MARY JANE CLARK
The Look of Love: Questions for Book Clubs
General Themes for Discussion: The importance of youth and beauty in American culture, the dangers of
cosmetic surgery, America's obsession with Hollywood, jealousy, the effects of second marriages on children, the
role of social media (e.g., Facebook), the state of the Religious life (convents) in the 21st-century, nepotism in
the workplace, uneven expectations in romantic relationships, investigative journalism, experimental medical
treatments.
1. Hollywood's fixation with youth and beauty is highlighted in The Look of Love. Actresses,
especially, face fewer opportunities for movie roles as they age. Is Hollywood generating this
situation, or are directors and casting agents only mirroring the moviegoer's own fixations?
2. At 27, Piper Donovan wants to take it slow with her FBI friend Jack, which put a strain on
their relationship. How did you react to their New Year's Eve argument? Is romance more
difficult than it used to be? What should couples do when faced with uneven expectations
about the pace of their relationship?
3. Piper continues to be fully invested in 21st-century social media, communicating with her
fans and friends through Facebook. What are your feelings about the burgeoning need for
the instant, and constant, interpersonal communication that social media provide? What is
your own experience as both sender and receiver of such communications? If you're not
involved, do you feel you're missing something?
4. Sister Mary Noelle's simple life in the Monastery of the Angels provides a stark counterpoint
to her sister Jillian's chosen profession at Elysium. The sacred and the secular are not always
black-and-white: what choices (other than joining a convent) do young women have if they
want to avoid our culture's obsession with youth and beauty?
5. Hudson Sherwood lost his job at Elysium to the owner's daughter. Given the economic
situation we are now experiencing, how do you feel about people who have lost their job,
fairly or unfairly, and are finding it difficult to find a new position?
6. The real ugliness exposed in The Look of Love is jealousy. In what ways can the green-eyed
monster ruin relationships, even in small ways? In the story, it leads to murder and other
monstrous behavior: what should someone do who finds him- or herself consumed with
jealousy?
7. So many of us are envious of the rich and famous -- especially with their pampered lifestyle.
If you suddenly had more money than you knew what to do with, can you imagine yourself
going to a place like Elysium? What else might you do with your wealth?
8. How parents are invested in their children's lives is explored in various ways in the story. Vin
and Terri kneel in prayer as they worry about Piper's safety. George is completely given over
to his daughter Wendy's pain and suffering. Vernon is very concerned about Jillian's
happiness as she, once again, feels she has to cancel her wedding. Do you suppose these are
typical reactions?
9. Anastasia is hoping to make it big as an investigative journalist. Did she and Piper go too far
in trying to expose the evil lurking at the spa? In your opinion, do journalists (newspaper,
television and online) play an important role in keeping the nation informed?
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