The Hawthorne Legacy

Romantic tropes are common in coming-of-age narratives. Examine one of the romantic subplots in The Hawthorne Legacy through this lens. Possibilities include Libby and Nash, Avery and Grayson/Jameson, and Thea and Rebecca.

The Hawthorne House gains fresh symbolic representation as a “gilded cage” in The Hawthorne Legacy. How does the author support this argument? Consider the various characters’ relationships to the mansion, e.g. Avery, Max, and Toby/Harry.

The author includes a same-sex romance between Thea and Rebecca in The Hawthorne Legacy. What does this add to the narrative? Why might the author make this choice?

Class distinctions remain a major theme in The Hawthorne Legacy. Discuss how Avery’s connection to Kaylie—and the way Kaylie is scapegoated for the Hawthorne Island fire—supports the class critique.

The Hawthorne Legacy is a mystery but also a thriller. Identify plot points and moments of foreshadowing that help to create the suspenseful tone and elevated narrative tension of a thriller.

Following the airplane explosion, the author uses the literary technique of a dream vision to explore Avery’s conscious and unconscious moments intermingling. What does this accomplish?

Although Avery has inherited great wealth, she remains an “outsider” in the world of the wealthy due to her disadvantaged upbringing. Explore instances when Avery is made to feel “other” as a result, for example at the football game.

The Hawthorne Legacy has a sequel, The Final Gambit. Consider how this book sets the reader up for a continuation—for example, with foreshadowing or unresolved plot points (like the silver disk Toby/Harry takes with him at the end).