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How do you feel the aftermath of WWII shaped the lives of the characters and their parents?
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0
|
5
|
June 24, 2026
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In considering the contrasts between the main female characters’ lifestyles, what do you think these differences reveal about class and privilege? How does wealth act as both an enabler and a barrier for different characters?
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0
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5
|
June 24, 2026
|
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What surprised you most about Mary Quant’s career? Are there other businesswomen you can name who succeeded against all odds in a male-dominated field?
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0
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4
|
June 24, 2026
|
|
Which of the women do you sympathize or identify with the most? Who do you think had the best life overall? Is there one you’d like to swap places with?
|
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0
|
6
|
June 24, 2026
|
|
What was your first impression of the two main characters, Aubrey Merritt and Olivia Blunt?
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16
|
84
|
June 24, 2026
|
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Eunice & Polly formed an unlikely alliance to take down Lucky. What qualities are required to make these kinds of alliances successful? Can you think of other situations where women from different backgrounds came together to achieve a common goal?
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2
|
16
|
June 23, 2026
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How would you describe Polly’s relationship with her parents? Was her relationship different with her mother than with her father, and if so, how? Why did she feel more animosity toward her father, and do you feel that was justified?
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9
|
42
|
June 23, 2026
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Do you think Eunice and Polly influenced each other’s lives? Do you think they learned anything from one another? How did their relationship change over the course of the book? What factors led to this transformation?
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4
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25
|
June 23, 2026
|
|
Eunice and Polly both faced a lot of challenges in their lives. How were their struggles similar, and how were they different?
|
|
8
|
41
|
June 23, 2026
|
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To what audience would you recommend Days of Sun and Shadow? Is there another book or author you feel has a similar theme or style?
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0
|
3
|
June 23, 2026
|
|
Have you read India Hayford’s earlier novel, The Song of the Blue Bottle Tree? If so, how do the two compare?
|
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0
|
3
|
June 23, 2026
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|
Do you believe Caleb will ever follow Emilie to Texas?
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0
|
2
|
June 23, 2026
|
|
Consider the relationship between Emilie and Caleb. Did his revelation startle you? Why or why not?
|
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0
|
2
|
June 23, 2026
|
|
How do you feel Star’s return helped Emilie recover from the traumatic events surrounding Rose’s birth?
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0
|
2
|
June 23, 2026
|
|
What role did traumatic loss play in Emilie’s relationships with Keller and Walker? Do you think she’d have taken up with either man without that catalyst?
|
|
0
|
1
|
June 23, 2026
|
|
How do you think the rising tensions about slavery impact the relationship between the McCains and Cathcarts?
|
|
0
|
2
|
June 23, 2026
|
|
What were some of the milestones you witnessed in Emilie’s journey to independence?
|
|
0
|
1
|
June 23, 2026
|
|
As an assistant district attorney for the City of New York and Manhattan’s first Black female prosecutor, Eunice Hunton Carter achieved incredible success. What personality traits led her to achieve this success?
|
|
6
|
27
|
June 23, 2026
|
|
Overall, what did you think of When No One Else Will? To what audience would you recommend the novel? (No spoilers, please!)
|
|
31
|
212
|
June 23, 2026
|
|
Why, in your opinion, did Delpha reject Emilie instead of cherishing her as the only surviving child of the family?
|
|
0
|
2
|
June 23, 2026
|
|
To what audience would you recommend The World’s Greatest Detective and Her Just Okay Assistant? Is there another book or author you feel has a similar theme or style?
|
|
13
|
91
|
June 23, 2026
|
|
What did you think of the research Olivia did on Merritt before interviewing for the position of assistant?
|
|
15
|
87
|
June 22, 2026
|
|
Liza Tully is the pseudonym for Elisabeth Brink, who also writes dark thrillers under the name Elisabeth Elo, as well as literary fiction under Elisabeth Panttaja Brink. Have you read any of her other novels?
|
|
11
|
53
|
June 22, 2026
|
|
Overall, what did you think of The World’s Greatest Detective and Her Just Okay Assistant? (No spoilers, please!)
|
|
30
|
191
|
June 22, 2026
|
|
Eunice Hunton Carter and Polly Adler were well-known figures in 1930s New York. Were you familiar with either of them before reading A Pair of Aces?
|
|
28
|
211
|
June 21, 2026
|
|
This is the third historical fiction novel Benedict and Murray have written together. Each has also written several novels on her own. Have you read any of their other works, and if so, how do they compare?
|
|
16
|
90
|
June 21, 2026
|
|
What did you think of Polly’s relationship with the Lion? Why do you think the two women were so close?
|
|
8
|
40
|
June 20, 2026
|
|
Lucky Luciano was the most notorious mobster of his time. Had you heard of him before reading the book? Lucky, Eunice, & Polly were all prominent figures in the 1930s. Who do you think is the best known of the three today? Why do you think that is?
|
|
16
|
80
|
June 20, 2026
|
|
How did you feel about Eunice’s working relationship with Thomas Dewey? What did you think of his decisions throughout the book? Do you think his view of Eunice changed by the end? Do you think Eunice would face the same sorts of issues today?
|
|
11
|
41
|
June 20, 2026
|
|
Polly had a complicated relationship with the women, like Virginia, who worked for her. How did her relationship with these women influence Polly’s decision to work with Eunice? Do you think the women like Virginia felt like they were family to Polly?
|
|
9
|
38
|
June 20, 2026
|