The Marsh King's Daughter

The Marsh King's Daughter

by Karen Dionne

320 pages· 2017· ISBN 9780735213005

Browse books you can read free on Readfeed

No club is reading this yet — be the first to start one

7 readers have this book on their Readfeed shelves

Start a club free
About
The mesmerizing tale of a woman who must risk everything to hunt down the dangerous man who shaped her past and threatens to steal her future: her father.

Helena Pelletier has a loving husband, two beautiful daughters, and a business that fills her days. But she also has a secret: she is the product of an abduction. Her mother was kidnapped as a teenager by her father and kept in a remote cabin in the marshlands of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Helena, born two years after the abduction, loved her home in nature, and despite her father’s sometimes brutal behavior, she loved him, too…until she learned precisely how savage he could be.

More than twenty years later, she has buried her past so soundly that even her husband doesn’t know the truth. But now her father has killed two guards, escaped from prison, and disappeared into the marsh. The police begin a manhunt, but Helena knows they don’t stand a chance. Knows that only one person has the skills to find the survivalist the world calls the Marsh King–because only one person was ever trained by him: his daughter.

Discussion questions for The Marsh King's Daughter

Bring these to your book club — or discuss them with readers on Readfeed.

  1. 1

    How does Helena’s idyllic childhood in the marshland complicate her understanding of her father, and how do you reconcile a loving parental bond with the terrifying reality of abuse and captivity?

  2. 2

    Karen Dionne uses the harsh, beautiful landscape of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula almost as a character itself; in what ways does the setting reflect Helena’s internal state and her complex feelings of belonging?

  3. 3

    Helena spends years successfully hiding her past from her husband and community—at what point does protecting a secret become a form of self-preservation versus living a lie, and have you ever felt the need to hide a part of your own history to fit into normal society?

Discuss The Marsh King's Daughter with other readers

Join or start a book club for The Marsh King's Daughter on Readfeed. Live chat, shared reading progress, and AI discussion questions — free to get started.

Frequently asked questions

How do I join a book club for The Marsh King's Daughter?

Sign up free on Readfeed, then browse public clubs or start your own club with The Marsh King's Daughter as the current read. Invite friends with a share link and discuss together with live chat and AI discussion questions.

Can I discuss The Marsh King's Daughter with other readers online?

Yes. Readfeed book clubs let you chat live, share progress, and join discussions about The Marsh King's Daughter with readers worldwide — whether your club is virtual, in-person, or hybrid.

Is Readfeed free?

Yes. Creating an account and joining book clubs is free. Sign up to find readers who love the same books and start discussing today.