The Briar Club

1. General Impressions

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

• What sorts of expectations did The Briar Club’s Prologue establish when you read it? How did the narrative fulfill or upend those expectations? Did you find that satisfying? Why or why not?
• This novel features a wide cast of characters. Whose story did you find most compelling? Most relatable? 
• Have you read any of Kate Quinn’s other novels (e.g., The Alice Network or The Diamond Eye)? If so, how does this one compare in terms of style, themes, etc.? If not, are there other books you’d compare this novel to?

2. Personal Reflection and Connection

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

• How did you feel about the novel’s depiction of domestic violence? Do you think it handled the topic accurately and sensitively?
• Consider Nora’s estrangement from her family. To what extent do you feel maintaining family ties is important, even if it means compromising on one’s own goals or values? Do you think it is possible to strike a balance between honoring one’s commitments to others and pursuing self-fulfillment?
• Bea is forced to give up baseball due to both an injury and the end of the war. Have you ever had to give up something that you loved? How did you cope with the loss?
• The women of the novel come from very different backgrounds and hold very different political beliefs. Have you ever maintained a friendship across a significant cultural or ideological divide? What challenges did you face?
• What did you think of the resolution of Arlene’s character arc? Did she “deserve” her happy ending? How much does seeing justice served matter to you when reading fiction?

3. Societal and Cultural Context

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

• Consider Arlene’s paranoia regarding communism. Where does The Briar Club suggest this kind of paranoia comes from? With the Cold War over, what kinds of outlets do you see for these emotions in contemporary politics?
• The 1950s were a time of intense traditionalism with respect to gender roles in the US, but the decade paved the way for the second-wave feminism of the 1960s. In what ways do the novel’s characters anticipate this movement? To what extent do their concerns remain relevant today?
• What parallels does the novel draw between political authoritarianism and domestic abuse? Does it suggest that both arise from similar impulses? What evidence for or against this do you see when considering the world at large?

4. Literary Analysis

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

• Consider the novel’s framing of Briarwood House as itself a “character.” What does this portrayal add to the novel? How does it advance its themes or shape its narrative structure?
• What changes does Pete undergo over the course of the novel? Why do you think the Epilogue focuses on him?
• Consider Claire’s relationship with Sydney. How does it develop the novel’s portrayal of freedom?
• How does the novel’s depiction of McCarthyism critique the US more generally? Does it frame this era as an aberration in American history? How do the characters’ individual arcs (e.g., Grace’s defection from the USSR) contribute to this portrayal?
• Why do you think Quinn chooses food as the thing that draws the various tenants together? How does the inclusion of recipes at the beginning of each chapter extend this portrayal?

5. Creative Engagement

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

• Imagine preparing a dinner menu for one of the Briar Club’s meetings. What courses would you serve to honor the different tenants’ backgrounds and personalities? What music would you play in the background (bearing the era of the novel in mind)?
• Suppose you were curating a museum exhibit on the McCarthy era. What photos, documents, or other cultural artifacts would you include? How would you arrange them, and what commentary would you offer? 

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