At their core, do you think Pavone's characters are more alike than they are different? Did you ever feel an increased sense of sympathy or understanding for any of them as you learned more about their histories?

The characters in "The Paris Diversion" are multifaceted, complex and often galvanized by a deep-rooted concern for the well-being of their families. At their core, do you think Pavone's characters are more alike than they are different? Did you ever feel an increased sense of sympathy or understanding for any of the characters as you learned more about their histories, grievances and traumas?

Pavonne's characters seemed more alike than different to me... by the end of the book. At first they seemed different. So many people have sadness, loss, and traumas in their lives, yet they go on to be good students, excellent parents/friends/employees. Pavonne's characters are obsessed with material possessions.

I think the characters were similar...they were very selfish. I didn't feel sorry for them at all.

I had trouble feeling sympathy for the characters. Kate and Susanna seemed so intent on destroying each other, all over material gain. Dexter seemed obsessed with manipulating the stock market for personal gain, as did Hunter.

I think that the prominent way they were alike is there penchant for hiding things from each other : for example Dexter's stock trades, Kate's secret life, Hunter's business dealings. So in actuality they were not so different.

The characters do have more similarities than differences. Hunter and Dexter are much alike. Kate, too, has her secrets; I forgive her because of her desire to protect. However, she does enjoy the thrill of the hunt and the many secrets.

I think they were similar. But each one was on their own track and hard to follow.

The characters are very similar in their quest for money and success. The characters are not especially sympathetic.

I felt they were very unsympathetic, ruthless and without morals.

Pavone’s characters were definitely more alike than different. They were all scheming, selfish, and unkind individuals, more concerned about getting revenge, making money, or being seen as successful. I can’t say I had any sympathy for any of them or liked any of them.

I agree with most of the above. None of the characters earned my sympathy and all of them were devious nd materialistic in their lives

The only characters who I felt sympathy for were Ibrahim, Mahmoud, and Matteo, the baby. And you know the characters leave a lot to be desired when you find yourself feeling empathy for a guy who agreed to strap on a bomb!

First Kate, who was angry with Dexter for the fact that their son had a cold--and wanting to take a wine tour on and family trip--and the Lego! The darn Lego! Then she spent the rest of the book running around doing everything in her power to "save" him. I could just hear her, "Ugh, another day on the job, saving my dumb@$$ husband from himself."

Kate and Susanna/Julia were both dominant in their relationships.

Many of the characters were motivated by greed and payback (Hunter, Susanna, Bill, Dexter).

I suppose I can admit to understanding Wyatt's motivation- -his daughter and her illness. And I question whether he was as ruthless and "sociopathic" as he once was. (Does that really make a difference?) He didn't have the nerve any more. He didn't seem to be doing the job because he liked killing people, rather he had a responsibility to his daughter and did the only thing he thought he could to be able to afford her treatment.

As a whole, I felt this was a pretty unlikeable bunch. Personally, I find it difficult to fully enjoy a book (as in 4 or 5 star enjoy) if I am unable to connect with the characters.

I found it difficult to respect most of the characters because they were fairly similar, but that did not make reading it unenjoyable. As much as I enjoy connecting with characters, I also occasionally like to read about people who are different. Whether it is morally, emotionally, politically, or any other "ally," even a fictional character who doesn't share my beliefs or practices might open my eyes to how other people think/behave. I won't quit my job and become a shady stock trader, but I enjoyed watching characters like Dexter and Hunter squirm.

I have greater empathy for Kate because I can understand her frustrations and motivation. She obviously was unable to trust Dexter with the truth about her covert activities. In the intelligence community, this is not atypical. Dexter, Bill, Susannah, Hunter are Neal and impossible to like or engender any sympathy from me.

I agree with Christineb - the characters' penchant for hiding things from each other is the tie that binds them together so they are more alike than different. I actually like both Kate and Dexter as characters, even though I don't understand their non-communication with each other. I found them both sympathetic, but did not have the same feelings for any of the other characters.

The characters are alike in that they are all involved in non-traditional jobs and have a layer of subterfuge to them. Learning the stories of the main characters didn't tug my heartstrings, but I did feel for the pawns in their plan.

I felt they were very much alike. All seemed self-centered, looking to make a buck at someone else's expense, willing to break the law and sacrifice others for their own ends. All lived double lives and felt the need to hide so much of themselves from their significant others. They did not seem to learn from their mistakes in "The Ex-pats" and continued to practice subterfuge in their work and personal lives. I did not find a single character had any redeeming qualities.