The Art Forger

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. What were your overall impressions of The Art Forger? Did you find Claire’s narrative voice relatable?

2. Discuss what you liked most and least about the book’s depiction of the life of an artist.

3. Compare this book to other novels centered in the art world, such as Donna Tartt’s The Goldfinch (2013) or Tracy Chevalier’s Girl With a Pearl Earring (2000). What similarities do you see? What makes The Art Forger unique?

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

1. Have you ever felt pressured to compromise your personal ethics for career advancement? How did you handle this pressure?

2. Has a friend, mentor, or romantic partner ever tried to take credit for your work, as Isaac does to Claire? How did you respond?

3. Claire discovers that her reputation in the art world overshadows the truth. Have you ever found yourself the subject of unfair gossip? How did this impact your self-image?

4. Claire visits the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum throughout her life as a place of inspiration and refuge. What places serve a similar role in your life?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. How does The Art Forger comment on the value placed on originality in art? How many different meanings does “originality” take on in the novel? How do these meanings overlap?

2. How does Claire understand herself within the continuum of art history? What is her relationship to the Old Masters she admires?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. How does Shapiro employ sensory imagery to convey the book’s themes?

2. How does the book’s narrative structure, alternating between present narrative, flashbacks, and historical letters, impact your reading experience?

3. How does the book’s Boston setting impact the story? What details make this world recognizable as uniquely Boston?

4. How does the character of Aidan Markel parallel that of Isaac Cullion? What other character parallels do you notice?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. Is there a museum like the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in your local area—that is, a private collection reflecting the particular tastes of an individual collector? If so, imagine the character of the collector as revealed by the museum.

2. If The Art Forger were adapted for film or television, who would you cast in the lead roles?