Stolen Beauty

1. During Adele's life, there is an ongoing debate about which is more essential, beauty in art, or truth in art. What do you believe the primary aim of art should be? Why? Are beauty and/or truth integral to artistic works? Why, or why not?

2. Do you think Adele loved Gustav Klimt, or just the lifestyle he represented? Discuss.

3. In retaliation to his critics, Klimt paints Adele as the heroic Jewish widow Judith. Do you think his response is effective? Why or why not? On page 78, Klimt claims, "There's no solution in words... The only answer is art." What does he mean by this? Do you agree/disagree?

4. Throughout the book, sex and death are connected visually and in the characters' minds. Find some passages that illustrate this connection. Why do you think this is a significant motif for Adele or Maria?

5. Both Maria and Adele must contend with the issue of faithfulness in marriage. What are the different messages the two stories provide on this topic? Which do you believe is more important, fidelity or freedom?

6. Another parallel in Maria and Adele's marriages is the presence of double standards. How is each woman held to a different standard than her husband? What are the similarities and differences between the roles of women during these two generations? How do they compare to expectations for women today?

7. While reading, did you find yourself identifying more with Adele or with Maria? In what ways did you connect to them?

8. Discuss the role of national and religious identity in the book. What does it mean to Adele to be Jewish? What does it mean to her to be Viennese? How do these characteristics relate to each other? Does Adele's relation to being Viennese or Jewish change for her over the course of the book?

9. In pages 214 to 216, Maria's mother asks her if her children will be Jewish, and whether they will speak German, reflecting anxieties she holds about life in the Jewish diaspora. How does the book depict the impact of emigration on Maria's family? In what ways do Maria's relationships with Judaism and Vienna parallel or diverge from Adele's?

10. Was there anything that surprised you about the book's depiction of the Nazi annexation of Austria?

11. Maria consistently describes Ferdinand as devoted to his wife Adele, claiming "my uncle had never stopped loving her" (page 216). Where do you see the presence or absence of this adoration in the chapters from Adele's perspective?

12. Maria admires her aunt Adele and strives to live up to her example. Are there figures in your family or life whom you feel driven to emulate, or who you fear you fall short of?