Discussion questions for Faithful by Alice Hoffman
- What does the title refer to? Consider this thought from the reviewer for the Minneapolis Star Tribune: “The title of Hoffman’s deeply moving novel refers to a quality most of the book’s characters share when it comes to how they feel about Shelby. Shelby’s mother, Sue; Shelby’s friend Maravelle, and her high school friend Ben, as well as a tattoo artist she meets late in the novel, remain faithful to the idea that Shelby is not a bad person. In their eyes, she has redeemed herself many times over. Shelby, though, remains faithful to her guilt.”
- Did you find Shelby to be a sympathetic character? Did your feelings about her change over the course of the book? If you had trouble connecting with her at the beginning of the book, when did that start to change?
- Have you read anything else by Alice Hoffman? How did this book compare?
- What did you think about the postcards?
- Assorted reviewers used words like banal, saccharine, and clichéd to describe the writing in this book. Do you agree?
- Were you surprised when Ben Mink showed up at Shelby’s door near the end of the book? Were you surprised that Shelby opted to stay with James?
- What did you think about Shelby’s relationship with her mother?
For more questions, check out these resources from the publisher.