Book Club Questions to consider
You’ve found the quiet door.
Thank you for stepping into the world of my ancestors—into the creaking houses, the hush of the mist as it floats around the mountains, the lives once lived and long buried. I wrote this story not only to resurrect a forgotten time, but to give breath to the silences they have left behind.
History has a way of echoing into the present, and my deepest wish is that this story sparks meaningful discussion: about identity, resilience, choices made in silence, and the legacies we carry forward. Whether your club is drawn to layered characters, buried secrets, or the emotional weight of the past, I wrote this book with the hope that it would linger, not just in your thoughts, but in your conversations. This book was meant to be discussed. Whispered over. Argued about. Passed from hand to hand with a look that says: Do we dare to discuss this?
Below you’ll find book club questions, but not answers. These questions have been asked countless times over the centuries, but are just as relevant today. They’re here to help your group confront uncomfortable history. To dive deeper. To dare to discuss.
Some are designed to explore character motivations or moral dilemmas, while others open the door to broader themes—grief, loyalty, love, injustice—that resonate far beyond the setting. Use them as a guide, or follow where the conversation leads. And if your group finds a talk-worthy topic not listed here? Even better. That means the story has done its job.
Book Club Discounts!
Sunbury Press offers a generous 40% discount on wholesale orders—ideal for book clubs, libraries, or community groups ordering multiple copies directly from the publisher.
To make things even easier, they provide Net 30 payment terms, giving your group flexible time to pay after delivery—perfect for organizing a book club pick. Sunbury Press Book Club Discount Program
Book Club Questions to Consider
- The book begins with Martin watching his friend and professor being burned for sedition. He dared to question absolute power. At the end of the book, Catherine is burned at the stake as a witch. She also dared to question the status quo. What changed during that time? How did Martin change his thoughts on both politics and religion? Did he overcome his “weakness” as he considered it? Did he have other weaknesses that he ignored?
- Catherine was a shy country girl with very little knowledge of the outside world at the beginning of the book. Her love of reading and her own life experiences changed her, but she still kept her thoughts to herself, didn’t dare to discuss anything controversial, so as not to bring attention to herself. She didn’t become the outspoken woman she wanted to be until the very end. What would have happened if she had spoken up earlier? Did her growth help her in the end, or did it seal her fate?
- Francisca suffered a horrific childhood. In what ways did it make her into the person she became? Did she take too many chances? She lived believing that “God created the plants that she used.” Would God have given us the ability to use his creations if they would condemn us?
- Did Nicolas’s relationship with Salome ultimately cause Catherine’s demise? Was Salome right to hate Nicolas? How could that situation have been handled better?
- The troubadour hated so many people in the end. His mother died. He lost his career. Was he justified in his feelings? Was he responsible for what happened to Catherine?
If you can think of any other Book Club Questions or another talk worthy topic you would like added to the list, contact me through the Contact page.