The House
of Wives
By Simon
Choa-Johnston
(Tansley Reads Rating: 59%)
Icebreaker
Simon Choa-Johnston wrote this book based
on fragments of knowledge about his great-grandfather. Is there some fact in
your own genealogy which might be expanded into an interesting book?
Questions
1. Why did Pearl’s mother give her the piece of jade (Pg.
5)? What was its’ significance?
2. Why didn’t Emanuel properly translate the
headmasters words (Pg. 12) when he was going to be punished for fighting? Why did he resent his father afterward?
3. What are some of the facets of Emanuel’s
character? Where they consistent throughout his life or did they change as he
aged?
4. What was your opinion of the way Semah
engineers her mother’s discovery of her father’s affair?
5. Semah lies to the police
about Emanuel’s whereabouts on the night of the fire. What were her motives for doing so?
6. Why did Emanuel still go along with Li and
Aleandro after he found out they had tricked him?
7. There is a saying that a person’s true character is
revealed by their actions in situations of extreme pressure. What did we learn
about Semah following the birth of Leah Felicie, and Pearl, following David’s
death?
8. David and Leah Felicie were the first to accept each
other. Had it not been for the children,
do you think the wives would have become friends?
9. Why did Pearl react the way she did to her
father throwing Emanuel and Semah out of Kingsclere when he bought it? (Pg.
289)
10. Why did Pearl not let Semah back in when she
returned without Emanual?
11. Veer Singh runs away following Semah’s riding accident,
but when he returns, he serves as a dedicated servant and benefactor to her. He
says (pg 299) he had loved Semah since he was a boy. What sparked the love?
12. Which of the characters might have found
happiness and why?
13: Quick
round: What did you think of the book? Is there anything you want to discuss
that we missed?
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