1. Which of Zosia’s decisions would you have made differently? 

2. Did you learn anything new about the aftermath of World War II in Europe, and the fate of former prisoners?

3. When Zosia and the other displaced persons came to Wildflecken, they were forced to make a home out of a temporary holding camp. Have you ever had to make a home out of a place that was temporary or transient? What did you do to find comfort in that space?

4. What do you suppose was Marisha’s story throughout this book? Was she searching just as hard for Zosia, or did she assume her mother was dead? How do you suppose she and Stefek escaped Maxim?

5. How did the Wildflecken environment shape the story? The climate, the remoteness, the former use by the enemy?

6. What were your initial thoughts about Zosia? How did your perception of her change throughout the novel?

7. At what points in the novel did Zosia accept her situation? When did she fight against it?

8. Which supporting characters had the greatest influence on Zosia, and how? Violette, Petronella, Elias, Mr. Devine… any others?

9. Throughout the book, Zosia suffers from anxiety. What sort of things exacerbated her anxiety? How did her nerves affect her decisions? Would she have made different decisions if she hadn’t been plagued by her mental illness?

10. How did you feel about the Lysek’s arrival in America? How does it compare and contrast with how some immigrants are treated today? Do you have immigrants in your family? What were their experiences?