The Goddess of Warsaw

Content Warning: This section of the guide contains discussion of graphic violence and death.

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. The Goddess of Warsaw portrays both violent and non-violent forms of resistance during the Holocaust. Which approach did you find more effective or meaningful, and why? Did your perspective on resistance change throughout the novel?

2. How does Barr’s exploration of revenge and justice in The Goddess of Warsaw compare to her approach in Woman on Fire, which also deals with Nazi-looted art? If you haven’t read her other work, how does this novel compare to other Holocaust narratives you’ve read?

3. The novel spans multiple decades and settings—from the Warsaw Ghetto to Hollywood to Venice, Italy. How did this affect your understanding of Bina/Lena’s character development? Which period of her life did you find most compelling?

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

1. Bina adopts multiple identities throughout her life as a survival mechanism. Have you ever found yourself presenting different versions of yourself in different contexts? What motivated those changes, and how does that compare to Bina’s experience?

2. The novel explores how past trauma shapes identity and future actions. How have significant life events—positive or negative—influenced your own sense of self or the choices you’ve made?

3. Bina and Aleksander share a love that endures despite decades of separation. What relationships in your life have required remarkable resilience or remained meaningful across time and distance?

4. Throughout the novel, characters must make difficult moral choices in extreme circumstances. When have you faced an ethical dilemma during which the “right” choice wasn’t clear? How did you navigate that experience?

5. Both Jakub and Zelda believe that they are doing what’s necessary for their people’s survival, though their methods differ dramatically. Whose approach would you be more likely to support if faced with similar circumstances, and why?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. The Goddess of Warsaw reveals how Nazi officials were integrated into American society through Operation Paperclip. How did this historical reality challenge your understanding of post-WWII America and its moral positioning? 

2. The novel depicts documentation as a form of both resistance (Jakub’s archives) and propaganda (the Müller brothers’ films). How do you see documentation and media functioning in similar ways in our current social and political landscape?

3. Bina’s public execution of Lukas raises questions about justice and vengeance in the context of war crimes. How have societies historically addressed this tension when dealing with perpetrators of atrocities, and has our approach evolved?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. The novel opens with Lena preparing to tell her story to Sienna for a biopic, essentially framing the entire narrative. How does this storytelling device affect your interpretation of the events that follow? Why might Barr have chosen this structure?

2. How does the symbolism of the name Browning—both the brand name of the gun used to kill Bina’s father and her adopted surname—evolve throughout the narrative? What does this evolution reveal about Bina/Lena’s relationship with revenge and identity?

3. Music and the Stradivarius violin represent both cultural heritage and survival throughout the novel. How does music function differently for various characters, and what broader statement is Barr making about art’s role during times of crisis?

4. The theme of identity runs throughout the novel. How do different characters navigate their identities, and what factors determine whether these identity shifts are portrayed as morally justified or problematic?

5. By the end of the novel, do you think Bina finds peace through her acts of vengeance, or does the novel suggest that true healing comes from her reconciliation with Aleksander? 

6. How does the structure of the novel, which shifts between different time periods, enhance the themes of memory and the lasting impact of trauma?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. If you were directing Sienna’s biopic of Lena Browning’s life, which three scenes would you consider most important to include?

2. Imagine an alternative ending in which Bina chooses not to expose and kill Lukas publicly. How might her life have unfolded differently, and what would she have gained or lost in this alternate version?

3. Write a brief scene from the perspective of Dina (Diana Mazur) after she learns that Bina survived and became Lena Browning. What thoughts and emotions might she experience upon this discovery?

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