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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?
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11
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21
|
July 4, 2025
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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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9
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23
|
July 4, 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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18
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57
|
July 4, 2025
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Throughout the novel, Beth is confronted with the woman she once was versus the woman she has become. What do you think the author is saying about identity, particularly how it is shaped by love, grief and time?
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4
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16
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July 4, 2025
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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?
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8
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45
|
July 3, 2025
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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?
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5
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35
|
July 2, 2025
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Did you find Evelyn's mother, Cecelia, a frustrating character, or were her actions in keeping with the period and her situation?
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21
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55
|
July 2, 2025
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In the epilogue, the narrator ponders the evolution and usages of racial terminology over time. Do you agree or disagree with those views?
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7
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16
|
July 2, 2025
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Why do you think Gordon Humphrey was so set on a ban on those of Chinese ancestry, even while profiting off them?
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12
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40
|
July 2, 2025
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Through much of the story, Celia wrestles with identity. At their core, how are Owen’s struggles with the issue similar? How are they different?
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9
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23
|
July 2, 2025
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Overall, what did you think of The Girls of Good Fortune? (no spoilers, please!)
|
|
41
|
153
|
July 2, 2025
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Dorothy tells her Auntie Em that she didn’t think Mr. Stregone was a magic man at all. Em replies, “I think the idea of magic is sometimes more important than the magic itself” (p. 324). What do you think of her response? Do you think she’s right?
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4
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17
|
July 1, 2025
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What are your favorite lines or quotes from the book? Share them with your reading group and discuss why they especially resonate with you
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3
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11
|
June 30, 2025
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Annie asks Emily why she hadn’t told Henry about her miscarriage. Emily responds that she “didn’t want to bring such sadness to our new start.” Annie concurs: “Sometimes ignorance is kinder than the truth.” What did you think of this exchange?
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10
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27
|
June 30, 2025
|
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Poppy is shown to be a fierce advocate of women and women’s rights. How do you think that affected her decisions throughout the book? Did she take risks she shouldn’t have?
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6
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28
|
June 30, 2025
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Emily eventually publishes her journal entries into a book, parts of which are included between chapters of Before Dorothy. What did you think of their inclusion? What did they add to your understanding of Emily and her life? Do you keep a journal?
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2
|
11
|
June 29, 2025
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How did you react to Leonardo Stregone, and in what ways did you see parallels between him and the wizard in the original Wizard of Oz book and movie? What are your thoughts on the rainmakers who traveled across the Great Plains during the Dust Bowl?
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13
|
36
|
June 29, 2025
|
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The roles of women as sisters, friends, daughters, wives, aunts, and mothers is explored throughout the book. What was your emotional response to the relationship between Emily and Dorothy? Which other relationships particularly resonated with you?
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5
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23
|
June 29, 2025
|
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What is your own connection or response to the natural world? What more could you do to change how you interact with and respond to nature?
|
|
7
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23
|
June 29, 2025
|
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Evelyn and William are both dishonest about important aspects of their lives. Did either do the right thing by concealing the truth? How might their situations have been better or worse had they been honest with each other and with their friends?
|
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11
|
33
|
June 29, 2025
|
|
What dynamic does Aunt Clara add to the story?
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|
11
|
33
|
June 28, 2025
|
|
Overall, what did you think of The Lamplighter’s Bookshop? (no spoilers, please!)
|
|
21
|
78
|
June 28, 2025
|
|
Evelyn recalls her father reading to her when she was a child. While she preferred Black Beauty, he enjoyed adventure novels. What does this say about each of their personalities, in your opinion? Do you have a book memory that involves a parent?
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9
|
27
|
June 27, 2025
|
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William asks his uncle if Jack’s right when he says that “If you care for someone…then you should let them see all of who you are. He says that’s what love is” (p. 253). What’s your opinion on the subject?
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|
11
|
37
|
June 27, 2025
|
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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?
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15
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42
|
June 26, 2025
|
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If you were Eden, would you have accepted Luis Felipe's invitation if it meant a mega payoff for you, your loved ones, or a charity?
|
|
17
|
48
|
June 26, 2025
|
|
How are Eden and Rufus transformed by their southwestern road trip? Does it measure up to the glamorous jet-setting they did previously?
|
|
13
|
42
|
June 26, 2025
|
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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?
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11
|
44
|
June 26, 2025
|
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What do you think about Evelyn's relationship with her father? Do you think she will see him again in the future? Do you think she should?
|
|
16
|
40
|
June 26, 2025
|
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What did you enjoy most about the romance between Evelyn and William? How does it compare to other star-crossed lovers in literature?
|
|
10
|
31
|
June 26, 2025
|