Swan Song

1. General Impressions

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

• Analyze the Richardsons’ attempts to infiltrate elite society on Nantucket Island. What misguided assumptions do they make, and why do their efforts ultimately fall flat?
• Contrast Coco and Leslee’s interactions with the other residents of Nantucket Island. 
• Consider the novel’s conclusion. Does every morally questionable character receive the comeuppance they deserve? Why or why not?
• Many of Hilderbrand’s novels are set on Nantucket Island. Compare and contrast Swan Song with one of Hilderbrand’s other beach reads, such as the family drama, Summer of ’69, or the romance, Five-Star Weekend. How does each novel portray newcomers’ reactions to the social complexities of life on the island?

2. Personal Reflection and Connection

Connect the book’s themes and characters to personal experiences.

• Identify at least two characters besides Leslee and Bull whose behavior is unethical. In your opinion, are these characters justified in their behavior? Why or why not?
• Analyze three different scenes in which the Richardsons treat others as commodities. Have you, or someone you know, ever been treated this way? Did you relate to any of the characters’ reactions?

3. Societal and Cultural Context

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

• How does the novel deal with issues of elitism and class? Choose at least two secondary characters who represent different social backgrounds and compare their approach to life on Nantucket Island.
• Compare the antics of Nantucket Island to those of other elitist settings in real life, such as Palm Beach Island or the upper echelons of New York society. Does Hilderbrand present a realistic or overexaggerated account of such social circles?

4. Literary Analysis

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

• How does Hilderbrand characterize Bull and Leslee through the names of their yachts, Decadence and Hedonism?
• What does the Field and Oar Club symbolize? Why does Leslee work so hard to gain entry to this social space? How does the intensity of her efforts reflect her working-class origins and unspoken insecurities?
• Explore the ironies inherent in Coco’s eventual success as a screenwriter. How does this affect her characterization? To what extent is her meteoric rise to fame dependent upon the crimes and inauthentic behaviors of her employers?  
• Identify at least three scenes that exemplify the tone and underlying issues of Leslee and Bull’s marriage. How do their interactions foreshadow the later revelation of their financial issues and crimes?

5. Creative Engagement

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

• Imagine a retelling of the novel in which the events are related from Coco, Ed, and Leslee’s first-person perspectives. How would this approach change the flow and emphasis of the narrative? 
• Write a script for a scene in which Coco visits Leslee in prison just after the release of the movie based on her own screenplay. Take turns performing and discussing these scenes in your book club meeting.

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