Maureen Lang

1.    At the beginning of the story, Germany has been defeated and the soldiers are marching home. What do you imagine they were thinking and feeling at that time, and what do you imagine the waiting families might have been thinking? Have you ever faced disgrace or defeat? How did you respond?

2.    Jurgen’s initial message is a cry against tyranny and a desire to end inequality, but he compromises his ideals when they no longer seem feasible. How do you think someone as idealistic as Jurgen was able to cross a line from wanting to serve society to wanting to control it? In what areas are you tempted to compromise when it’s difficult to achieve your goals?

3.    Does the separation between Annaliese and her parents have more to do with their beliefs, or just a lack of communication? Is it possible for family members or friends who hold different beliefs to still be close to one another? What does it take to make that sort of relationship work?

4.    Frau Düray asks Christophe to go to Munich in search of Annaliese. Do you think she did the right thing, or should she have accepted her daughter’s independence? How have you seen parents respond when their children rebel? What are some constructive responses? destructive responses?

5.    When you’ve been in a crowd or part of an audience, have you ever been aware of the audience uniting as one large element, wanting to enjoy/agree/approve of the speaker or performer? How did you respond? Did your emotions and energy change after the crowd dispersed?

6.    Is there an appropriate balance between an idealistic society that shares all things in common and the work and reward system of capitalism? What are the merits and failures of both ends of the spectrum? How much should people depend on the government? Should individuals, churches, and private charities assume more of the burden?

7.    When Jurgen asks how a loving God could let war destroy the world he created, Christophe responds that God gave us the ability to choose, and He won’t take back that gift just because we make a bad choice. Do you agree with Christophe’s response? How would you have answered Jurgen?

8.    Leo is the power behind Jurgen. Have you ever known, or known of, anyone who is happy to be working behind the scenes, avoiding the attention or accolades but pleased when the one they’ve chosen to support receives such things? A teacher? A relative?

9.    Christophe has qualms about Jurgen’s agenda. Was it ethical for him to remain and help train Jurgen’s fighting forces anyway? How would you have handled the task that Leo and Jurgen assigned Christophe?

10.    Some of the Socialist ideals appear to offer freedom: from the restrictions of government, of religion, of nationalism, even of marriage. How do these ideas agree or disagree with your own view of freedom?

11.    At one point Leo states that the masses will allow almost anything to happen unless a gun is pointed directly at them. Do you agree that the populace is easily swayed? How involved should people be in politics? How involved do you think the government should be in the lives of its citizens?

12.    How did you feel about Anneliese’s decision to help Jurgen escape near the end of the story? Would you have done the same if you were in her position?

13.    Even before the First World War, women of many countries had been fighting for the vote. How do you think this war influenced attitudes about the role women play in society, especially in view of the next world war that was yet to come?

14.    How did you feel about Annaliese and Christophe’s decision to stay in Germany at the end of the story? Did you wish they had gone to America with Annaliese’s parents?

1.    Isa and Edward are willing to risk their lives because they believe in the power of words to inspire, restore, and give hope. Can you share an experience where the written word has impacted you so that you felt differently after you read it?

2.    Isa is naive about the state of affairs in occupied Brussels, even surprised when she learns the Germans have taken over national landmarks like the Palais de Justice. As Americans, we’ve been blessed to never have to confront an infringement on our freedom. What everyday activities do we take for granted that might be taken from us if we were ever occupied by foreign troops?

3.    Isa and Edward express different ideas about how to interpret God’s will. Isa claims it must be God’s will for her to be there, simply because she has made it safely. Later, Edward tells a group of Germans that God revealed His will by way of desire. What are the merits and the flaws in each of these interpretations? Why do you think God’s will is sometimes hard to figure out?

4.    Throughout much of the story, Edward doubts God can be in control when life is so chaotic and unfair. Have you ever turned from God rather than turned to God when you don’t understand why bad things happen around you?

5.    Genny tells Isa: “I don’t like myself when my thoughts are so full of hate, and I doubt you would either.” But when Genny is in the car with Max on the way to St. Gilles, she admits to herself that she hates every one of them, even the one at her side. Can you share a time when your outward appearance, words, or actions vastly contradicted your inward emotions? Was that good or bad, and how did you handle it? Is it possible to redirect one’s emotions? How?

6.    Have you ever considered which side God would be on in the wars throughout history? How do you think God feels about war in general?

7.    After Isa agrees to house the press, she realizes she might have endangered all of them just to get Edward to notice her. Have you ever convinced yourself you were doing something solely for God, depending on His protection, when underneath you had mixed motives? What made you realize that?

8.    During the dinner party discussion between the Germans and Edward, one of the sentiments expressed is that God may exist but can hardly be concerned about the details concerning mankind. Edward assures them God is concerned, because He loves all of us. How would you respond to this sentiment? Do you think Edward is right? Is God concerned with every decision we make?

9.    Edward admits he was never sure whether his faith had been his own or simply handed down to him from his father. Have you ever wrestled with whether your faith was your own and not simply something you “inherited” from your family or culture? How did you resolve this uncertainty?

10.    Genny informs Edward that he’d better learn to distinguish Max from the army he represents because Max is a Christian and they’ll have to spend eternity together.  Have you ever struggled with your attitude toward a fellow Christian who differs from you in some substantial way?  All emotion aside, how do you think God wants you to handle your relationship with this person here on earth?

