1. What did you think of Lucy at the outset of the story? Did you find her an unlikable character? A sympathetic character? Why?

2. Mrs. Pratchett and her daughters leave Singapore while Lady Amelia and Fortescue choose to stay. If threatened by war, could you leave everything you own and flee, or would you remain behind and hope for the best? Do you know anyone who’s made this decision?

3. Bill and Lucy come from very different backgrounds, but they share many similarities. What are they? What in their lives might have contributed to this resemblance in temperament?

4. Bill is one of thousands of children who left their homes and families during the evacuation of London at the outbreak of World War II. If you were a parent during that time, would you have kept your children with you or sent them away? Explain your choice.

5. All three main characters travel to London in search of something. Do all three find what they are looking for?

6. In the end, Lucy has to make a choice that will affect the rest of her life. What are some difficult choices you’ve had to make? Looking back, do you feel you made the right decisions?

7. Lucy encounters many different mothers throughout her journey. Which mother did you most identify with? Which mother do you feel played the most pivotal role in the story? Explain.

8. Lucy identifies with Mrs. Britt’s desire to ignore reality and live in a dream. Why do you suppose that is? What realities does Lucy ignore? What makes her finally face the truth?

9. Both Michael and Lucy form poor first impressions of each other and slowly revise their opinions over the course of the long trip to London. Have your instincts ever been wrong when it came to someone?

10. Lucy constantly compares herself to her mother, Lady Amelia, throughout the book, and by the end is afraid she is becoming just like her. Are there any ways in which you see similarities between yourself and your mother? Give examples.