by Rebecca Dean
6. In the course of an argument with her husband, Henry, Corinne quotes the Monroe Doctrine—an act considered a “surprise so startling as to be almost unbelievable.” Why is this startling to the other guests? What does this say about what is expected—and suspected—of women in Wallis’s time period?
7. Following Uncle Sol’s refusal to pay for her lavish wedding, Wallis vows that “the day would come when her Uncle Sol would eat his heart out to be publically recognized as being her relation—and when it did, she wouldn’t even give a nod in his direction.” Does Wallis ever make good on this promise? Is it fair for her to feel this way about her Uncle Sol, who, despite his flaws, did much to keep Wallis on her path to a royal destiny?
8. After being beaten by Win, Wallis feels that “violence had become a standard part of their life together” and that she had no alternative but to put up with and accept it. Following the revelry and high hopes of the European Armistice, Wallis is “determined yet again to soldier on with her difficult marriage,” stating that “quite simply, it seemed to her she had no other choice.” Why does Wallis see no immediate alternative to this lifestyle with Win? How does her past influence this mind-set? What are the factors—society, family, and her past—restricting her from seeing other options?
9. Relishing her early success with the Prince of Wales, Pamela wishes she could tell Wallis of her new affair, stating that despite their falling out, “there was, quite simply, no one else quite like [Wallis].” Who else could say this same thing about Wallis? What is it that gives her that unique, memorable quality?
10. As a child, a teenager, and an adult, Wallis has defied her family’s wishes many times. Despite this, she obeys Uncle Sol’s orders to not pursue a divorce from Win. Why does she act so differently in this instance? Why is she unable to break free from her uncle’s wishes?
11. Wallis spends much of the novel dreading an encounter with Pamela after their falling out. However, their reunification happens unexpectedly, and without drama. In what ways is their reunification actually fortuitous for Wallis?
12. Following the end of her relationship with Felipe, Wallis feels that “it was her physical disability that had ruined their marriage, just as, eventually, it had ruined her relationship with Felipe.” Is this a fair statement for Wallis to believe about herself? In what other ways does Wallis potentially misappraise herself and those around her?
13. Throughout the novel, Wallis is forced by necessity to move around from home to home, living in a wide variety of locations. Where do you feel she is the most happy?
14. Toward the end of the book, Pamela notes that the Prince “hates the constraints he lives under … hated never being able to live as other people lived.” Does this mirror Wallis’s own experiences throughout the novel? How so?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
REBECCA DEAN is British and lives in the pretty harbor town of Whitstable in Kent. She is married and has five adult children, two of whom are married to Americans. Her eldest daughter lives in Chicago, and her youngest daughter lives in Nashville. She is a former chairman of the Romantic Novelists’ Association, and in 2011 her novel The Golden Prince was short-listed for both the RNA’s Romantic Novel of the Year Award and the Best Historical Novel of the Year Award. Her passions are recent royal history—she is currently writing a sequel to The Shadow Queen—family life, and her two small dogs, Pip and Bruno.
Table of Contents
Cover
Other Books by This Author
Title Page
Copyright
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Author’s Note
Historical Main Characters
Acknowledgments
The Shadow Queen: Reader’s Guide
About the Author
Table of Contents
Other Books by This Author
Title Page
Copyright
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Author’s Note
Historical Main Characters
Acknowledgments
The Shadow Queen: Reader’s Guide
About the Author
Cover