September 1, 2021
This masterful novel of psychological suspense from the New York Times bestselling author of The Art Forger follows a cast of unforgettable characters whose lives intersect when a harrowing accident occurs at the Metropolis Storage Warehouse in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Serge is a homeless street photographer who sleeps in his storage unit; Marta is an illegal immigrant who seeks refuge from ICE by hiding in hers; Liddy camps out in hers after escaping her abusive husband; Jason is a lawyer who uses his unit as his office; Rose is the office manager who takes kickbacks; and Zach is the building owner is an ex-drug dealer. When a fateful accident occurs, these six very different people, with seemingly no link to each other beyond the Metropolis Storage Warehouse in Cambridge, Massachusetts, see their precariously balanced lives torn apart. But was it an accident or something else? Suicide, perhaps? Murder?
Discussion Questions
Courtesy of B.A. Shapiro
- Each of the six main characters in Metropolis has a secret. How do these secrets affect who they are and their actions throughout the novel?
- Metropolis has an ensemble cast. Why do you think the author tells the story in so many voices? How much knowledge did you gain about Zach, Rose, Liddy, Marta, Serge, and Jason through another’s viewpoint? Do you think this is an effective way of exploring character?
- The author is a longtime resident of Boston, which plays a large part in this book. How are her feelings for her city expressed throughout the book?
- The epigraph in Metropolis reads, “An imbalance between the rich and the poor is the oldest and most fatal ailment of all republics.” Why do you suppose the author chose this particular quote? Do you believe it’s true? How did the author weave this concept into the story?
- Were you familiar with “The Race of Life,” the experiment Marta cites in her dissertation? Do you believe that their parents’ socioeconomic level places children at uneven starting lines? Can you think of people you know for whom this is true? People for whom it isn’t? What are your thoughts on inequality and opportunity in this country?
- Given their different backgrounds and life experiences, did Liddy and Marta’s love story seem plausible to you? Do you think they will end up together?
- Was Liddy right to disappear? Do you think she had other options? Why do you think it took her so long to realize she was mistreated?
- Do you think Marta’s decision to go to court was the correct one? Were her deportation orders fair?
- How about Rose’s decision to collude with Garrett? Do you blame her for her choices?
- In the end, what do you think these characters learned about themselves from one another? To what extent do you feel they were the actors in their own dramas, and how much were the circumstances beyond their control?