Swan Song

Discuss the recurring motif of writing and the larger themes it speaks to within the story. How does Hilderbrand depict women writers?

How do the novel’s settings—the Field and Oar, Triple Eight, Hedonism and Decadence, Nantucket as a whole—play into its plot, themes, and ideas?

The Richardsons are the novel’s antagonists, and are punished for their misdeeds. Why do other characters who misbehave get let off the hook? Explore the novel’s moral world.

Does this novel fall into the romance genre? Why or why not? Compare young couples Kacy and Stacy, Avalon and Eric, and Coco and Lamont. How are these relationships influenced by the characters’ prior experiences?

Compare Coco and Leslee. What similarities and differences do they have? How do these differences play into their respective character arcs?

How does Hilderbrand build narrative tension using devices like voice, perspective, foreshadowing, and red herrings? What techniques does the novel borrow from the mystery genre?

Explore the purpose of the first-person plural narrator. Whose voice is this? What is different about the sections it’s used for? How does it affect the reading experience?

The novel depicts both minor social transgressions, like lying to prospective employers, and significant crimes, like tax evasion. What are the parallels between the two kinds of bad behavior? How are they different?