The Phoenix Crown: A Novel

How would you compare the various functions of music, painting, and embroidery in the novel? How does art affect the audience and the artists?

Suling’s clothing ranges from inconspicuous boy’s clothing to the latest fashion in women’s skirts. What does Suling’s relationship to clothing reveal about her character?

While the reader knows that the earthquake will occur from the beginning of the novel, the fact that Reggie and Nellie are the same person is a mystery for over a hundred pages. How does obscuring this fact impact the narrative and/or character development?

How would you compare the author’s ekphrastic descriptions of music and paintings? How do the different media translate into words?

The authors choose to include exact dollar amounts in the novel when naming the prices of goods and services. What effects does this practice have on the theme of Class, Labor, and Gender?

In an interview, the authors described their collaborative process: Janie Chang wrote Suling’s point-of-view chapters, and Kate Quinn wrote Gemma’s point-of-view chapters. How do the authors achieve a cohesive style with this process?

Musical allusions in The Phoenix Crown range from describing a specific song in detail to briefly mentioning a title. How would you compare and contrast the use of the various kinds of musical allusions?

How does the act structure of the novel pay homage to the structures of famous operas? How is the story of a novel different from, and/or similar to, the story of an opera?