1. In "The Suitcase" chapter, what effect does Channe's repeated use of the phrase "the little brother," when referring to Benoit, have on her family--as well as the reader?

2. Most people would assume that Channe is living a privileged lifestyle. In what ways would such an assumption be true/not true? What would it be like to be the child of a famous writer and expatriate parents?

3. What effect does her father's instruction that "a soldier's daughter never cries" have on Channe's behavior and life?

4. What external events occur to alter the relationship of Channe and Billy as the novel progresses?

5. Consider Channe's expression of her sexuality. Is Channe's father too permissive with her or is his way of dealing with his daughter's sexuality healthier for both parent and child than more restrictive approaches?

6. Why does Channe think her father is "the most trustworthy person I know, honest to a fault?" What is the nature of Channe's relationship with her father? And Billy's?

7. From Bill's viewpoint, why is it okay for the Willis children to spend their formative years in Paris but preferable to spend their adolescence in the States?

8. Why is Channe unwilling to stick up for her brother in difficult situations and why is Billy, conversely, so fanatically loyal to her? From where does Billy get his principles, his deep-rooted sense of what is right?

9. Describe Channe's feelings for Billy. Why is she resentful of him? Why is she protective? What are some of the events which make her feel differently about him?

10. Considering some of the examples of mothers or mother substitutes that the novel offers--Marcella, Candida, Veronique, and Veronique's mother. What constitutes a good mother and how do these various women measure up?

11. With Channe and Billy so clearly adoring and favoring their father, how does this in turn effect their relationship with their mother, Marcella? Billy is protective and nurturing toward her, and when details about his biological mother surface, he insists that he has only one mother, remaining loyal to Marcella. But what does Channe think of her mother? And what is Marcella's relationship to her two roles: wife and mother?