3.From the VADs to the WVS, the Land Girls to the WAAF, there are references throughout the book to the full-scale mobilization of England’s civilian female population. After the war’s end, most of these women returned to their homes and families. Do you think it was difficult for them to go back to the way things were after such valuable contributions? Do you think the war was a factor in the rise of feminism that came in later decades?
4.The Hungarian-born artist Balázs was interned during World War I along with thousands of other enemy nationals, including many British citizens of German descent. This same hysteria struck again during World War II when thousands of Italian, German, and, in the United States, Japanese citizens were interned. Do you believe these governments were justified in their actions? Do you see it ever happening again?
5.Lady Boxley tells Anna, “A father is the man who makes you the person you are, not the man who simply makes you” (p. 298). Do you think she was referring to Anna’s situation or Hugh’s? Or both?
6.Anna thinks she should tell Hugh the truth about his paternity. Tony and Lady Boxley disagree. What would you do if faced with that decision? Why?
7.Secrets are at the heart of both stories, from Anna’s white lie when she first meets Hugh to the heartbreaking betrayals that end up tainting the lives of two generations. Have you ever kept a secret? Have you ever had someone keep a secret from you?
8.William followed the rules while Kitty followed her heart. Neither ended with what they wanted. Who made the better choice? Why?
9.Do you feel Simon’s deception was justified since he acted out of love for Kitty or do his actions make him a villain?
10.Anna wears a locket with her parents’ pictures in it. Do you have a favorite memento you carry all the time? What is it? What does it mean to you?
11.Sister Murphy is rarely seen and speaks only a few times, yet she is one of the most vivid characters in the book. How is her personality conveyed when she is so rarely part of the main action? Would you have liked to have seen more or less of her?
12.Both Anna and Hugh are affected by their wartime battle experiences. How does each of them cope with the trauma? In what ways are their strategies similar? In what ways are they different?
13.Do you know anyone who served during World War II, either in the military or as a civilian volunteer? How did the war affect them?
14.Do you believe the Lady Boxley of Kitty’s story acts out of love for Hugh or self-interest? What about the Lady Boxley of Anna’s story? What are some examples in both cases that further your argument?
15.Which character did you most identify with? Which time period drew you in more deeply? What will you most remember about this story?
Read on
Alix’s Ten Favorite Page-Turners
The Finishing Touches by Hester Browne
This was a book I accidentally happened upon and then couldn’t put down. Quirky, fun, and romantic with a little mystery thrown in, it’s a book that sparkles with pure enjoyment.
The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley
I’ve read my dog-eared copy of this book at least a dozen times and will probably read it a dozen more. McKinley’s sword-and-sorcery tale of a reluctant heroine and an enigmatic hero is comfortably familiar, but in her capable hands and with her imaginative setting, it becomes something completely unique. I only wish she had written more of her Damar books.
The Warrior’s Apprentice by Lois McMaster Bujold
This is the first in Bujold’s Vorkosigan sci-fi series to feature the physically impaired but hyperactive genius Miles Vorkosigan. Bujold creates an amazingly realized world of wormholes, space stations, and far-off galaxies that pulls you in, and the character of Miles will make you fall in love if you don’t throttle him first.
Airs Above the Ground by Mary Stewart
My mother handed me this book when I was in high school, and I became instantly hooked. The original queen of romantic suspense, Stewart is able to create tension and excitement while painting a vivid description of her setting until it becomes as real an adversary as any of her villains.
The Game of Kings by Dorothy Dunnett
This is the first in Dunnett’s Lymond Chronicles. Francis Lymond, a Scottish nobleman of mysterious parentage, is the most captivating and charismatic antihero I have ever read. He’s poet, soldier, scientist, fugitive, and lover swashbuckling a path through Renaissance Europe. Dense, lyrical, and with a complex plot so twisted you’ll need a compass at times to find your way through, this is not a book for the easily distracted. But if you love sweeping, action-packed historical fiction, stay the course. You will not be disappointed.
I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
Another keeper I read first as a child and have since reread as an adult. What’s not to like about an eccentric family living in a run-down castle? Smith has written a scrumptious coming-of-age story that’s as inviting to dive into at forty-seven as it was at seventeen. And did I mention they live in a castle?
The Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey
While Scotland Yard inspector Alan Grant is laid up, he takes it upon himself to solve the mystery of the little princes in the Tower. Did their murderous uncle Richard III have them killed, as the world has always believed . . . or was it someone else? Tey’s historical detective story was completely engrossing and sparked my lifetime sympathy for poor maligned Richard.
Winter’s Solstice by Rosamunde Pilcher
When a group of five lonely strangers end up together in an old house in Scotland right before Christmas, magic is bound to happen. Pilcher’s novels are the literary equivalent of snuggling up under a blanket with a cup of tea and a purring cat on a rainy day. Pure bliss.
The Martian by Andy Weir
Who knew NASA science could be so completely compelling? Stranded on Mars alone, astronaut Mark Watney must figure out how to survive while his crew works to bring him home. This one-of-a-kind read combined chemistry, engineering, biology, and physics with edge-of-the-seat suspenseful action that kept me turning pages long past my bedtime.
Fiercombe Manor by Kate Riordan
A haunting, slightly gothic tale of two women separated by time but both drawn to a mysterious old house and the secrets it keeps. Every word seemed to heighten the moody suspense and drew me in until I had to find out the truth at the heart of the dark brooding valley.
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Early Praise for Secrets of Nanreath Hall
“In this engaging and deftly plotted novel, Alix Rickloff introduces us to two heroines who are emblematic of their time yet also manage to transcend its limitations, and who are so memorable and richly portrayed that they all but leap off the page. I loved Secrets of Nanreath Hall, Alix Rickloff’s first foray into historical fiction, and I eagerly await more from this sensitive and gifted novelist.”
—Jennifer Robson, bestselling author of Moonlight Over Paris
“Alix Rickloff’s debut is a delight—beautifully written with fascinating characters, rich historical detail, and an intriguing family mystery that keeps the pages turning.”
—Hazel Gaynor, New York Times bestselling author
“In this compelling and heartwarming novel, Alix Rickloff shares with us two women, mother and daughter, whose tragic and triumphant lives intertwine through two world wars. The story pulls us into the universal struggle of all women to find their places in their worlds. I was deeply moved by Secrets of Nanreath Hall.”
—Karen Harper, New York Times bestselling author
“Two women and two wars separated by a generation filled with secrets that kept me turning pages to get to the mysterious truth. At the heart, this is a novel about searching for one’s identity. The vivid writing combined with such an intriguing story make Alix Rickloff an exciting voice in historical fiction.”
—Renée Rosen, bestselling author of White Collar Girl
“Telling an elegant tale about a mother and daughter try
ing to find themselves in the midst of two very different world wars, Alix Rickloff establishes herself as an up-and-coming talent in the historical fiction genre.”
—Stephanie Dray, author of America's First Daughter
Credits
Cover design by Emin Mancheril
Cover photograph © Elisabeth Ansley / Trevillion Images
Copyright
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
SECRETS OF NANREATH HALL. Copyright © 2016 by Alix Rickloff. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse-engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.
FIRST EDITION
ISBN 978-0-06-243318-3
EPub Edition AUGUST 2016 ISBN 9780062433190
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