Strout, Elizabeth: *1956

Amy and Isabelle, 1998 - Thematic Parallels: Coming of Age

Coming of Age refers to the transition from childhood to adulthood.
Strout, Elizabeth: Amy and Isabelle, 1998
The story's central topic is the complex, strained relationship between a mother and her teenage daughter.
The following books are thematically simliar. They lend themselves well to being read in groups, compared with one another, or used to teach a similar topic over an extended period with a class:
- Adichie, Chimamanda: Purple Hibiscus, 2003, ~300pp
  This novel follows a sensitive teenager, Kambili, as she comes of age in the midst of familial strife and silence. Her relationship with her parents, especially the controlling father, echoes the tension, misunderstanding, and longing for independence in “Amy and Isabelle."
  - Both books explore how parental control shapes a daughter's sense of identity, expression, and self-worth. Freedom and emotional growth occur when the girls encounter worlds outside their controlling homes. Neither novel promises complete resolution, but both offer hope for growth after trauma.
- Hosseini, Khaled: The Kite Runner, 2003, ~340pp
  This novel is a coming-of-age story with emotional depth and personal development.
  - Both novels show how suppressed guilt or shame festers, disrupts relationships, and requires painful acknowledgment before healing can begin. Characters ache for acceptance and emotional connection but are trapped by silence, fear of disappointment, or pride.
- Ng, Celeste: Everything I Never Told You, 2014, ~290pp
  This novel is a family drama involving teenage identity and parental relationships.
  - The narratives highlight how girls’ inner lives remain invisible to the adults around them. They are emotionally resonant, psychological domestic dramas that explore the consequences of what remains unspoken within a family.
- Thomas, Angie: The Hate U Give, 2017, ~440pp
  This is a novel with coming-of-age themes and social issues.
  - In both books, adolescence is marked by confusion, shame, and a push toward self-definition. Both novels examine how trauma changes a young person’s worldview and how they learn to process what happened. The movement from silence to articulation is central to both narratives.
List of general discussion questions on Coming of Age (pdf)
List of essay prompts on Coming of Age (pdf)