The Girls in the Garden: A Novel

The garden at the center of Virginia Park is surrounded by buildings. How does this make it more representative of nature, or less connected to a greater natural world?

Some of the parents in The Girls in the Garden shirk their responsibilities to their children. How would you compare and/or contrast the responsibility of the non-parental adults in the novel, such as Rhea or the police officers, and the responsibility of the parents?

How does Jewell relate the generational traumas of Virginia Park with the nature of its closed community?

The book contains several images from the world of the novel, including the Summer Party Flyer and Pip’s drawings. How do these inclusions develop Virginia Park as a setting?

There are many instances of surveillance in the novel, including characters observing each other from different positions, sometimes hidden, and CCTV. How does surveillance create power relationships in the novel?

Grace acts on her adolescent hormonal impulses in a consensual sexual manner, while Tyler acts on her impulses in a destructive, non-consensual manner. How are their characters different and/or similar? Is their struggle for Dylan’s attention reflective of the location and small community, or is this a universal experience unaffected by the setting?

Jewell uses eyes as a symbol throughout The Girls in the Garden. How would you compare and/or contrast the descriptions of different characters’ eyes?

How does Jewell use different points of view in the novel? How do the different perspectives maintain secrecy and/or offer insights?