Love is fragile; secrets are dangerous; following one’s heart has an ultimate cost.
Ellie Cooper, a dedicated doctor with a seemingly balanced life, thought she had it all until cracks form in her life. Her two-year relationship with journalist Henry Black begins to feel more like a safe harbour than a passionate love affair, while her demanding career leaves little room for reflection.
Enter Julian Blue, a charming and driven investment banker whose presence sets Ellie’s and Henry’s worlds on fire. But Julian carries his own demons. Haunted by professional ambition, Julian’s yearning for connection and need for love run deeper than appearances. As Ellie, Henry, and Julian’s lives become entangled, secrets are revealed at a high cost. When truths emerge, difficult choices must be made.
In the glittering, yet cutthroat world of London’s elite, the three lives spiral toward a collision course of friendship, love, betrayal, and self- discovery. Three POVs, three different wants and needs, and many obstacles create a messy story about human connection and misconnection. Trust is shattered. Bonds transform into love, then into something far more dangerous.
Ellie
Throughout the novel Ellie faces abandonment, betrayal and loss. Do you think she demonstrates resilience and strength by the end of the story? Is her joy in the end well deserved?
Henry
Henry struggles with his sexuality and his relationship with his family’s expectations of him. Does this make him unlikeable or a victim? Are his actions toward Ellie forgivable and does his behaviour toward Julian – not writing the condemning article – offer redemption?
Julian
From strength to ultimate failure. The recurring phrase “no hands” symbolises risk-taking . Does this motif reflect his character arc and decisions?Has Julian’s bisexuality been handled carefully by the author? Does his love for both his friends come across as believable and authentically handled? Do is concurrent affairs come across like a betrayal or like an extension of the love-bank he has in store after having been love-deprived in his upbringing.
Oscar Cooper
He is Ellie’s father who commits terrible crimes against other human beings and fraudulent activity at work. Yet, he is a loving father, a blood donor, and a kidney donor to his daughter. Is there redemption for such characters?
1. "Black and Blue" refers to the surnames of two of the characters. It also suggests being bruised or hurt. This dual meaning expands throughout the novel. Do you like the title?
2. The novel is narrated from three separate POVs. Do you find that confusing? Is the perspective of one character in particular you found most compelling?
3. Each character grapples with an identity crisis and loneliness. Is there true resolution in the end?
4. The story begins with Julian’s planned fall, without confirming an outcome. Does this compel you to find out more about what led him to that?
5. The story deals with contemporary issues such as #MeToo Movement, LGBGTQ+ representation, class and privilege, abandonment and deception. How do the representations of these issues reflect the reality of today?
6. The Cooper, the Blue and the Black families are all dysfunctional in various degrees. Do you think the childhood experiences of the protagonists have not only shaped their characters in the book but also their actions?
7. Black and Blue is a story of complex interpersonal dynamics, delving into unspoken attractions and shifting allegiances amongst the characters. How hateful or loveable are the characters? Do they evolve and change?
8. Ellie discovers her Jewish heritage late in life. Does this revelation affect her sense of identity? Is she justified to reject that heritage as her mother had?
9. Julian was suffering from mental health issues. Could the author have revealed more warning signs? Do we empathise with his calls for being loved, what Ellie calls the unrecognised “Scream” by Edvard Munch? Might other choices by the characters in the book have prevented the tragic end of Julian?
10. Ellie shows a different “standard” for forgiveness toward the characters surrounding her. Do you think she should have forgiven her mother and father given that she forgave Henry and Julian for their own betrayals?
11. Do you believe that Oscar, Henry, Ellie. and Julian’s family members are all contributors to Julian’s decision to end his life? Why?
12. The novel ends with a new life – baby Julian. Does this provide hope or closure?
What scenes or themes will stay with you after reading Black and Blue?Does the story remind you of real events or people in your own experience? Are there any questions raised which will leave you pondering?
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