Discussion Questions: Good Kings Bad Kings; Ginny Moon; No Good Asking

Good Kings Bad Kings

1. Discuss the title of the book, and the passage that it comes from (pg. 135). How does this title relate to various characters in the novel?

2. How does Joanne's perspective on things change over the course of the novel, and why? Does she think differently about love? About her disability? About her ability to change things?

3. The book makes the argument that abuse and neglect are a natural outcome of the institutional structure. Do you think institutions such as the Illinois Learning and Life Skills Center are still reasonable living alternatives for disabled people? What are some other possible alternatives to institutionalization?

Ginny Moon

1. Do you as a reader become more or less sympathetic toward Maura when she is forced to increase her interaction with Ginny after Brian's heart attack?

2. What is Ginny's greatest personal strength? At what point(s) were you disappointed with her?

3. What stereotypes surrounds people on the autism spectrum? To what extent does Ginny fulfill or defy such stereotypes?

No Good Asking

1. Ellie wants to move to Neesley so the family can have a fresh start, but what new challenges does the move create? What problems can't they escape?

2. Hannah has been through such hardship and yet she still seems resilient. What influences throughout her childhood have helped shape her thoughts and actions?

3. Are you satisfied with the ending? What do you think will happen next for these characters?

Discussion Questions: The Orphan's Tale, Becoming Mrs Lewis, The Stranger From the Sea

Discussion questions for The Orphan's Tale

1.Noa gives her newborn away but remains bereft by the loss and tormented by visions of the child. What do you make of her decision?

2.In her own voice, Noa tells us....

I am unfamiliar with infants and I hold him at arm's length now, like a dangerous animal. But he moves closer, nuzzling against my neck.

Talk about the horror of that scene in the " nursery car" (which is historically accurate). What prompts Noa to save a half-dead?

3. What do you make of Astrid, whose voice alternates with Noa's? How has her tumultuous past shaped her character, especially in terms of her ability to trust others?

 Discussion Questions for Becoming Mrs. Lewis

1. Joy's early life was fraught with sickness and rigid family expectations. How did these years shape her love life moving forward? How did these early years influence her newfound friendship with Jack? How did she overcome them to love?

2. When Joy's cousin, Renee moved into the house with her two young children, things began to change. Have you sheltered family members in a time of need, and how did that change your family dynamics?What were your first reactions to Renee moving in?

3. Joy's heartbreak at Bill's announcement that he and Renee were in love was painful. Do you believe it was because she loved Bill? Felt betrayed? That Renee was the "comparison" used all of her life and now that memory surged forward from childhood? have you ever been in a similar circumstance where old heartbreak was relieved in a new form?

Discussion Questions for The Stranger from the Sea

1. Did the book appeal to you? why or why not?

2. Why do you think the author choose the title?

3. What did you think of the character, plot, and theme development?

4. Which parts or aspects of the book didn't you understand?

Discussion Questions: American Marriage, The Leavers, Good Riddance

Discussion Questions for Good Riddance

Explore the motif of truth. Why does Holly accuse Daphne of not wanting to go near the truth? Do you think that her assessment is correct? Where in the book do readers find evidence either refuting or supporting this? What other characters are caught between truth and lies? What motivates the characters to say things that are not true? Does truth ultimately prevail?

What does the book suggest about the topic of ownership? How is ownership determined? How does ownership apply to art and to storytelling? Do you think that Geneva had a right to the yearbook and the stories that it contained? Why or why not?

What are some of the questions that were raised by the annotated yearbook? Are any of these questions answered at the story’s conclusion? What ultimately becomes of the yearbook?

Discussion Questions for An American Marriage

In her “Dear John” letter to Roy, Celestial says, “I will continue to support you, but not as your wife.” What do you think she means by this statement? Do you feel that Roy is wrong to reject her offer?

There are two father figures in Roy’s life: Big Roy is the one who shepherded him into adulthood and helped him grow into a responsible, capable person, but Walter is the one who taught Roy how to survive. Do you feel these men deserve equal credit? If not, which was the more important figure in Roy’s life and why?

Do you think that Andre strategized to get Celestial to fall in love with him, or did it happen naturally? Do you feel that it was a surprise to them that it happened after all those years? Do you predict that Celestial’s parents will come to accept Andre as her life partner?

Discussion Questions for The Leavers

How would you describe Deming when he arrives back in the U.S. as a six-year-old? What kind of family do Polly and Leon provide for Deming and Michael? What kind of life do they lead in the Bronx? Consider Polly's job in the nail salon. 

Deming is utterly bewildered by his mother's disappearance. Talk about the effect it has on him as he grows into adolescence and young adulthood? Consider this observation: "If he held everyone at arm’s length, it wouldn’t hurt as much when they disappeared." Or this one: "He had eliminated the possibility of feeling out of place by banishing himself to no place." 

 Lisa Ko says the novel was inspired by a 2009 New York Times article about an undocumented immigrant from China who spent 18 months in detention. She had been arrested at a bus station on the way to Florida for a new job. Does knowing that the novel has its roots in a true story have any impact on how you understand it?

Dietland Discussion Questions

Plum confesses that when she thinks of her life “ back then”  she “ saw [ herself] as an outline…. Waiting to be filled in “(Page 5). What did she feel was lacking or missing in her life at that time? What does she believe will allow her to feel complete? Is she correct?

Why does the girl who follows Plum write the word “ Dietland” on Plum’s hand? What does Plum initially think this means? What does her response reveal about her character? Is she correct? What is Dietland?

What is Calliope House? Who runs it? Who lives there, and why do they live there? How did the house get its name? How does the history of the house tie in with the major themes of the novel? What purpose does the house ultimately seem to serve?

Why does Plum go underground at Calliope House? What does this entail? How does the experience ultimately affect Plum? Is she different after her reemergence? If so, how has she changed?

Why does Plum avoid using the word “fat” early in the novel (Pages 88 and 105)? Is it significant that she starts using it proudly later on (pages 196-7)? Why is reclaiming this word important in Plum’s transformation?

What kinds of confrontations does Plum face as she undergoes her transformation? Who initiates these confrontations, and what causes them? How does Plum handle each one? Are these confrontations surprising? Could they have been avoided? If so, how?