BOOK CLUB QUESTIONS

  1. 1.While The Queen of Steeplechase Park is loosely based on a true story and rooted in reality, there are moments of fabulism, where something seemingly impossible and magical happens. Can you name a few of them?

  2. 2.Appetite is a major theme in the novel. Which characters go after what they want? How does the author use joyful sexual encounters and delicious meals to propel the story? Are there consequences to indulging these desires? How about rewards? What do these outcomes say about the historical period?

  3. 3.What are some of the ways The Queen of Steeplechase Park celebrates queerness?

  4. 4.How do the characters challenge our ideas of gender and sexuality, particularly within the historical context of the 1930s? How do you think these characters would do in today’s world?

  5. 5.Consider the author’s use of the Great Depression to describe clinical depression. What are some of the similarities and differences between Bella’s grief at the end of the novel and her mamma’s?

  6. 6.Is food a character in this book? Why or why not?

  7. 7.What are some other books that feature food and food preparation? Have you read any of them? If so, how is The Queen of Steeplechase Park similar or different?

  8. 8.What other books, TV shows, or movies take place in Coney Island? Have you seen or read any?

  9. 9.In what ways is The Queen of Steeplechase Park a novel of immigration and the Italian American experience in New Jersey? How much research do you think the author did?

  10. 10.The chapter titles often reference books and movies from other eras. What are some examples of this technique? How does the inclusion of modern references impact your reading of the book as historical?

  11. 11.How do the recipes function in the text? Were there any that surprised or delighted you?

  12. 12.Is Bella a feminist in your opinion? Why or why not?

  13. 13.Even though she’s been separated from her baby, Bella takes care of a number of characters in the novel—mothers them, especially Little Luigi. Who does Bella mother? Who mothers Bella?

  14. 14.What are the three disappearances? Name all three. How does the story shift around these?

  15. 15.What does the phrase “Fortes Fortuna Iuvat” mean? When does it first appear in the story? Is this a novel about bravery and courage? Why or why not?

  16. 16.Bella’s relationship with Terelli Lombardi changes throughout the novel. What are some of their similarities as characters? Their differences?

  17. 17.How does the theme of forgiveness play out? Which characters forgive? Which are forgiven?

  18. 18.Are there examples of bullying in The Queen of Steeplechase Park? If so, how do characters succumb or overcome this kind of adversity? Who are the victims? The survivors?

  19. 19.How is the theme of la famiglia represented in the book? What does the story have to say about family dynamics—Italian and immigrant families, in particular? How do families hurt and harm each other? How do they love and support each other?

  20. 20.Bella faces an internal conflict about being a mother. What is this conflict rooted in? Is it resolved?

  21. 21.Is the ending a happy one? A sad one? Somewhere in between? What do you imagine is next for Bella?