4.What role does romantic love play in each character’s life? Why do you think Ava is so hesitant about falling in love, first with Mark and then with Nick? How does Rosalyn use her illness as an excuse not to get close to Jack?
5.A prominent theme in this novel is the betrayals of the body—we see this through Dina and also Rosalyn. How do Dina and Rosalyn’s reactions differ as their bodies start to fail them? What do they find comfort in to help them through these experiences?
6.What did the author accomplish by telling the story from multiple points of view? How did you feel when returning to a character after spending a few chapters away from him/her?
7.Many of the characters spend time fantasizing about what they thought their lives would look like or actions they would take if they could disregard the consequences. What role does fantasy play for each character and how does exploring their inner fantasies help you understand their characters?
8.Murray has never fought in a war and his thoughts on war differ greatly from other characters’ opinions. How does his attitude compare with Bruce’s, Liam’s, and Ava’s views on war and its place in society?
9.Do you think Sylvie loves Murray? What are her reasons for marrying him and how does her view of their relationship change when she gets pregnant and lets Murray believe the baby is his?
10.Shelly advises Sylvie to “Take what you can when you can where you can” (page 37). What do you think of this advice and how does this sentiment tie into the novel as a whole?
11.What is Sylvie searching for in her relationship with Liam? Does caring for him at the end of his life change anything for Sylvie?
12.What would you do if you were in Shelly’s place, deciding between leaving Bruce and helping him through his debilitating depression?
13.Does Dina blame herself for her son Tim’s actions? Do you understand her decision to help him escape and her refusal to ask him what he did? Do you think it is hard for her to admit that she prays that Tim stays away from her?
14.Do you understand Mila’s reasons for keeping the truth about where Darla’s father is secret? Do think she made the right decision in keeping the information from Darla? How might things have been different for Darla if she had grown up knowing her father was in prison?
15.The employees of Murray’s diner feel like a family. What role in the family does each character play?
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