1. Madame sustains the corps de ballet with her reputation as the czar's ballerina. What kind of responsibility does Madame have for her dancers? What have they forsaken in order to be a member of her company? How do they react to the news of her affair?

2. Masha's devotion to Madame is unwavering. Why is she so loyal? Is the dance world the rose-petaled realm she had anticipated when she first beseeched Madame to adopt her as a pupil?

3. Compare Madame's arrangement with Dandre to her affair with Diamantino. How do both of these relationships illustrate the sacrifices one must make for art? Would Madame have given up everything for Diamantino, including her dance? Was she justified in having her marriage license destroyed?

4. As the dance troupe arrives in Arecibo, they witness the recruitment of Puerto Ricans for the United States war effort. How does the crowd react to this and other demands made of the Puerto Rican people?

5. Diamantino and Bienvenido are both godsons of Don Pedro, but their backgrounds are worlds apart. Discuss the two individuals and their positions in the social hierarchy of the sugar plantation. How did each develop his political stance, and to what extent would each go in order to help the Independista effort succeed?

6. Throughout the novel, Madame maintains her belief that art is an essential form of expression for those involved in individual and collective struggles. Is this true? Does her kidnapping by Los Tiznados change her convictions?

7. As the daughter of a peasant, Masha considers herself the only true Bolshevik among the book's characters. How does this influence her character?

8. After being released by Los Tiznados, Madame falls back into the cadence of her everyday routine. To what extent were her revolutionary sympathies fueled by her passion for Diamantino? Is she ultimately a relic of the czar's regime?