READERS GUIDE

Reader’s Guide
Artfully Yours by Joanna Lowell
Discussion Questions:


1. Nina and Alan come from radically different places and have radically different goals. Their marriage will depend, in part, on their willingness and ability to compromise. What kinds of compromises do you imagine them making? How important is compromise in a relationship? How important is staying true to individual values and needs? How can couples strike the right balance?

2. Art forgery increased dramatically in the nineteenth century. This boom in fakes responded to the demand created by new national museums and the rise of a Victorian middle class with a penchant for collecting. Throughout history, many art forgers have been caught, and some have become famous—or infamous—in their own right. There has never been a famous female art forger. Do you have a theory as to why?

3. Across the first half of the book, Nina deceives Alan in multiple ways. Despite their shaky beginning, they build trust with each other by the end. Is this trust justified? Are some forms of deception more forgivable than others? Do you think Nina will deceive Alan again? Why or why not?

4. At Augustus Burgess’s salon, Alan gets the opportunity to prove that he was correct about the forgeries in the South Kensington Museum. He doesn’t take it, choosing instead to put Nina before his personal ambition and his principles. Would you have done the same in his position?

5. Nina struggles to establish boundaries with her brother. How would you describe their relationship? Is there any advice you would give her?

6. Pets played an important and complex role in Victorian domestic life, from Buckingham Palace—where Queen Victoria kept pedigree dogs and Angora cats—to the working-class household, which might include mousers, birds, squirrels, and mutts. How are pets depicted in the story? Do you have a strong bond with a nonhuman animal? How has it affected your life?

7. As a famous critic, Alan is a tastemaker, with the power to shape public opinion. What if you had this level of cultural influence? What underappreciated artist, writer, actor / actress, or musician would you champion? Is there a fashion item or hairstyle you would make popular?

8. What constitutes art, and who counts as an artist, changes depending on historical, social, and cultural contexts. How do you define art? Do you consider baking an art? Do you consider yourself an artist? What are your creative outlets?