The Last Housewife

How do Clem and Laurel’s deaths relate to one another? How does Rachel fit into their deaths, and what is Don’s role in each situation? Who is at fault for these deaths?

Shay struggles with her feelings of desire and control, but how does her view of control change over the course of the novel? Is she in control at the end? Why or why not?

What role does Jamie play in Shay’s life? How has his role changed from their childhood to the present? Strengthen your answer with textual evidence.

What is Don’s motivation in targeting Shay, Clem, Laurel, and Rachel? Why are these four women suitable for his early experiments in creating a cult?

Based on Don’s knowledge of Greece and Rome, why does he choose the Roman pugio as his weapon? Why do the women also use the pugio, and in which situations?

How do the interviews between Shay and Jamie help Shay to address her past? What purposes do the interviews serve in the narrative?

Compare Scheherazade and Shay; are their situations similar or different, and how does Shay’s use of Scheherazade influence the story?

Why does Laurel choose to go back to Don? How does an understanding of Laurel’s life influence her characterization?