1. The nov­el deals with a num­ber of his­tor­i­cal events and sit­u­a­tions, includ­ing Zion­ism, Nazi art loot­ing, and the ille­gal immi­gra­tion and ship­ment of arms to pre-state Israel. Dis­cuss these and their sig­nif­i­cance in the story.

2. The nov­el­’s nar­ra­tive includes a sec­tion set 65 – 40 years before the main plot. Dis­cuss the impor­tance of this sec­tion to the total sto­ry and char­ac­ter devel­op­ment, includ­ing any pos­si­ble par­al­lels between it and the major­i­ty, set in 1990. 

3. Many fic­tion and non­fic­tion sto­ries about Nazi art loot­ing focus on famous sec­u­lar paint­ings. Dis­cuss the sig­nif­i­cance of the Seder plate as the lost object, instead of anoth­er (sec­u­lar) work of art.

4. Lily prides her­self on self-reliance and inde­pen­dence. Dis­cuss her rela­tion­ship to Simon and his role in the sto­ry in light of this.

5. Dis­cuss major themes and pos­si­ble morals to be drawn from this story. 

6. The Holo­caust and sto­ries about it con­tin­ue to intrigue and attract read­ers. Why?

7. What is the sig­nif­i­cance of the plot resolv­ing in Israel?

8. What is appeal­ing or unat­trac­tive about Lily as a char­ac­ter? Simon? Nach­man? Ruth?

9. How does the mys­tery ele­ment of the plot build and keep the read­er turn­ing pages?

10. Some read­ers want a sequel, more books about Lily and her fam­i­ly. How would you envi­sion a next book?