1. Describe the influence Alexander Feldmann holds over Mariana’s life. How is it similar to his influence over Claude’s life? How is it different?
 

2. What does Mariana inherit from her father? What does she end up doing with this inheritance? What does she inherit from her mother, if anything?
 

3. What kind of childhood did Mariana have? How is it different than the one Claude had?
 

4. How does Mariana’s understanding of her parents’ marriage influence the decisions she makes when she learns Claude may be marrying another woman?
 

5. On page 176 Pilar accuses Mariana of “flirting with [her] father,” and thwarting their marriage. Why do you think Pilar accuses her daughter of this? How does her mother’s jealousy affect the relationships Mariana has with men?
 

6. The Stradivarius was Alexander’s most prized possession. What is the significance of Mariana inflicting such extensive damage on it? How is the place the instrument held in Alexander and Mariana’s relationship similar to the place it holds in Claude and Mariana’s relationship?
 

7. When Claude performs for Mariana she tells him to “Make the dog howl” (p 218), just as her father had told his own students. What is the difference between Mariana’s and Alexander’s approach to teaching? Do you think the novel supports one approach over another?
 

8. When Mariana played for Claude she “reach[ed] into the depths of the meditative, prayerful line, drawing out each phrase until she reached the final, whispered note” (p 219). What place does music ultimately hold in Mariana’s life?
 

9. For most of her life Mariana is known as “the maestro’s daughter” (p 163). How is she finally able to escape from the legacy of her father’s work and genius? Had her father not died, would she have been able to find the kind of stability and success she achieves at the end of the novel?
 

10. Mariana describes herself as being “transported by [music] to a place of beauty and solace” (p 228). What is your experience of music? How does it compare to your experience of reading and literature?

The Silver Swan
by Elena Delbanco

• Publication Date: May 19, 2015
• Genres: Fiction
• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Other Press
• ISBN-10: 1590517164
• ISBN-13: 9781590517161