The Blood Years Reading Guide & Discussion Questions

Book Club Discussion Questions

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For supplemental discussion material see our Beyond the Book article, Traian Popovici: The Man Who Saved Jews in Czernowitz and our BookBrowse Review of The Blood Years.

Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!

1. Rieke's relationship with Astra is arguably the most fundamental to her sense of self. Describe this relationship, and how Rieke defines herself in terms of it, in Part I vs. Part V. How do Rieke and Astra change in relation to one another over the course of the novel?
2. Consider the paratextual material (the Czernowitz timeline, author's note, and reading list). What are your thoughts about Rieke's fictionalized account being bookended by this historical research? How does this information and your own knowledge (or knowledge gaps) about the political, military, and genocidal events in Romania and wider Europe during the Holocaust shape your reading and understanding of Rieke and other characters? What's the effect of juxtaposing details of historical context with Rieke's narrative, which is hallmarked by a lack of consistent information regarding what is happening to Jews in her city and across the continent?

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