1. General Impressions 

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

• Did you sympathize with Juliette’s actions? Why or why not?
• How does this book compare to others by Kristin Harmel (The Sweetness of Forgetting, The Winemaker’s Wife, The Book of Lost Names)? What are some new choices or experiments she made with this novel?
• How did this book influence your understanding of WWII?

2. Personal Reflection and Connection 

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

• Juliette and Elise take contrasting views of a mother’s responsibility toward her child. Which of these views resonates more truthfully to you, and why?
• Several of the characters are artists or are connected to art in some way. What role does art play in your own life?
• One recurring theme is the fallibility and malleability of memory. Have you ever had an experience in which you mistrusted your own memory? Can memory be trusted in day-to-day life?
• Juliette recreates her bookshop in America in an attempt to create a safe place reminiscent of her past. Which place in your life represents this for you?
• Compare this novel to other WWII historical fiction you have read. What commonalities do you see?

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