Reading Group Questions for Book Clubs: A Perfect Marriage
For readers who belong to a book club, here are a few questions that might help kick off a lively discussion about A Perfect Marriage.
Who is your favourite character in the book and why?
Sally and Zoe seem at first appearance to be unlikely friends and yet they form a bond that will last for many years. Discuss why this occurs and whether it is believable or not. Compare and contrast the similarities and the differences between these two characters.
The structure of A Perfect Marriage was designed to increase narrative tension. When reading the novel, were you aware that the front story moved forward in time while the back story moved back in time? Do you think that technique worked in terms of increasing narrative tension?
Sally stayed in a disastrous marriage for so long because of her love for her daughter, Charlotte. Do you think she did the right thing or should she have left Jeff years before?
A Perfect Marriage has themes of strong female friendships and mother-daughter relationships. How important are friendships and family to the main character, Sally?
Compare and compare contrast the two principal male characters, Jeff and Anthony. Consider why Jeff appealed to Sally in her youth and why Anthony appealed to her in middle-age.
Should Sally have never married Jeff, or were his weaknesses only revealed well after the marriage?
