The Shards: A Novel

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. What did you think of The Shards as a whole? How did you feel about the serial killer remaining unidentified? Who do you think is the Trawler and why?

2. What aspect of The Shards did you like? What elements did you dislike? What would you change? What would you want more of?

3. Lunar Park (2005) is another work of metafiction by Ellis. Read the novel and compare it to The Shards. How does Ellis appear in each story? How do the respective narratives incorporate the theme of The Malleability of Truth in Storytelling?

4. Bret is mainly inspired by Joan Didion and Stephen King. Read one of their books that Bret himself has read—whether it’s The Shining or The White Album—and compare it to The Shards. What do the works have in common?

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

1. What parts of The Shards did you find particularly impactful or thought-provoking? How did these moments resonate with your own experience?

2. How does the novel make you feel about fiction and reality? How does its presentation of sexuality align with your perceptions? Did you relate to its presentation of Alienation and Suspicion within Relationships?

3. Put yourself in the situation of Bret and Robert. If you were Bret, would you have followed Robert? If you were Robert, how would you react to Bret’s accusations? What would you have done to deescalate the situation and ensure your safety and that of your friends?

4. This novel features a middle-aged narrator looking back on the world of his youth, in which the prevailing mood is a mix of longing and dread. How do you think the world has changed since your own childhood or teen years? When you think on that time, what moods or sensations dominate your memories?

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

1. How does The Shards represent sexuality? Does it comply with or deviate from 21st-century conventions? What about gender? How does it perpetuate or subvert gender norms?

2. How does the Los Angeles setting contribute to the themes and precarious atmosphere?

3. After Bret’s sexual encounter with Terry at the hotel, Bret declares, “[N]o one had hurt me, I hadn’t been assaulted, I let it happen” (686). Why does Bret say this, and how does it function as commentary on #MeToo, victim-blaming, and victimization?

4. The primary narrative happens in 1981, but what does Bret’s world have in common with contemporary society? How do the constant references to music and movies anticipate the persistent cultural stimulation that smartphones and other modern technological devices provide?

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

1. How does Bret’s voice structure the story? How does Bret deal with time? How does he order events?

2. What characters do you find most relatable? Did you notice changes in the characters? What characters did you dislike? How do your feelings about the characters influence who you believe is the Trawler?

3. How does the theme of alienation and suspicion within relationships impact how you feel about the characters? Do you feel like you truly know them or could be friends with them?

4. The book contains many symbols. What does the beige van symbolize? What about the band posters that the Trawler’s victims receive? How do the constant musical references represent the title?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. Bret cites many songs from 1981 and before. Create a playlist of the noted songs and discuss how they work within the story.

2. Ellis has been trying to turn The Shards into a TV show. Would the novel make an intriguing show? What about as a limited series or movie? Who would you cast? What songs would you include on the soundtrack?

3. How could you turn The Shards into a tour guide for the privileged side of Los Angeles? How does Bret show people the neighborhoods, restaurants, and cultural spaces of the affluent?

4. Consider how The Shards works as a magazine. Like a traditional magazine, how does it provide a range of music, movies, and books to engage with and pursue?