplemental discussion material see our Beyond the Book article, Cozy Mysteries and our BookBrowse Review of Three Things About Elsie.

Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!

Why do you think author Joanna Cannon decided to set the novel in a nursing home?
On page 63, Florence says, "I needed someone to hold my worrying for me." How does Elsie play this role for her?
The act of naming and renaming things is a recurring theme in the novel. Why do you think this is significant?

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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 Scribner. 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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Reviews

Beyond the Book:
Cozy Mysteries

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