11.    Have you ever felt helpless in a situation where anger seemed to be the only emotion you could decipher? When Edward thrusts his fist at God, Father Clemenceau reminds him that God doesn’t have to account Himself to anyone. Has anyone ever given you this sort of spiritual slap in the face, to remind you of your place and that God is God and He can allow what He sees best in order for us to know Him best?

1.    The villagers of Briecourt are separated by a long-standing feud, the origin of which no one seems to recall. Have you ever known anyone who has held a grudge against someone for so long that they can’t recall what broke the relationship?

2.    When Julitte is unable to help Victor, she feels as though she’s failed. She seems angry with God for not giving her a gift that would benefit others. Have you ever felt dissatisfied with the gifts God has given you?

3.    Both Ori and Julitte long to get married, but they handle the pursuit of that goal in different ways. What factor do you think played the biggest role in the way each woman allowed herself to fall in love?

4.    Though Julitte and Ori have a strong friendship at the beginning of the story, Ori’s actions—specifically her developing relationship with Hauptmann Basedow—build a barrier between the two. How did you feel about the way Julitte handled this? Have you ever witnessed a friend make the wrong decisions? What advice would you give Julitte?

5.    How did you see Charles change as the story progressed? What made him go from self-admitted cowardice during the battle he witnesses to being able to jump from an airplane (albeit terrified to do so)?

6.    Toward the end of the story Julitte no longer receives her visions of Heaven. Like any relationship, things between her and God seem to change. Do you think this was a change for the better, or worse? How have you seen your own relationship with God change over time?

7.    The villagers were eager to attribute a miracle to Julitte when her brother survived the near-drowning.  What about her made it so easy for them to label her a miracle worker?

8.    Misplaced faith is one of the themes throughout this story. The villagers misplaced their faith from God as the author of miracles, to Julitte. Ori placed her faith in a man’s love to make her happy. And before Charles was tested by this war, he’d placed his faith in himself. How often do you see yourself or others misplacing faith? What do you place it on instead of God?

9.    Please read 2 Kings 7. In this chapter you’ll notice the starving lepers were overjoyed to find bread left behind by the soldiers who had deserted the encampment. Has anything in your life reminded you of how God worked in the lives of the people in the Bible? Do you ever see a parallel in Biblical stories to things that happen today?

10.    Julitte doesn’t chafe against the poverty of her circumstances, but she does hint at being familiar with the allure of wealth (imagining herself being properly introduced to Charles and conversing as equals in society). However she admits her upbringing and the examples set by both biological and adoptive parents suggested humble lifestyles were the better choice. Do you believe, like Narcisse reminded Julitte, that it’s easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to be saved? Why, or why not? What struggles do you think Julitte will face because of the life of wealth that’s offered to her through both Charles and her biological grandfather?

11.    Waiting is a continual thread in this story. Have you ever felt frustrated by the Lord’s timeline in your life?

1. My Sister Dilly is a “sister” book. It’s obvious during the course of the story that Hannah and Dilly do love each other, but they often don’t see things the same way. Do you have sisters? Can you relate to having ups and downs, close times and otherwise, with your sister?

2. While Hannah still prefers city life, she realizes the small town she left behind has a greater sense of community than the big city she misses What are some of the advantages of living in a small town? Disadvantages?

3. Dilly made one terrible mistake that landed her in prison, rather than a series of mistakes that culminated by imprisonment. If you could imagine yourself in her position, how do you think you would deal with the idea of losing your freedom, to be sentenced with a population of people also being punished for their actions?

4. Although some of the actions of the advocates for people with disabilities are taken to extreme in this story, did you as the reader find yourself understanding the reason for such a group to exist?

5. Did you find yourself understanding why Dilly was driven to do what she attempted to do, or do you think a loving mother would never let herself get so depressed that she’d consider such drastic measures?

6. Do you think a balance can be reached between letting a person isolate if they have family challenges, and being available if needed? How would you let someone know you’re really there to help, beyond just another “How-are-you-today-I’m-fine” interchange?

7. How do you feel about persons with disabilities? Are you afraid of them? Uncomfortable around them? Do you think you could do what Hannah thought she should have done, step up and help out in the care of her disabled niece, even though she didn’t think she was capable?

8. Why do you think God has allowed physicians the knowledge and ability to save children’s lives with such profound disabilities, and yet a complete cure is still impossible, allowing life with such severe limitations?

9. Do you think Dilly’s former mother-in-law was right to try keeping Dilly away from Sierra? Do you think she did it out for love for Sierra, or spite against Dilly?

10. Do you think it’s possible for a man and woman to be “just friends” the way Hannah first defined her relationship with Mac? If either one of them would have married someone else, do you think they could have maintained their friendship?

11. Mac was willing to leave the city and live in a small town in the Midwest with Hannah. Do you think their marriage could have worked if Hannah refused to return to California?

12. Farming played a part in this book. Are there things about farming that surprised you? The GPS system? That hog manure pits are deadly? What else do you know about farming that might surprise others?

13. While completely fiction, this book was inspired by true events. How did it feel to be reminded there are real people out there who’ve made the kind of mistakes Dilly made?