1. How do each of the main characters reflect a different aspect or attribute of the modern urban woman?

2. How do the lives of these women reinforce or contradict your expectations of Latina women? How and why so?

3. How does the novel explore the burgeoning economic power of the Latina woman in American society?

4. How does the title of the book reveal a common thread in the lives of the four main characters?

5. How does the novel reveal values common to the Latino culture such as the importance of family, friendship, and education? Can you relate to these? Why or why not?

6. In particular, where do you see the value of the multi-generational extended family revealed?

7. In Lucinda's case, do you believe her way of dealing with her husband's infidelity was effective?

8. How does Mercy transform herself by the end of the novel? or does she?

9. What is Isabel's conflict? What is stopping her from embracing relationships with men in general, with Orlando in particular?

10. How does Julia's experience offer an alternative perspective on Latinas in general, and specifically on lesbians?

11. How do the other friends react to Julia's relationship with Beatriz? Which of the three friends reacts in a more predictable way in your mind?

12. How do the lives of these women explore the search for identity, especially in a bi-cultural world? Do you see these characters as searching? or as grounded in their culture or cultures?

13. How do you see the conflicts between cultures and generations manifested in the plot?

14. How does the use of Spanish play a part in depicting the cultural reality of the environment in which these women live?

15. How does Lucinda's predicament help to depict the conflict between upper class Latin American society and the more egalitarian American values, regardless of class?

16. What role does humor play in the novel, particularly in dealing with sensitive topics such as class conflicts, adultery, promiscuity, homosexuality, politics, and even religion?