Create your account image
Book of the month

Reading this title?

JOIN BOOKCLUBS
Buy the book
Discussion Guide

The Lioness of Boston

These book club questions were taken from the Jewish Book Council and are from the author. 

Book club questions for The Lioness of Boston by Emily Franklin

Use these discussion questions to guide your next book club meeting.

Isabel­la is reject­ed ear­ly in her Boston life. How does this rejec­tion influ­ence her char­ac­ter? Are there ways this rejec­tion helps her?
What draws Isabel­la to Jack? What traits does she have that he finds com­pelling do you think? How does their mar­riage change dur­ing the course of the book?
What is Isabel­la look­ing for in a friend? Do you think she finds it? How would you describe her cir­cle of friends by the end of the novel?
How does the tragedy Isabel­la expe­ri­ences influ­ence her lat­er life decisions?
Scan­dal seems unavoid­able for Isabel­la — do you think it finds her or she finds it?
Isabel­la isn’t an artist, yet she does have an artis­tic vision. How do you see this vision through­out the book, pri­or to the open­ing of the museum?
Though this nov­el starts in 1861 and clos­es in 1903 with the open­ing of the muse­um, there are many issues dis­cussed that still are rel­e­vant today. Dis­cuss these themes (misog­y­ny, racism, cliquish­ness, etc.).
Is there a scene that res­onat­ed for you per­son­al­ly? If so, why? Are you com­fort­able shar­ing this with the group?
What did you learn about Boston his­to­ry or world his­to­ry that you did not know pri­or to read­ing this novel?
Isabel­la says that we col­lect all that we are. Is there an object in your own home that tells a sto­ry about you? Or a collection?
Who — or what — is Isabella’s great­est love?
How does Isabella’s old­er voice look­ing back dif­fer from the voice in book 1 – 4?
What sto­ry ele­ments sur­prised you?
Isabel­la was the first woman to open a muse­um in the Unit­ed States. She decid­ed in her will to state that noth­ing be moved. Why?
Were you com­pelled to look up any works of art or details from the nov­el? If so, which ones and why?
Why do you think The Lioness of Boston is the title of this novel?

The Lioness of Boston Book Club Questions PDF

Click here for a printable PDF of the The Lioness of Boston discussion questions