1. General Impressions

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

• Though Sue Monk Kidd’s writing differs greatly in subject matter and plot, she often writes realistic fiction that follows people who are transformed as they experience tragic and dramatic situations. How does this novel compare and contrast with Kidd’s other works that contain this core theme, like The Secret Life of Bees and The Mermaid Chair?
• Some novels written by white authors about enslavement or Jim Crow-era segregation are criticized for sanitizing, misrepresenting, or romanticizing harsh historical realities. For instance, Kathryn Stockett’s The Help is often criticized for this. What is your overall impression of the representations in this book? Does it help that they are based on real figures?

2. Personal Reflection and Connection

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

• Did Handful or Sarah’s first-person point-of-view sections produce a stronger emotional response in you as a reader?
• Handful and Sarah each help the other’s character to evolve. Has there been someone in your life who has drastically changed your outlook on the world or helped you evolve as a person?
• Both Sarah and Handful—for very different reasons—have struggles with their
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

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