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Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall
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1
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34
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May 13, 2025
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Overall, what did you think of Broken Country? (no spoilers, please!)
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6
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16
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July 4, 2025
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What’s your opinion of Frank’s actions after the murder (p. 274)? Did he do the right thing? What would you have done in his place?
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2
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4
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July 4, 2025
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Beth keeps a favorite photograph in her purse of Bobby (p. 123). Do you think this helped or hurt her healing? Do you keep a photo of a loved one with you at all times? Why or why not?
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6
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11
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July 4, 2025
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If you were Beth, would you have chosen Frank or Gabriel? Why?
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7
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11
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July 4, 2025
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Did you enjoy the way Clare Leslie Hall teased out the details of the murder trial? Who did you initially suspect was on trial? Did it play out the way you thought it would?
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4
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7
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July 4, 2025
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How did Beth and Frank’s marriage seem to you at the start of the novel? Once you read on, did your perception of their marriage change?
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5
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9
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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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2
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5
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July 4, 2025
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Do the rural setting and the natural world have symbolic significance for the characters and the plot? How might the land and country itself mirror the emotional conflicts in the story?
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1
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4
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July 3, 2025
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What do you think the author is saying about the power of first love? Does it always leave a lasting impact? Was Beth’s past love with Gabriel a source of strength or pain for her? How does this effect the way she views herself and her current life?
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1
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3
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July 3, 2025
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Discuss the small-town setting of Broken Country. How did the tight-knit atmosphere of the village contribute to the unfolding drama? Do you think the events of the novel would have played out differently if it weren’t set in a rural farming village?
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3
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5
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July 3, 2025
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Before Beth and Gabriel consummate their affair, do you think Beth is being fair to Frank by concealing the extent of her emotional connection to Gabriel? Can someone fully move on from a past relationship if they haven’t completely healed from it?
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4
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7
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July 3, 2025
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Discuss Beth’s journey of coming to terms with her son’s death. How does the arrival of Leo and Gabriel affect her ability to cope with that loss?
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3
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6
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July 3, 2025
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The novel ends with some explosive consequences and twists. Were you surprised by the revelations at the end? Did you see any of them coming? If so, when?
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1
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4
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July 3, 2025
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Tessa manipulates Beth into thinking Gabriel doesn't care about her (p. 284). Do you think she’s acting in Gabriel’s best interests, or just being cruel? If you were Tessa, what would you have done? What would you have done in Beth’s position?
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3
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8
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July 3, 2025
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Beth is conflicted because she loves both Gabriel and Frank (p. 132). Do you think she does, in fact, love each of them equally? Is it possible to love two people at the same time?
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2
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4
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July 3, 2025
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What audience would you recommend Broken Country to? Is there another book or author you’d recommend that you feel has a similar theme or style?
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2
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7
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July 3, 2025
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Louisa and Beth have a conversation over drinks. What impact do you feel Louisa’s revelations and her opinion that Beth “ruined Gabriel for anyone else” (p. 147) had on Beth’s future actions? Do you think the affair still would have happened?
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0
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2
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July 2, 2025
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The novel is full of hidden secrets and repressed emotions, especially in the way people in the village react to Gabriel’s return. What role do these secrets play in the novel? How do they affect Beth’s relationships and her sense of self?
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0
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1
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July 2, 2025
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Discuss the role that grief and loss play in the novel. How do different characters respond to loss? How does the loss of Bobby affect Beth and Frank’s marriage? What role does grief play in shaping Beth’s relationship with Gabriel?
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0
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1
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July 2, 2025
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How does Gabriel’s return challenge Beth’s perception of her own life choices? Did you find Beth’s internal struggle between her past self and the woman she has become relatable?
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0
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2
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July 2, 2025
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