Find examples in the novel of how class is applied to the characters.Ģ. Consider what the author is trying to say about class as it relates to St. How does the tone of the prologue set the stage for the rest of the novel? Discuss the relevance of the title, Different Class. While old-guard Latin master Roy Straitley struggles to survive in this new system of e-mails and PowerPoint, a former student reenters his life, and with him, a twenty-year-old tale of intrigue, corruption and murder.ġ.

A new headmaster arrives and ushers in a wind of unwelcome changes. The staff and boys at the school are trying to recover from the latest scandal to rock the institution, but unfortunately more upheaval is on the way. Oswald’s, a venerable boys’ school in the north of England, another tumultuous year has come to a close. We hope that these ideas will enrich your conversation and increase your enjoyment of the book.įrom New York Times bestselling author Joanne Harris comes a dark and twisted tale of betrayal set at a prep school.Īt St. The suggested questions are intended to help your reading group find new and interesting angles and topics for your discussion. This reading group guide for Different Class includes an introduction, discussion questions, ideas for enhancing your book club, and a Q&A with author Joanne Harris. A boy who still haunts Straitley’s dreams twenty years later. But while Straitley does his sardonic best to resist these steps toward the future, a shadow from his past begins to stir again. With insolvency and academic failure looming, a new headmaster arrives at the venerable school, bringing with him new technology, sharp suits, and even girls to the dusty corridors. But every so often there’s a boy who doesn’t quite fit the mold. Each class has its own clowns, rebels, and underdogs-all who hold a special place in the old teacher’s heart. Oswald’s Grammar in North Yorkshire, England, Latin master Roy Straitley has seen all kinds of boys come and go. “Harris delivers mischief and murder to an English prep school in Different Class, a delightfully malicious view of privileged students with overly active imaginations.” - The New York Times Book Reviewįrom the New York Times bestselling author of Chocolat comes a dark, psychological suspense tale in the tradition of Patricia Highsmith about a sociopathic young outcast at an antiquated prep school and the curmudgeonly Latin teacher who uncovers his dangerous secret.Īfter thirty years at St. rich, dramatic tale that builds to a surprising conclusion.” - T he Washington Post Joanne Harris’s latest novel, Different Class, has a killer elevator pitch and, what’s more, it delivers on its intriguing premise….

Different Class by Joanne Harris