Lady Julia Grey 3 - Silent on the Moor
Page 39
Silent on the Moor
A Reader Group Guide
We hope you enjoyed this novel
by Deanna Raybourn.
See the discussion questions on the
following pages to further enhance
your reading enjoyment.
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION
Although Julia and Nicholas are a Victorian couple, they have a very modern problem: his career versus their relationship. In what ways does his work complicate their future?
Hilda Allenby speaks bitterly about how difficult it is to be a woman and subject to the whims of men. What are some examples of this in the book?
The Allenbys have let down the villagers of Lesser Howlett by not fulfilling the responsibility they have toward the locals. How do they fail in their role and what impact does this have on the family and the community?
Jane gives up her relationship with Portia in order to assume the more traditional role of wife and mother. Is she right to do so?
Nicholas and Julia both rely to varying degrees upon intuition. How does this play into their decision making?
The Allenbys are devoted to the memory of their ancestors. How is this pride manifested in the inhabitants of Grimsgrave Hall?
Hilda Allenby chooses employment and uncertainty over marriage with Valerius March. Why?
Julia Grey is not a traditional Victorian woman. Discuss the qualities that make her unconventional and whether these qualities make her relatable to a modern reader.
The tragic story of Mariah Young has repercussions into the next generation. Discuss.
Will Julia and Nicholas be able to sustain a working relationship or will they find this problematic?
Acknowledgments
One of the loveliest aspects of being a writer is having the opportunity to acknowledge the debts I owe. Great appreciation and tremendous thanks:
To my family: my daughter, who provides endless companionship, laughter and very often food, my mother, who tidies everything up—including my manuscripts—and my husband, who makes it all possible.
To my agent, Pam Hopkins, a woman of tenacity and good humor whose skills at hand-holding, negotiating and talking her writers down from ledges is unsurpassed.
To my editor, the stylish and demanding Valerie Gray, who never rests unless she has my best.
To my friends, particularly those who traveled great distances, hosted me, shepherded me through their cities, or made multiple trips to events, most especially Vanessa, Sherri, Kim, Stephanie, Jerusha, Suzanne, Kristin, David, Tyler, Sali and my beloved godfather, Billy.
To those who have given technical assistance and shown exceptional professional generosity: Chris Wallbruch, Dr. Sandra Hammock, Shea Titlow and Dr. Gregory Davis.
To all the unsung heroes and heroines of publishing, the many hardworking people through whose hands my books pass and are made better and who work so tirelessly to get my books into the hands of readers—editorial, marketing, sales, public relations and production. Most particularly, I would like to thank Emily Ohanjanians and Nancy Fischer for their elegant and attentive contributions to the editing process, and Michael Rehder for the exquisite new covers.
To the many booksellers who have shared their enthusiasm with their customers and converted them to readers.
To the readers of blog and books who have been so generous in their praise and kind in their compliments. I have shared my stories with you, and in return you have shared your stories with me. Thank you.
ISBN: 978-1-4268-2939-0
SILENT ON THE MOOR
Copyright © 2009 by Deanna Raybourn.
All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher, MIRA Books, 225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, Ontario, Canada M3B 3K9.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
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