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Is there a quote or scene in Dream Count that stood out for you? Why do you suppose it resonated?
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5
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578
|
June 23, 2025
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Zikora tells Omelogor and Chia that “every woman has a story…where a man has lied to her or betrayed her and left her with consequences.” Do you think this is true?
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16
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230
|
June 23, 2025
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Chia also thinks, “Where have all the years gone, and have I made the most of life? But what is the final measure for making the most of life, and how would I know if I have?” How would you answer her?
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12
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130
|
June 23, 2025
|
|
Overall, what did you think of The Busybody Book Club? (no spoilers, please!)
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26
|
573
|
September 3, 2025
|
|
Overall, what did you think of Becoming Madam Secretary? (no spoilers, please!)
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34
|
2136
|
June 23, 2025
|
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Do you believe Sofie would have been better off if she'd never met Bertie? Why or why not?
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8
|
119
|
September 3, 2025
|
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To what audience would you recommend The Busybody Book Club? Is there another book or author you feel has a similar theme or style?
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14
|
212
|
September 3, 2025
|
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Goss tells Bernie that the problem with Berliners is that “You take nothing seriously. Everything’s a joke.” He goes on to say, “Never laugh in the face of villainy.” (p.71) What’s your opinion of this advice?
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9
|
116
|
September 3, 2025
|
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If you were either Hai or Di, could you forgive your father? What about your grandmother and grandfather?
|
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31
|
211
|
September 3, 2025
|
|
At times Nova found it difficult to speak up for herself. Where in the story did you see her fellow book club members helping her grow?
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4
|
92
|
September 3, 2025
|
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The destruction at Bellaloha shows natural forces overruling carefully laid human plans. Similarly, Rene receives excellent medical treatment but is at the mercy of his illness. What other examples did you see of problems that money can't solve?
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12
|
99
|
September 3, 2025
|
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Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton novels are featured heavily throughout The Busybody Book Club. Have you read any of them, or watched the series? What’s your favorite “enemy-to-lovers” novel?
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11
|
254
|
September 3, 2025
|
|
Overall, what did you think of The Devil Finds Work?
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|
34
|
252
|
June 23, 2025
|
|
Did knowing the book is based on Eve Chung’s grandmother’s experiences change the way you approached the novel, and if so, how?
|
|
24
|
243
|
September 3, 2025
|
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Did Ash and Arthur’s unlikely friendship surprise you as they bonded over books? Have you found in your own experiences that books can bring people from different circumstances together in a shared love of the story or characters?
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|
9
|
129
|
September 3, 2025
|
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Karl says that survival is inherently selfish (p.248). Do you agree or disagree? Why?
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8
|
294
|
September 3, 2025
|
|
Do you think Luis Felipe could have been saved? Was there anything that could have been done after the time we meet him in the book that might have improved his chances or was he a lost cause by that point?
|
|
16
|
148
|
September 3, 2025
|
|
Everything Lady Arabella does is a calculated move. What motivates her? Why is she unable to have a loving parent-child relationship? What causes Luis Felipe's destructive bent? What does the novel say about creating loving bonds within a family?
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|
17
|
129
|
September 3, 2025
|
|
What audience would you recommend Daughters of Shandong to? Is there another book or author you feel has a similar theme or style?
|
|
31
|
464
|
September 3, 2025
|
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Rosina tells Rufus she thought he’d have realized that he has “never been in a position to marry for love.” (p. 211). How much do you think being wealthy, famous or royal dictates who you can have a relationship with or who you can wed?
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|
11
|
117
|
September 3, 2025
|
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Regarding the lies in the novel's storylines, which revelations surprised you the most? What is at the heart of these lies? Who or what is being served by such carefully guarded falsehoods? Would it have been less painful to just live with the truth?
|
|
10
|
102
|
September 3, 2025
|
|
Does Kristina McMorris Zoom in to book clubs?
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|
2
|
93
|
September 3, 2025
|
|
Why do you think May was disappointed in Lily's choice to quit her job at the magazine and financially rely on Matthew in the early years of their relationship?
|
|
21
|
218
|
June 23, 2025
|
|
In the prologue, May swallows an ancient lotus seed. In what ways did this action affect the course of May's life and, by extension, Lily's and Nick's? Do you think that if she hadn't swallowed the seed, the succeeding events would have transpired?
|
|
8
|
94
|
June 23, 2025
|
|
Another theme that appears is that of luck. How does May's concept of luck contradict, or even explain, her belief in biology and the concept of manufacturing a human being to eliminate genetic diseases and, essentially, create a perfect human specimen?
|
|
6
|
80
|
June 23, 2025
|
|
Structure of the novel, Real Americans
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|
6
|
73
|
June 23, 2025
|
|
Phyllis asks Nova, “[W]hat’s so wrong with being a busybody?” (p. 191). Where do you stand on the question? Was her nosiness a good thing or a bad thing? Do you consider yourself a busybody, or do you know someone who is?
|
|
9
|
80
|
September 3, 2025
|
|
Despite the great expense and opulence of their wedding, Maxxie and Augie could not prevent the volcanic eruption. But could they have prevented the circumstances that immediately put their marriage on the rocks?
|
|
7
|
68
|
September 3, 2025
|
|
Kevin Kwan uses footnotes to provide us with insider details. What were the most fascinating tidbits you discovered? How would you answer the question he asks at the bottom of page 70: "Where do you rank and what sort of feelings does this bring up?"
|
|
21
|
179
|
September 3, 2025
|
|
Bertie is often preoccupied with Gert's whereabouts, especially after WWII. In what ways is his preoccupation reasonable? In what ways is it detrimental? Where is the line, if any, between healthy and unhealthy concern about a loved one?
|
|
8
|
115
|
September 3, 2025
|