Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. The Sunflower House delves into the little-known history of the Lebensborn program. Did the novel’s focus on this specific aspect of World War II offer you a new perspective on the era?

2. The novel’s portrayal of Germans under Nazi rule is complex, showing characters who were resistors, fervent believers, and silent survivors. How did this nuanced depiction compare to other works you may have read about the period, such as Markus Zusak’s The Book Thief?

3. Think about the book’s pacing and structure, moving between the 2006 frame story and Allina’s past. How did this dual timeline affect your emotional investment in the characters and the unfolding mystery of Allina’s life?

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

1. The novel explores how family secrets, even when kept for protection, can ripple through generations. Has this story prompted you to think about the role of spoken versus unspoken history in your own family or community?

2. Allina and Rilla’s friendship forms in the oppressive environment of Hochland Home, offering both of them crucial support in an inhumane situation. Have you ever experienced a friendship that helped you endure a particularly difficult or isolating period in your life?

3. When Allina learns the full truth about her heritage and her uncle’s resistance work, her entire sense of self is shattered. Think about a time when you learned something that changed how you saw your family or your own past. How did you navigate that shift in your personal story?

4. Sonnenblumen Haus, the Sunflower House, serves as a sanctuary for Allina and Karl. Have you ever had a place that felt like a refuge? Where was it, and what made it feel safe?

5. Karl is haunted by his complicity in the regime and seeks atonement for his actions. Have you ever had to come to terms with a mistake, a poor decision, or a time when you failed to act according to your values? What helped you move forward?

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

1. The story provides a harrowing look at how ideology can corrupt the fundamental human experience of motherhood. In what ways does the book’s exploration of the Lebensborn program serve as a cautionary tale about state interference in personal and family life?

2. The theme of The Psychological Cost of Silence as a Survival Mechanism is central to the characters’ struggles. How does the novel illustrate the idea that in the face of systemic injustice, silence is not a neutral position? Where do you see similar dynamics play out in contemporary society?

3. At the Bayreuth Festival, Nazi elites eagerly accept propaganda that war is not coming. What does this scene suggest about the mechanisms of denial and complicity that allow oppressive regimes to thrive?

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

1. What is the effect of beginning the story with Katrine’s discovery of the wooden box? How does this framing device shape the reader’s understanding of generational trauma and the theme of fragmented identity?

2. Many historical novels, like Kristin Hannah’s The Nightingale, use a frame narrative to connect the past and present. How does Adriana Allegri’s use of this structure in The Sunflower House compare? What unique purpose does the 2006 timeline serve in resolving the story’s central conflicts?

3. How do the contrasting settings of Hochland Home and Sonnenblumen Haus function symbolically in the novel? What do they each represent in the conflict between state ideology and individual humanity?

4. The character of Marguerite Ziegler is complex. Is she a villain, a victim of the system, or something in between? What does her portrayal suggest about the nature of complicity and survival within a totalitarian regime?

5. Consider the recurring motif of secrets and hidden items, from Allina’s forged papers to the files she steals and the cellar where she hides. How does the author use these physical objects to explore the characters’ concealed identities and the perilous nature of truth?

6. Allina’s confrontation with Gruppenführer Gud at the festival is a turning point. How does her choice to use a silent, contemptuous gaze rather than words signify her transformation from a victim to a woman who has reclaimed her power?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. The wedding veil Schwester Ziegler gives to Allina is a powerful, unexpected gift. Write a brief journal entry from Ziegler’s perspective on the day of the wedding, explaining why she chose to give Allina such a personal item.

2. A key element of the story is the collection of Karl’s letters that Katrine and Allina read together. What might a letter from the present-day Katrine to her father, Karl, contain? What questions would she ask him, and what would she want him to know about the life her mother built?

3. Design a memorial to honor the victims and survivors of the Lebensborn program. What form would it take, and what key symbols or ideas from the novel would you incorporate to convey its message?