The Dishonorable Miss Delancey ~ Discussion Guide & more
Click here to 'see' the house in Brighton's Royal Crescent, which was used as Clara's home, and still holds traces of its Regency era build by the (unlucky) 1800s merchant and developer JB Otto.
Discussion Guide
-
Which character in this novel do you identify with the most? Why?
-
In the novel, Clara is shown to have changed substantially from when the reader first meets her in The Elusive Miss Ellison. Do you find her story sympathetic? Have you ever had a situation where your opinion of another person has been challenged? What caused such a change?
-
Learning to trust is an important theme in this novel. What instances of trust (or lack thereof) did you find?
-
Clara is the daughter of parents who are very keen for their child to marry according to their social standing. Have you ever had to deal with other people’s expectations (spoken or unspoken) about your relationships? How did you deal with it?
-
If you could give Clara one piece of advice, what would it be? What advice would you give Benjamin?
-
In what ways do Clara and Benjamin change throughout the novel? What do you consider to be the biggest factor(s) in their change?
-
While this is a work of fiction, certain historical elements are referenced, such as the visit to the Marine Pavilion in Brighton. How did these historical details affect the narrative? Did they help you to feel a sense of time & place?
-
What were the most appealing parts of the book?
-
Did you enjoy the subplot concerning Benjamin’s sister and the Viscount Featherington?
-
What do you think happens next?
The Dishonorable Miss Delancey is set (mostly) in Brighton, which was the summer getaway for the Prince Regent. Check out the pics from my visit to Brighton in 2015, with images of the Marine Pavilion, the church of St Nicholas, surrounding houses, and the pebbly beach, all of which are mentioned in this novel.
Did you know that many noble families (that is, those ranked a Baron or higher) hold more than one name: the family name, often used by the children e.g. Miss DeLancey, and the name attached to the title e.g. Lord and Lady Winpoole.
The eldest son of an Earl, Marquess or Duke usually had another title as well, which tended to be an honorary, unused title belonging to his father. This means the Marquess of Exeter's son would be known as a Viscount - just to add to the fun factor (or confusion!)
Do you like Pinterest? Follow my board filled with some inspirations behind 'The Dishonorable Miss Delancey,' including shots from within The Marine Pavilion, rugged sailor types, gorgeous old maps of Brighton in the 1800s, and more.
Want to read more clean, inspiring historical fiction? Check out the Inspirational Historical Fiction Index - & an interview with me!
