2-3-4 Challenge Book Discussions #1 discussion

Adam Oldham, Electra’s sign language teacher, falls in love with her and wants to marry this 16-year old girl. Did you think that was very young considering the marriage ages of that era? Did you think Adam’s feelings were genuine?

I thought a lot of girls got married at that age. Maybe it wasn't the case for girls from rich families.

I didn't know what to think of Adam's feelings for Electra. For a while I thought he loved her, but then I started wondering if he wanted to marry her for her money.

At that point I believed that the two of them were in love!

I bought their love for each other...until the end when I didn’t think either of them had love at the top of their motives.

I think 16-years old was young for girls in this elite society but definitely not for the poor working class. So, it didn’t feel creepy but more a social breach.

I thought they both loved each other, then I thought she loved him and he loved her money. I never suspected that she wanted him caught, but then, that was after the second person was murdered, wasn't it?

I thought the way she behaved was more immature than the working class girls who had to fend for themselves, so I was a bit uncomfortable at first. But then that was just the way she acted in front of her family, and we get just a small glimpse of her real self at the end. Who knows what side she showed Adam when they were alone.

I agree that pure love wasn't the only motivation for either of them.

There were points in the story when I believed that Adam did love Electra, but by the end it was clear to me that he wanted the money.

As to Electra, she reminded me of the girl in Murder in Chinatown - very manipulative and selfish. A sociopath.