Questions About The Girl in the Letter

by Emily Gunnis (Goodreads Author)

Reader Q&A

To ask other readers questions about The Girl in the Letter, please sign up.

Answered Questions (8)

How was Kitty engaged to Allister? I thought he was who Ivy wrote the letters to ~ father of her baby?

Dana Muus

This answer contains spoilers… (view spoiler)

flag

Was there a specific reason for the author's choice of topics?

Cardmaker Well, if you read the "Sources" at the back of the book, some of the listings look like they might have had something to do with her choice.
"Irish car…moreWell, if you read the "Sources" at the back of the book, some of the listings look like they might have had something to do with her choice.
"Irish care home scandal grows amid allegations of caccine testing on children", Telegraph, 9 June 2014
"Thousands of children in Irish care homes at centre of 'baby graves scandal' were used in secret vaccine trials in the 1930s", Daily Mail, 6 June 2014
"Special Investigation - vaccine trials on children worse than first thought", Irish Examiner, 1 December 2014
"Nun admits children involved in medical trials", Independent, 9 June 2014
(less)

flag

Are there any discussion questions about the book?

Sara I know this is late, however hopefully this helps someone else.

1) How was Kitty engaged to Allister?
2) Why set Kitty up as a big hot shot journalist? …moreI know this is late, however hopefully this helps someone else.

1) How was Kitty engaged to Allister?
2) Why set Kitty up as a big hot shot journalist? How would she have been able to do half the things she did - ie, so many murders! - if she was also a celebrity? Why was that necessary?
3) How did little Kitty's shoes end up on the graveyard?
4) Why does Kitty take Emma with her?
5) What happened to Mother Carlin?
6) Why use nuns as your villains? Why perpetuate that myth?
7) Run by nuns, wouldn’t you naturally expect them to be kind and compassionate?
8) How on earth would the nuns believe that Kitty was Elvira, when Kitty would have been wearing smart clothing and not “brown overalls“?
9) Is this book based on a true story?
10) In Ivy’s darkest of moments her thoughts were not of herself but of another... truly isn’t this the definition of a mother?
11) Who knows what else went on in these places?
12) Where was conscious to all those people?
13) How far does the human race go to hide their shameful secrets and the name of what?
14) How can treating a human like this be accepted?
15) The nana has an arthritic hip and uses a walker, but she’s only 60?
16) What was with certain victims hallucinating?
17) What the hell happened to Fred? It was mention he'd disappeared and no one knew where he was and that was it? Why mention that at all then?
18) Why did Fred risk life and limb for her?
19) What life is Elvira expected to have after so much?
20) Why misdirect with the story about finding the letters in the grandfather's antiques?
21) Where does a young unmarried pregnant girl go in 1956 when abandoned by her lover and shunned by her family?(less)

flag

what happened to Mother Carlin?

Laurean This crazy book had so much happening, but I think she was the nun that was given a hash cake and tainted milk by Kitty aka Elvira while in the care h…moreThis crazy book had so much happening, but I think she was the nun that was given a hash cake and tainted milk by Kitty aka Elvira while in the care home.(less)

flag

Is this book based on a true story?

Laurean I don't think so specifically but it is based certainly on the Catholic-run historical mother-baby homes and Magdalene Laundries in UK and Ireland. Th…moreI don't think so specifically but it is based certainly on the Catholic-run historical mother-baby homes and Magdalene Laundries in UK and Ireland. There are many books and movies about these available.(less)

flag

Load 3 more questions

Unanswered Questions

About Goodreads Q&A

Ask and answer questions about books!

You can pose questions to the Goodreads community with Reader Q&A, or ask your favorite author a question with Ask the Author.

See Featured Authors Answering Questions

Learn more