The Story She Left Behind

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of mental illness and gender discrimination.

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. Discuss your overall response to The Story She Left Behind. What were your favorite and least favorite aspects of the novel, and why?

2. How did your experience reading The Story She Left Behind compare to reading Henry’s other novels? What narrative and thematic threads do you notice between this novel, The Secret Book of Flora Lea, and Once Upon a Wardrobe?

3. Compare and contrast The Story She Left Behind to other works of women’s or historical fiction. Consider crossovers between Henry’s title and titles like Sue Monk Kidd’s The Book of Longings and Maggie O’Farrell’s The Marriage Portrait.

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. How did you respond to the revelation that Bronwyn was alive and living in Cumbria? How did this plot point alter your sense of Clara’s story?

2. Compare and contrast Clara and Bronwyn’s and Clara and Wynnie’s relationships with your own maternal and/or familial relationships.