These Summer Storms

The point of view of the novel is primarily Alice's but occasionally shifts to the other siblings. What impact do these narrative shifts have on your understanding of the Storm siblings?

What echoes of real life tech billionaires like Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, Bill Gates or Jeff Bezos did you notice in Franklin Storm and his other fictional contemporaries?

What do you think Franklin Storm's motivations were in chosing to make his family play an "inheritance game"? What was he likely trying to accomplish?

Alice's relationship with her father was complicated. She hadn't seen him in years, resented his treatment of her, but loved and mourns him nonetheless. What made their father/daughter relationship special? What drives Alice's conflicting emotions?

Why do you think Franklin hid Alice's letter in the painting rather than having it be delivered to her by Jack like the other letters?

Why didn't the rest of Alice's family stay in touch with her after her falling out with her father? If you were in Alice's shoes, would you have been able to forgive them?

Let's talk about each of the Storm siblings. What makes Greta so desperate for her mother's approval, even at the expense of her own happiness?

Talk about the evolution in Sam's relationship to his wife and to his children over the course of the novel.

Emily is everyone's favorite Storm. What makes her so beloved? Did you enjoy her character?

What attracts Alice to Jack, and vice versa? Were you rooting for them as a couple? How did their relationship transform from a one-night stand to one of trust and mutual appreciation?

Do you think Franklin buying up Alice's early gallery work was sweet or controlling?

Were you surprised by the revelations at the end of the book, particularly in regards to Greta's past and Emily's parentage?

While the siblings take steps towards understanding and reconciliation, Elisabeth remains largely defiant. Discuss Elisabeth's relationship with her children, and with her own self-image. Do you think she's ever likely to change?

What do you think will happen in the future for Jack, Alice, and the rest of the Storms? Would you want to read a follow-up to find out more about these characters' fates?