The House of Doors

Content Warning: This section of the guide contains discussion of gender discrimination, racism, and antigay bias.

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. Before reading this, were you familiar with “The Letter” by W. Somerset Maugham, on which the novel is based, or with the 1911 Ethel Proudlock case? If so, how did they affect your reading? If not, do you think this hampered your reading?

2. How does this novel compare with Tan Twang Eng’s other novels, such as The Garden of Evening Mist and The Gift of Rain? These books were written in 2012 and 2007 respectively; how does The House of Doors demonstrate the growth in the author’s style? If this is your first experience with the author, are you interested in reading more?

3. Given this novel’s embedded narratives and nonlinear temporality, how was your reading experience? Was the novel easy to follow?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Tan Twan Eng provides vivid descriptions of the book’s geographical settings, like Malaysia. Have you ever been to any of the places described in the novel? If so, were the descriptions accurate to your memory of these places (keeping in mind that this is historical fiction)? If not, were the descriptions vivid enough for you to picture these places?