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To Capture What We Cannot Keep

This love story set against the construction of the Eiffel Tower is "vibrant and...

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Discuss To Capture What We Cannot Keep by Beatrice Colin

Discuss the important role the Parisian art world plays in the novel. Were you surprised at the contemporary reactions to now-beloved Impressionist painters? How does the aesthetic of the Eiffel Tower fit in (or clash) with Impressionism?

3

Oct. 24, 2017
by normar

What is the symbolic importance of the Eiffel Tower in the novel, and in Émile and Cait's relationship?

3

Oct. 24, 2017
by Missys

How do Emile's two artistic passions shape him? How do they complement his attraction to both Cait and Gabrielle?

1

Oct. 25, 2017
by victoriah

How does the novel explore the tensions between art/architecture and engineering and how we use both to conquer time and master space?

4

Oct. 30, 2017
by sbmohler

What does the novel's title mean to you? How do you think it speaks to the other characters in the novel?

6

Oct. 31, 2017
by donnac

Discuss the novel's epigraph, by Gustave Eiffel. What sort of tone does it establish? How does it resonate with the novel that follows?

4

Nov. 01, 2017
by sandrah

How are the characters affected by setting, and how is a sense of place evoked in the writing?

7

Nov. 02, 2017
by patriciag

What is your overall opinion of this book?

6

Nov. 06, 2017
by linz

Discuss the portrayal of class in To Capture What We Cannot Keep. How is class tied to material wealth, education, social status, and family? How do the classes mix in the novel, and what is the fallout?

7

Nov. 06, 2017
by linz

Was the author effective in revealing plot twists? Were there too many or two few?

5

Nov. 06, 2017
by linz

Why is Gabrielle so devastated when she discovers that it was Émile who bought all of the paintings of her? What does her response reveal of her insecurities about her romantic life and her artistic legacy?

2

Nov. 06, 2017
by linz

How is Alice is frequently pulled between social propriety and Bohemian freedom? Does her character evolve over the course of the novel?

5

Nov. 06, 2017
by linz

Caitriona is very much a woman constrained—by her status as a widow, by her poverty and her fall from high society, even by the clothes she wears. Were you therefore surprised by how her story turned out?

10

Nov. 12, 2017
by henryw

Why do you think Émile's mother holds such sway over him? What does she represent in the novel?

12

Nov. 12, 2017
by lindas

Would you recommend this book to your friends or book club?

5

Nov. 12, 2017
by lindas

Do you find Gabrielle likable or sympathetic? Did your opinion of her change as the novel progressed? What of the characters in general?

11

Nov. 12, 2017
by lindas

Were you surprised that Cait moved to West Africa? What do you think her future holds?

12

Nov. 12, 2017
by lindas

What elements of this novel lend themselves to film adaptation?

5

Nov. 12, 2017
by lindas

Does this double standard regarding sexuality surprise you? Do you think things are much different today than they were back then?

9

Nov. 12, 2017
by lindas

Was Emile and optimist or pessimist?

3

Nov. 12, 2017
by lindas

How does reputation shape the lives of Colin's characters?

3

Nov. 13, 2017
by linz

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