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The Quiet Tenant
Aidan Thomas is a hard-working family man and a somewhat beloved figure in the small upstate town where he lives. He's the kind of man who always lends a hand and has a good word for everyone. But Aidan has a dark secret he's been keeping from everyone in town and those closest to him. He's a kidnapper and serial killer. Aidan has murdered eight women and there's a ninth he has earmarked for death: Rachel, imprisoned in a backyard shed, fearing for her life.
When Aidan's wife dies, he and his thirteen-year-old daughter Cecilia are forced to move. Aidan has no choice but to bring Rachel along, introducing her to Cecilia as a "family friend" who needs a place to stay. Aidan is betting on Rachel, after five years of captivity, being too brainwashed and fearful to attempt to escape. But Rachel is a fighter and survivor, and recognizes Cecilia might just be the lifeline she has waited for all these years. As Rachel tests the boundaries of her new living situation, she begins to form a tenuous connection with Cecilia. And when Emily, a local restaurant owner, develops a crush on the handsome widower, she finds herself drawn into Rachel and Cecilia's orbit, coming dangerously close to discovering Aidan's secret.
Told through the perspectives of Rachel, Cecilia, and Emily, The Quiet Tenant explores the psychological impact of Aidan's crimes on the women in his life--and the bonds between those women that give them the strength to fight back. Both a searing thriller and an astute study of trauma, survival, and the dynamics of power, The Quiet Tenant is an electrifying debut by a major talent.
These book club questions are from the publisher, Knopf Doubleday.
Book club questions for The Quiet Tenant by Clémence Michallon
Use these discussion questions to guide your next book club meeting.
What are Emily’s strengths and vulnerabilities, and how do they compare to Rachel’s?
As Rachel tells us her rules for survival (including number one, “He always wins,” and number two, “He’s always right, and you’re always sorry,”) what is she also telling us about her state of mind, and about Aidan’s shifting sense of control? Have you seen dynamics like these in any reallife relationships?
How does Aidan stoke Emily’s crush on him? How does he manipulate her?
How did you react to the voices of Aidan’s previous victims? What was it like to see their personal possessions? What do the artifacts in the basement represent to Aidan?
Discuss Cecilia’s view of the world and her place in it. What does she believe about love and security? How has she learned to cope with loss and loneliness? How does she perceive the power dynamics between men and women?
What portrait of Caroline, Aidan’s wife, emerges? How did your impressions of her shift throughout the novel?
Aidan’s wife’s prognosis was initially good. Rachel speculates that her illness spurred Aidan’s obsession with trying to control another person’s body. What are your theories about his sadistic appetite? Why do you think he spared Rachel for so many months, even—potentially—giving her an opportunity to escape?
When Rachel is narrating, she uses second-person pronouns (you/your) and present-tense verbs. How do these techniques affect the way you view her experiences? How does her voice contrast with Emily’s and Cecilia’s, and with the words of previous victims?
While the scenes in Emily’s restaurant are packed with details of preparing mouthwatering food and drink, Rachel delivers visceral descriptions of starvation. What does the novel teach us about hunger and need?
As Rachel reflects on her relationship with her brother, what truths emerge about the will to live? What was his legacy to her?
Rachel describes her abduction in Chapter 41, “The Woman Without a Number.” What does that scene show us about the mindset of a predator, and the moment they trap their prey?
When Rachel’s real name is revealed, what do we observe about her ability to stay true to her identity throughout her time in captivity? How was she affected by her memories of family, as well as the memories of her previous abuse? To what degree is our identity shaped by our innate tendencies, versus the influence of people we depend on?
A theme of The Quiet Tenant is evil hiding in plain sight. What traits allowed Aidan to move freely in his communities, even attracting the sympathy of a judge? Did the book change your perception of the world around you? Have you ever been at the mercy of a master of illusion?
The Quiet Tenant Book Club Questions PDF
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