Reading Group Guide
TheNightRainbow
byClaireKing
InBrief
TheNightRainbowisthestoryofPea(PeonytoherEnglish
mother,PivoinetoherFrenchfather),theworldshecreates
towinbackhermother'slove,andthestrangershetruststo
savethemboth.
InDetail
During one long, hot summer, five‐year‐old Pea and her
little sister Margot play alone in the meadow behind their
house,ontheedgeofasmallvillageinSouthernFrance.Hermotheristoosadtotakecareof
them; she left her happiness in the hospital, along with the baby. Pea's father has died in an
accident and Maman, burdened by her double grief and isolated from the village by her
Englishness, has retreated to a place where Pea cannot reach her ‐ although she tries
desperatelytodoso.
ThenPeameetsClaude,amanwhoseemstolovethemeadowasshedoesandwhoalwayshas
timetoplay.PeabelievesthatsheandMargothavefoundafriend,andmaybeevenanewpapa.
But why do the villagers view Claude with suspicion? And what secret is he keeping in his
strange,emptyhouse?
Elegantly written, haunting and gripping, TheNightRainbow is a novel about innocence and
experience,griefandcompassionandthedangersofanoveractiveimagination.
Abouttheauthor
ClaireKinghasfoundsuccessandacclaimwithherprize‐winningshortstories.Having
graduatedfromCambridgeshenowlivesandworksinFrance.TheNightRainbowisherfirst
novel.
Website:
www.claire‐king.com
Twitter:
@ckingwriter
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Reading Group Guide
Discussion
1. Whatdoyouthinkisthesignificanceofthetitleandhoweffectivedoyouthinkit
is?
2. WhendidyourealisethetruenatureofMargot?Comparehercharacterwiththat
ofPea–inwhatwayisthelatterdependentontheformer?IsMargotprimarilya
mechanismusedtocopewithlossorMaman’sindifference,orboth?
3. ‘OurchoosingbeganwhenMamancamebackfromhospitallastyear.Shehad
changedfromfattothin,butshedidn’tbringbackababylikeshepromised.She
leftitatthehospital,alongwithherhappiness.’Theauthorhasmadethestylistic
choiceofpresentingthenarrativeusingtheperceptionandlanguageofachild.
Howdoesthisstylesuittheexplorationofadarkandcomplextopiclikegrief?
Doesitgiveafreshperspectiveonourunderstandingoftemporalityandloss?
4. Howaredescriptionsofnature,inparticulartheseparationofWindyHillandthe
LowMeadow,usedtoemphasisePea’s(andMargot’s)moodatdifferenttimesin
thestory?
5. Themesofinnocenceandexperienceareprominentthroughoutthestory.Where
dotheyclash?Isthisasimpledichotomybetweentheworldofadultsand
childrenoristherelationshipbetweenthetwomorenuancedinthenovel?How
dothedifferentcharacters–Pea,Maman,andClaude–grieve?
6. ‘Doyoureallythink…?SaysClaude.Whichisn’tapropersentence.Andhelooks
overatus.WellwhatwasIsupposedtothink?saysJosette.(…)Nooneknowsyou
anymore,Claude.It’sasthoughyoudiedwiththem.’Claude,andtosomeextent
Maman,becomeostracisedaftertheirfamiliesarestruckbytragedy.Whydothe
villagersturntheirbacksonthem?IsgrieftabooinWesternculture?Oristhisan
exampleofsmalltownmentality,rejecting‘otherness’(e.g.Claude’seccentricity,
Maman’sEnglishorigin)?
7. WhydoesPeafeelsimultaneouslyhappyandsadattimes?Arethesetwo
conflictingfeelingsoronecomplexfeeling?Isthisemotionpresentedaspositive
ornegativeinthenovel?
8. ‘Thescratchytipsofhisfingersbrushmyskin,backandforth.Everylittlegirlneeds
asecret,hesays.’ThenovelsubtlyhintsatClaude’spossiblyinappropriate
behaviourduringhisearlyencounterswithPea,butthehintsdisappearfurther
intothebook.Towardstheendthisthemeonlysurvivesintheformofother
adults’frowningatPeaandClaude’sfriendship.Whatpurposedotheseearly
suggestionsserve?Aretheytheretomakethereaderthinklikeasuspicious
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Reading Group Guide
adultintheearlystagesofthenovel,oraretheyanexpressionofPea’sdefence
mechanismwhenfacedwithastranger?
9. MargotdoesnotseemasaffectedbythelossofPapaasPea.‘Itseemsbest,Isay,if
afamilyhasthemamanandpapa.It’stwiceasmanypeopleasjustamaman,says
Margot.Butmamansarestillbest.’DoesthisdiscussionsimplyrepresentPea’s
musingsonwhethersheisa‘daddy’sgirl’or‘mummy’sgirl’,orperhapshasher
subconsciouspickeduponthecontroversysurroundingtheidentityofher
father,whichhasbeenmentionedaroundher?DoesMargot’sattitudetowards
PapareflectPea’suncertainty?
10. WhydoesMargotdisappearaftertheaccident?Whicheventofthatdayhas
catalysedherdisappearance?Isitthephysicalshockoftheaccidentitself,the
birthofPablo,theregainedattentionofPea’smother,thefactthatPeaisinthe
hospital,ordootherfactorsplayintothissuddenchange?
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