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Merritt doesn’t share everything with the police. She feels that once they have a suspect they become “blind to all the evidence that points a different way.” (p. 77). What do you think about her opinion here? Is she correct?
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7
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23
|
May 14, 2026
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What did you think of the research Olivia did on Merritt before interviewing for the position of assistant?
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10
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39
|
May 14, 2026
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What did you think of the book’s conclusion, and what do you think Billie's life will look like going forward?
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19
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87
|
May 14, 2026
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What did you make of Billie’s awareness of a rage inside her that she first calls The Thing, later Charlotte? She wonders if there’s a Charlotte or something like a Charlotte in everyone’s life, but that people just don’t talk about it. What do you think?
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7
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34
|
May 14, 2026
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Beyond what Billie says, why do you think she feels that she doesn't belong in the same world as anyone else she knows?
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7
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33
|
May 14, 2026
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Olivia is more empathetic than Merritt, and asks herself, “Must I always suspect the absolute worst of a person?” (p. 240). Do you think this trait is required to be an effective investigator, or is it something that develops with experience?
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9
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30
|
May 14, 2026
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What plot point surprised you? What red herrings did you detect?
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5
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24
|
May 14, 2026
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What did you think of the relationship between Billie and her mother? How do Billie's feelings about her mother change over the course of the novel? Does Dixie go through a similar change?
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8
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35
|
May 14, 2026
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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?
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5
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20
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May 13, 2026
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Merritt and Olivia have a disagreement about sexism in the workplace. (pp 162-163). Merritt feels the problem with Olivia’s generation is that they “expect things to be easy.” Olivia replies, “No, not easy. Fair.” What did you think of this debate?
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10
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38
|
May 13, 2026
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After Pia’s visit in Chapter 35, Olivia decides to take action on her own. What did you think of her decision here? What might you have done in her place?
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7
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23
|
May 13, 2026
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The novel, “All her life, Mabel Tanadi has always had a fear of – not so much death as much as situations that eventually lead to death.” What did you think of this opening? What was your opinion of her list of anxieties? Do you ever have similar worries?
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6
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14
|
May 13, 2026
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Overall, what did you think of Aphrodite in Pieces? (No spoilers in this topic, please.)
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25
|
117
|
May 13, 2026
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Other than the main characters Aphrodite and Ares, which emerged as your favorites? Were there any that you despised?
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14
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57
|
May 13, 2026
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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?
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14
|
61
|
May 13, 2026
|
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Overall, what did you think of Happy Land? (No spoilers in this thread, please!)
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|
44
|
214
|
May 12, 2026
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To what audience would you recommend Aphrodite in Pieces? Is there another book or author you feel has a similar theme or style?
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19
|
63
|
May 12, 2026
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The only god that truly befriends Aphrodite is Apollo. Why do you believe so few of the gods show sympathy for her?
|
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20
|
76
|
May 12, 2026
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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?
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10
|
38
|
May 12, 2026
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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?
|
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7
|
33
|
May 11, 2026
|
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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?
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9
|
57
|
May 11, 2026
|
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Billie often mentions the polka dot agate rock given to her by her friend Harriet. What do you think it means to Billie?
|
|
17
|
88
|
May 11, 2026
|
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How do you think Billie's life would have turned out if her father had lived?
|
|
22
|
95
|
May 11, 2026
|
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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
|
42
|
May 11, 2026
|
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Do you think Billie made the right decision to stay in Hutch and take care of her mother?
|
|
19
|
83
|
May 11, 2026
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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?
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14
|
44
|
May 10, 2026
|
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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?
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9
|
34
|
May 10, 2026
|
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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
|
93
|
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
|
35
|
May 10, 2026
|
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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
|
61
|
May 10, 2026
|