READING GROUP QUESTIONS
These questions may contain spoilers, so we recommend reading them after you have finished the book.
1. Which do you prefer – the present-day storyline or the past? Why?
2. What themes and motifs connect the two storylines?
3. Angie and Amy are very different women, yet they have much in common. Discuss the similarities and differences.
4. Amy often sees the world through the lens of her reading material. Is this a help or a hindrance? Does there come a point when she begins to rely on her own judgment rather than seeking answers from her books?
5. How did the people of 1870s Millbrooke feel about the Chinese population? Did opinions vary? How have society’s attitudes to interracial relationships changed since Amy’s day? Compare the attitude of Matthew Duncan in 1872 with the reaction of Angie and the painting ladies to the relationship between Amy and Charles.
6. The novel’s past/present structure highlights many social changes relating to women. Consider one or more of the following issues – courting and dating practices, childbirth, education – and discuss the differences between then and now.
7. The emporium is virtually a character in its own right. What is its role in the Amy/Charles relationship and in the novel as a whole?
8. How did you feel about Angie’s affair with Jack Parker? What does it reveal about her?
9. Would you like to live in a town like Millbrooke? Why or why not?
10. Did you find Angie’s and Amy’s stories empowering?
Praise for
‘A top read’ Reader’s Digest
‘In a word: enchanting’ Gold Coast Bulletin
‘A real charmer and a fine debut’ Deborah Rodriguez, author of The Little Coffee Shop of Kabul
‘The narrative blends seamlessly between the two time periods, which are strong, stand-alone stories. I loved every page of this beautiful book’ Newcastle Herald
‘Perfect for book clubs, Mr Chen’s Emporium is an enchanting historical love story, an East meets West in a sleepy NSW gold rush town’ Avid Reader
‘A fabulous new debut novel. Set in country Australia, I read it on my iPhone and it was such a great read, I went out and bought the print book so I could have it on my bookshelf!’ Margareta Osborn, author of Bella’s Run
‘This is a great debut from Australian author Deborah O’Brien. I look forward to more from her’ The Big Book Club
‘O’Brien’s captivating novel skilfully mixes solid research and fiction, telling a poignant, page-turning and heartwarming story within the framework of both historical and contemporary romance’ Flinders Indaily
‘While the two main protagonists are separated by time, they are both strong women and carry O’Brien’s story well’ Western Advocate
‘Mr Chen’s Emporium is a light, engaging novel which I think would particularly appeal to readers of historical and romantic fiction’ Book’d Out
‘Rich in romance and history . . . An enjoyable and well-researched read’ Write Note Reviews
‘You’ll end the book desperately trying to imagine the person who lived your life before you did . . .’
Shop Til You Drop Magazine
If you enjoyed Mr Chen’s Emporium look out for its sequel
THE JADE WIDOW
‘There were times when Amy was drawn to the topsy-turvy world that Eliza espoused, where women were able to vote and Australia was one nation. Then again, it might be like falling down Alice’s rabbit hole to a place where no one understood the rules and chaos reigned.’
In 1885 thirty-year-old Amy Chen is raising her Eurasian son and building a hotel which she hopes will become the grandest rural establishment in the colony of New South Wales.
Meanwhile her best friend, Eliza Miller, has returned to Millbrooke from her medical studies at the Sorbonne, only to learn that the job she thought would be hers has been given to a man.
Over the course of two turbulent years each woman will face difficult choices – love or duty, career or marriage – perhaps it will it be possible to have them all . . .
The Jade Widow is a captivating tale of pioneering women finding their way in a man’s world.
Coming September 2013
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Version 2.0
Mr Chen’s Emporium
ePub ISBN 9781742755564
Copyright © Deborah O’Brien, 2012
The moral right of the author has been asserted.
A Bantam book
Published by Random House Australia Pty Ltd
Level 3, 100 Pacific Highway, North Sydney NSW 2060
www.randomhouse.com.au
Addresses for companies within the Random House Group can be found at
www.randomhouse.com.au/offices
First published by Bantam in 2012
National Library of Australia
Cataloguing-in-Publication entry
O’Brien, Deborah.
Mr Chen’s emporium [electronic resource] / Deborah O’Brien.
ISBN 9781742755564 (ebook)
A823.4
Cover design by Christabella Designs
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