Book Club Discussion Questions 1)Dee enjoys food from two local sandwich shops while she is in her hometown. How does the food help her? Do you have places in your childhood hometown that you wish you could revisit? 2)This novel explores family relationships. Which relationship is the strongest at the start of the novel for Dee? Has that changed by the end of the novel? Which new relationship are you most interested in seeing her develop? 3)Frank has been described as the character readers love to hate. Did you feel any compassion towards him? Does he have any redeeming qualities? 4)The novel’s epigraph, “Ask no questions and you’ll be told no lies,” is from Great Expectations by Charles Dickens. What connections do you see to the plot of the novel? 5)We see three marriages in the novel: Sid and Dee, Frank and Marian, and Blackie and Lucille. Would you classify any of these marriages as perfect? Happy? 6)Catholicity is central to the lives of these characters, particularly in the 1960s and 1970s. Which of the characters do you believe lived most like a Catholic/Christian? 7)Pauline arrived in the novel as a surprise to the author – and she obviously holds a strong storyline. Were you pleasantly surprised by or disappointed in her life’s path? 8)Should Marian feel any guilt about the role she played in Dee’s life? 9)Blackie and Frank have an unusual bond from the time they are young boys. Do you believe that Frank cares about Blackie? Was Blackie’s expectation of an adult friendship with Frank realistic? 10)Consider Lucille’s relationships with Blackie, Frank, and Marian. Is she manipulative? Does she truly love Blackie? Is her friendship with Marian genuine?