The Hazelbourne Ladies Motorcycle and Flying Club

Content Warning: This section of the guide contains discussion of racism, ableism, and illness or death.

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. The Hazelbourne Ladies Motorcycle and Flying Club is set during the immediate aftermath of World War I, when society was experiencing significant upheaval. Which aspects of Simonson’s portrayal of this historical period did you find most compelling or surprising?

2. The novel presents different approaches to resisting societal expectations, from Poppy’s bold defiance to Constance’s more measured evolution. Which approach did you find more effective or appealing, and why?

3. Simonson’s previous novel, The Summer Before the War, explores English society at the start of World War I, while this novel examines its aftermath. If you’ve read both, how do her bookends of the war period compare in their portrayal of changing social norms? If not, what surprised you most about the postwar society that Simonson presents in this novel?

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

1. Constance evolves from wanting others to see her as “pretty” to aspiring to be considered “competent.” Have you experienced a similar shift in how you wanted others to perceive you? If so, what prompted this change?

2. Mrs. Fog tells Constance, “You must feel it too, Constance, how every day we are given is precious?” (235). How has witnessing or experiencing significant world events shaped your appreciation for everyday life?

3. Many of the novel’s characters face societal pressure to conform to certain roles. Which character’s struggle against societal expectations resonated most with you, and why?

4. Constance finds purpose and excitement through her involvement in the Motorcycle Club. What communities or activities have expanded your sense of identity or possibility in ways you didn’t anticipate?

5. The novel portrays various characters adapting to change: Harris finds new purpose after his injury, Mrs. Fog chooses love over convention, and Constance discovers her own path. Which character’s journey did you find most inspiring or relatable?

6. Mrs. Fog declares, “I have done my duty and now that I am an old woman, I shall do as I like” (223). When have you chosen personal fulfillment over meeting others’ expectations, and what resulted from this decision?

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

1. The novel shows how women who capably filled men’s jobs during the war were expected to relinquish those roles afterward. What parallels do you see between these historical gender expectations and contemporary attitudes about gender and employment?

2. The treatment of the de Champneys and the Indian characters reveals the racial prejudices of 1919 British society. How did Simonson’s portrayal of these attitudes contribute to your understanding of racism over the past century?

3. Iris makes an observation about wounded veterans: “Sometimes it seems as if the dead are more convenient than the wounded” (131). To what extent might this sentiment describe contemporary society’s treatment of veterans and people with disabilities?

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

1. The German U-boat stranded on the beach functions as a central symbol throughout the novel. How does this image represent the novel’s exploration of war’s lingering effects and society’s attempts to either remove or incorporate these reminders?

2. Simonson uses various marriages to explore the theme of Social Pressure for Female Respectability. Compare the relationship between Mrs. Fog and Simon with the relationship between Rachel and Percival. What does this contrast reveal about marriage as an institution in Britain after World War I?

3. The novel presents several pairs of characters who serve as foils to one another: Poppy and Constance, Mrs. Fog and Lady Mercer, Harris and Tom. How do these contrasting relationships illuminate the novel’s themes and enhance character development?

4. The protagonist’s name, Constance, suggests steadiness and reliability. How does this reflect her journey, and what other names in the novel carry symbolic significance?

5. Motorcycles function as both practical vehicles and metaphors for women’s increasing freedom, similar to how motorcycles represent liberation in works like Robert M. Pirsig’s Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. How does Simonson’s use of this symbol compare to its use in other works in which vehicles symbolize freedom?

6. The novel explores the theme of Perspective Created by Loss. How do different characters’ responses to loss (Constance to her mother’s death, Harris to his leg, Jock to his family) reveal their inner nature and influence the plot?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. Imagine that you are Constance writing in a journal five years after the novel’s conclusion. What would you record about your life with Harris, the evolution of women’s rights, and your involvement in the Motorcycle Club?

2. If Simonson were to write a sequel set during the “Roaring Twenties,” which characters would you want it to focus on, and what new societal changes or challenges would you like to see them navigate?

3. The novel concludes with Harris and Constance beginning a life together. Create an alternative ending where Constance chooses a different path—perhaps pursuing a career in London or joining Poppy in a new venture. How would this change affect the novel’s themes and message?

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