Discussion Questions
The Library of Lost Dollhouses by Elise Hooper
1. Discuss the ways the novel explores the idea of preserving family lore. How do miniatures help tell a story from the past? How can they reflect a person’s, or a family’s narrative?
2. How does the story highlight the healing power of art and literature, as seen in Cora's and Tildy's individual journeys of self-discovery?
3. Discuss how the dollhouse maker's work not only preserves history but also serves to empower the women whose stories are immortalized through the miniatures.
4. In what ways do miniatures symbolize the intricate and delicate nature of family dynamics? How does Tildy's discovery of the miniatures reflect her path towards self-discovery and understanding her family's past?
5. In Chapter 25, Cora regrets how she’s played a part in erasing her own accomplishments. Discuss the different ways women’s lives have been erased from history.
6. Although Cora’s father believes men will never accept his daughter in a leadership role, Cora successfully supervises a workshop of men at Roughmore Park. What factors contributed to her ability to serve as an authority figure in a traditionally male space?
7. Many of the characters keep secrets for many reasons. What are some of these reasons? Are there any circumstances when secrets should be kept, or is it always important for the truth to come out? Why?
8. Although the Belva Curtis LeFarge Library is fictional, it’s inspired by many real libraries that serve important functions beyond simply providing access to free materials to the public. What roles does your local library play in your community?
9. If Cora Hale were to build you a dollhouse, what would you want it to reflect about you?
Elise with the dollhouse that started it all! This dollhouse was built in 1895(ish) for Elise’s great-grandmother and it has been passed down through five generations of women in her family.
Want Elise to join your book club over Skype or Zoom to discuss the book and give your group a tour of the dollhouse that she restored as part of her research? In your message, please be sure to include the date and time (including time zone) that your book club meets. Thank you!