Trouble the Living Reading Guide & Discussion Questions

Book Club Discussion Questions

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For supplemental discussion material see our Beyond the Book article, A Brief Overview of the Good Friday Agreement and our BookBrowse Review of Trouble the Living.

Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!

1. Early in the novel, Aoife takes Ina and Brid to view the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. She cautions the girls to not tell their brothers, because "girls understand these things much better than fellas." Why do you suppose she undertook the journey with her daughters? What do you think she meant by this statement, and do you agree?
2. What did you know about "the Troubles" before reading the book? Did you learn anything new? Was your opinion of the conflict changed in any way?
3. Why do you suppose Brid refuses to tell Bernie anything about her past? Under the circumstances, do you feel her decision was the correct one?

Unless otherwise stated, this discussion guide is reprinted with the permission of Lake Union Publishing. Any page references refer to a USA edition of the book, usually the trade paperback version, and may vary in other editions.