1. What aspect of the novel had the strongest emotional impact on you?

2. Who did you like more --- Violet or Audrey? Which woman is most like you?

3. Who is your best friend? Did she ever save your life? What do you think is the most remarkable quality about friendship?

4. The novel suggests that Melanie in Gone with the Wind is as capable of deceit as Scarlett is, if deceit is required to get what she wants. Do you agree? How do Violet and Audrey compare to Scarlett and Melanie?

5. Have you ever stolen your friend’s boyfriend?

6. Are you keeping a secret from your husband and/or friend because the truth would reflect poorly on you?

7. In Chapter 29, Violet tells herself that “sometimes a person had to do something drastic, like rip apart beautiful curtains to make a dress and hat, to bring about the better good.” How does Violet use this analogy to rationalize her actions? 

8. How would the characters’ lives have been different if Violet told Lainey the truth about her mother when she first began to ask?

9. It has been said that there are only two basic emotions, love and fear, and that all the other emotions are variations. Do you agree? How are fear and love the same? How are they different?

10. Are you a fan of Gone with the Wind --- the book and the film? Tell us how you felt and what you thought when you first read the book or saw the movie. Has your opinion changed over time?

11. Have you heard stories, or read depictions, about what life was like in the U.S. during World War II? How do they compare to Violet’s experiences?

12. What do the nightingales represent in the novel? Have you ever looked for something beautiful that might not exist?