|
Billie tests at the level of genius and reads a thick dictionary for pleasure, and yet she is naïve about some things— for example, she thinks that the Garden of Eden is the actual location where Adam and Eve once walked. How do you reconcile these two?
|
|
14
|
61
|
May 13, 2026
|
|
Overall, what did you think of Happy Land? (No spoilers in this thread, please!)
|
|
44
|
208
|
May 12, 2026
|
|
To what audience would you recommend Aphrodite in Pieces? Is there another book or author you feel has a similar theme or style?
|
|
19
|
60
|
May 12, 2026
|
|
The only god that truly befriends Aphrodite is Apollo. Why do you believe so few of the gods show sympathy for her?
|
|
20
|
73
|
May 12, 2026
|
|
When Aphrodite complains about Alexandros’s housekeeping, he responds, “I haven’t the time to maintain it.” She replies, “We make time for the things we truly want, don’t we?” (p. 65) Do you agree with her?
|
|
10
|
38
|
May 12, 2026
|
|
Olivia expects to be fired any minute, and in truth Merritt doesn’t seem very supportive. What did you think of Olivia as a detective? What strengths did you see, and what weaknesses? Do you agree with Merritt’s “final grade of C plus”? (p.378)
|
|
3
|
12
|
May 12, 2026
|
|
Merritt is sometimes harsh with those she’s interviewing but at other times she fawns. What were your thoughts as she spoke to suspects? What was your opinion of her investigative style? Is there another fictional detective she reminds you of?
|
|
4
|
21
|
May 11, 2026
|
|
What role do you think the woman Billie meets at the Garden of Eden plays in the story? As off-putting as she is, why do you think Billie is drawn to her?
|
|
7
|
31
|
May 11, 2026
|
|
Beyond abject grief, what do you think of the reaction of the Enholm family and the Wiley community to the accident that claims the lives of their loved ones? Did anything about it surprise you?
|
|
9
|
56
|
May 11, 2026
|
|
Billie often mentions the polka dot agate rock given to her by her friend Harriet. What do you think it means to Billie?
|
|
17
|
86
|
May 11, 2026
|
|
How do you think Billie's life would have turned out if her father had lived?
|
|
22
|
94
|
May 11, 2026
|
|
What do you understand Billie to mean when she says that people's words sometimes "echo" in her mind? Have you (or someone you know) ever had an experience like this?
|
|
7
|
41
|
May 11, 2026
|
|
Do you think Billie made the right decision to stay in Hutch and take care of her mother?
|
|
19
|
82
|
May 11, 2026
|
|
After her father dies, Billie finds she has trouble remembering his face. Her mother recalls being told, when her own mother died, that reciting the best memory of her, over and over, would help. Was a good strategy? Have you ever done something similar?
|
|
14
|
43
|
May 10, 2026
|
|
Billie’s mother insists that she can stand pain if she makes up her mind to (“You could stand anything for a minute, an hour a day…”) What did you think of this? How did this philosophy help or hurt Billie?
|
|
9
|
34
|
May 10, 2026
|
|
Billie's feelings about Joan are complicated. What aspects of Billie's life play into that relationship? What did you think about Joan's treatment of Billie?
|
|
20
|
89
|
May 10, 2026
|
|
Were you familiar with any of the myths the author includes in the narrative? Which ones? How did the author’s versions compare to those you recall?
|
|
8
|
33
|
May 10, 2026
|
|
What did you think about Clayton's role in the novel? How would you describe his feelings for Billie? Why does he seek her out? How do you think she feels about him?
|
|
11
|
57
|
May 10, 2026
|
|
To what audience would you recommend Won’t Be Long Now? Is there another book or author you feel has a similar theme or style?
|
|
17
|
73
|
May 10, 2026
|
|
Why Do Men Go to War?
|
|
6
|
36
|
May 10, 2026
|
|
As he’s designing his statue of Aphrodite, Alexandros struggles with what to put in her hands. Did you have any thoughts as you were reading as to what would be appropriate? What do you feel about his final choice?
|
|
5
|
17
|
May 10, 2026
|
|
When Mebel and Alain begin their affair, both are still married but living separately from their spouses. What was your opinion of Alain, and of their relationship? Did you suspect his true character before Gemma spilled the beans?
|
|
12
|
32
|
May 10, 2026
|
|
Which scene in the book was your favorite? Were there any passages or quotes you highlighted, and if so, which ones?
|
|
16
|
73
|
May 10, 2026
|
|
Do you think Billie is, as she implies, autistic? How does that affect your view of her and her story?
|
|
11
|
64
|
May 10, 2026
|
|
Have you read Elizabeth Hardinger’s earlier novel, All the Forgiveness? If so, how does it compare to Won’t Be Long Now?
|
|
8
|
36
|
May 10, 2026
|
|
Overall, what did you think of Won’t Be Long Now? (No spoilers in this topic, please.)
|
|
26
|
119
|
May 10, 2026
|
|
Billie refuses to attend important rituals, like her graduation ceremony or funerals. Why do you suppose this is? Her mother tells her she'll regret it later. Does she? What's your opinion about such rituals?
|
|
11
|
59
|
May 10, 2026
|
|
Henk, Mebel’s son Sammy, and Sammy’s wife Hannah surprise Mebel by turning up in England to ask her to come back home. She refuses. How did you react to this scene? Of the adults present whose reaction surprised you the most?
|
|
10
|
35
|
May 10, 2026
|
|
Mebel ponders her relationship with Henk, feeling that she may have been overconfident in her assessment of her position. Do you feel she took their relationship for granted? Is there was anything she could have done to prevent Henk from leaving?
|
|
4
|
15
|
May 10, 2026
|
|
Gemma calls Mebel “Mebs” and at first Mebel is offended because she's used to “elders [being] treated with reverence.” (p. 99). Does Mebel receive the appropriate deference in class? How do you think her age helps or hurts her at the cooking school?
|
|
5
|
18
|
May 10, 2026
|