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What weakness(es) in the writing of the book, if any, bothered you a bit?
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3
|
104
|
September 3, 2025
|
|
Overall, what did you think of The Ghostwriter? (no spoilers, please!)
|
|
38
|
428
|
September 3, 2025
|
|
Emily’s mother keeps the pamphlet about Kansas with a dream of going there one day, and Emily shares her sense of destiny to move there. Why do you suppose this is? Where do you most long to visit, or move to? Is there a place you're pulled toward?
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11
|
145
|
September 3, 2025
|
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What was your response to Emily and Henry’s decision to leave Kansas? In their place, would you have left sooner, later, or not at all? What would you like to see happen to Dorothy, Emily, and Henry next?
|
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21
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146
|
September 3, 2025
|
|
Adelaide Watson arrives as a fairy godmother in Emily’s and Dorothy’s lives, renewing their sense of hope and purpose. What were your thoughts on Adelaide and her impact on the other characters’ lives? Do you have a similar person in your own life?
|
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11
|
232
|
September 3, 2025
|
|
Annie and Emily’s close relationship deteriorates throughout the book as they are pulled in different directions. How did you respond to the breakdown of their connection? Why do you think Annie still chose Emily as Dorothy’s guardian?
|
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13
|
127
|
September 3, 2025
|
|
In a vision, Ivy sees Queen Matilda telling Aelfgyva that if she presses her son’s claim that he'll die an early death, while if she steps aside he’ll live. What did you think of this scene? Would you have made a different decision?
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3
|
73
|
September 3, 2025
|
|
Which of the various wedding locales and venues appealed to you the most? If you could have an unlimited budget for your wedding, what features would you choose? As a guest, what was the best wedding you ever attended, and what made it so enjoyable?
|
|
17
|
138
|
September 3, 2025
|
|
Throughout the novel the characters enjoy their wealth by going to exclusive restaurants, jetting around the world, and dressing in designer clothes, among other things. What was the one thing that you envied about the lifestyle? And why?
|
|
20
|
113
|
September 3, 2025
|
|
As you read the dramatic opening scene, what were your theories about the backstory behind the fatal showdown between Henry Tong and Roger Gao? How did the opulence and the outrageousness set the tone for the rest of the novel?
|
|
13
|
141
|
September 3, 2025
|
|
In writing Before Dorothy, the author enjoyed weaving in a number of “Easter eggs” as references to The Wizard of Oz. Which did you spot?
|
|
27
|
355
|
September 3, 2025
|
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Before Dorothy is set during the Depression and Dust Bowl. Why do you think the author chose that period, and in what ways do you think the economic and ecological events of that time reflect the references to power that we see in The Wizard of Oz?
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4
|
99
|
September 3, 2025
|
|
Overall, what did you think of Before Dorothy, and to what audience would you recommend it? (no spoilers, please!)
|
|
41
|
978
|
September 3, 2025
|
|
Discuss the role that grief and loss play in the novel. How do different characters respond to loss? How does the loss of Bobby affect Beth and Frank’s marriage? What role does grief play in shaping Beth’s relationship with Gabriel?
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|
6
|
133
|
September 3, 2025
|
|
Have you had experience with a family member or loved one with dementia? What was/is that experience like?
|
|
25
|
169
|
September 3, 2025
|
|
The community center is vital to the St. Tredock community. Are there any similar spaces that are the heart of your own community?
|
|
11
|
125
|
September 3, 2025
|
|
How does Gabriel’s return challenge Beth’s perception of her own life choices? Did you find Beth’s internal struggle between her past self and the woman she has become relatable?
|
|
6
|
123
|
September 3, 2025
|
|
Discuss the small-town setting of Broken Country. How did the tight-knit atmosphere of the village contribute to the unfolding drama? Do you think the events of the novel would have played out differently if it weren’t set in a rural farming village?
|
|
10
|
159
|
September 3, 2025
|
|
Louisa and Beth have a conversation over drinks. What impact do you feel Louisa’s revelations and her opinion that Beth “ruined Gabriel for anyone else” (p. 147) had on Beth’s future actions? Do you think the affair still would have happened?
|
|
4
|
109
|
September 3, 2025
|
|
Does the location have a strong sense of atmosphere? Do you think it feels like Victorian England?
|
|
6
|
99
|
September 3, 2025
|
|
Before Beth and Gabriel consummate their affair, do you think Beth is being fair to Frank by concealing the extent of her emotional connection to Gabriel? Can someone fully move on from a past relationship if they haven’t completely healed from it?
|
|
13
|
165
|
September 3, 2025
|
|
Do the rural setting and the natural world have symbolic significance for the characters and the plot? How might the land and country itself mirror the emotional conflicts in the story?
|
|
4
|
139
|
September 3, 2025
|
|
What’s your opinion of Frank’s actions after the murder (p. 274)? Did he do the right thing? What would you have done in his place?
|
|
9
|
183
|
September 3, 2025
|
|
The novel is full of hidden secrets and repressed emotions, especially in the way people in the village react to Gabriel’s return. What role do these secrets play in the novel? How do they affect Beth’s relationships and her sense of self?
|
|
3
|
100
|
September 3, 2025
|
|
What do you make of Tom’s reaction to Olivia’s confession? Do you think he was overreacting, or were his expectations clear from the beginning?
|
|
33
|
250
|
September 3, 2025
|
|
Olivia and Vincent ultimately publish a theory about the murders in their book. What did you think about the story they chose to tell? Were they justified in taking the route they did?
|
|
14
|
234
|
September 3, 2025
|
|
In what ways do you feel Emily’s community supported her? What might her life have been like if she hadn’t been welcomed by Liberal’s women? Do you have a community that supports you?
|
|
12
|
113
|
September 3, 2025
|
|
All German citizens were made to pay reparations after WWII (in the form of physical labor and low food rations). Do you believe this was fair? Why or why not?
|
|
9
|
139
|
September 3, 2025
|
|
Di often calls Hai a coward. What kinds of bravery does each character exhibit? How does each character's bravery (or lack thereof) shape the family's story?
|
|
6
|
118
|
September 3, 2025
|
|
Did you find Evelyn's mother, Cecelia, a frustrating character, or were her actions in keeping with the period and her situation?
|
|
22
|
182
|
September 3, 2025
|