The Breakdown

Compare and contrast Matthew and Rachel, the novel’s two antagonists. Consider what character conventions for antagonists they reinforce or defy, their motivations, and their relationships to each other and to Cass.

Discuss how The Breakdown compares to other psychological thrillers, mysteries, or crime novels. Does it rely on any genre conventions, clichés, or archetypes? Does it upend any? What social and literary trends at the time of the book’s publication might have influenced the story or writing techniques?

What does the tone of the writing suggest about Cass’s choice on Blackwater Lane the night of Jane’s death and about her subsequent feelings of guilt? Discuss whether The Breakdown conveys a moral lesson or imperative about social obligations in such circumstances, using textual evidence to illustrate.

How do setting and atmosphere help shape the plot and develop the story’s themes? In what ways might the story’s conflicts and messages differ if it were set in the downtown area of a populated city?

Describe the novel’s pacing and identify several techniques and/or plot devices the author uses to create tension and maintain suspense.

Cass wonders if giving Rachel the cottage on the Ile de Ré sooner might have prevented everything that’s happened. Using what you know about the two women’s personalities and relationship, discuss why Cass didn’t give Rachel the cottage sooner and what would likely have happened if she had.

What role does alcohol consumption play in Cass’s psychological deterioration, either literally or symbolically?

Consider how Cass reacts to the tricks Matthew and Rachel play on her and to their dismissal of her fears and convictions. Does B. A. Paris’s portrayal of gaslighting seem believable? Why or why not? Which aspects of the story, if any, were convincing, and which weren’t?