Kilbourn Public Library Book Club

I swear it's a good book! This month the library book club will be reading Testimony by Anita Shreve. According to the publisher this novel is a gripping emotional drama with the impact of a thriller. This novel takes place at a New England boarding school where a sex scandal is about to break. Even more shocking than the acts themselves is the fact that they were caught on videotape. Through the scandal we see the ways in which lives can be destroyed in one foolish moment and how our best intentions can lead to our worst transgressions.

The story of Testimony is told from many different perspectives. Why do think Anita Shreve chose this narrative style for the novel? Can you see any connection between this style and some of the novel's themes? Several characters comment that if the sexual incident at Avery had occurred at a local public school, it would have drawn little or no attention. Do you agree with this assessment? Is it fair that this elite institution be held to a different standard? What do you think will happen to the students in the future? How will they be affected by the incident and its aftermath? Let us know what you think!