Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. How did you feel about the dual timeline structure? Did one narrative, Saoirse’s in 2023 or Maura’s in the 1970s, resonate with you more than the other, and why?

2. This book is a fictionalized account of a real historical event, the 1971 “Contraceptive Train.” How does this novel compare to other historical fiction you’ve read that is based on real events, like Kate Quinn’s The Alice Network? Does knowing the protest was real change how you experienced Maura’s and Bernie’s story?

3. What part of Maura’s story, from her marriage to Christy to the final protest, will stick with you the most? What do you think was the most powerful or surprising moment in the novel?

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

1. The novel explores how friendships can be a lifeline, especially the bond between Maura, Bernie, and Geraldine. How has friendship played a role in helping you navigate difficult times or see a situation from a new perspective?

2. Have you ever felt societal or personal expectations pushing you toward a life choice that didn’t feel right for you? How did you navigate that pressure?

3. Can you recall a time when a book, article, or conversation opened your eyes to a new way of thinking about the world or your place in it, much like Geraldine’s banned newspapers did for Maura?

4. Dan McCarthy encourages Bernie to join the train protest, telling her it’s for their daughters’ future. How do you see the actions or beliefs of one generation impacting the opportunities and freedoms of the next in your own family or community?

5. Maura’s parents completely disapprove of her activism, forcing a painful rift between them. How do you approach conversations with loved ones when you hold fundamentally different beliefs about important social issues?

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

1. What are some of the ways, both formal and informal, that societal structures today might limit women’s career choices or progression, particularly in relation to marriage and motherhood, when compared to the “marriage bar” Maura faced?

2. In what ways does our society still grant authority or credibility to people based on their professional status, and how can that be problematic, as seen with Christy Davenport’s public reputation?

3. The novel vividly portrays a time when contraception was illegal and heavily stigmatized in Ireland due to the Catholic Church’s influence. How have conversations around reproductive rights and bodily autonomy evolved in the public sphere since the 1970s, and what parallels or differences do you see in today’s debates?

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

1. Beginning with Maura’s job at the department store, clothing plays a prominent role in this story. What messages do various items of clothing send, and how does this support the story’s larger meaning?    

2. Maura’s narrative voice is structured in the present tense, although she is telling Saoirse about events in the past. What effect does shifting this into the present tense have?

3. Bernie’s narrative voice is in the first person, although she is not actually present to tell her story. What message does this authorial choice send about Bernie’s scrapbook and about the nature of her friendship with Maura? How does this authorial choice help shape the story’s larger meaning?    

4. How would you describe the interior of Maura’s home in Rathmines? What messages about Christy’s value system are sent by these details? What evidence is there about whether Maura shares these values? Does her attitude stay the same or change over time?    

5. What are the most significant factors causing Maura to change over time? How do these factors comment on Irish society, personal relationships, and human desires more generally? How does this relate to the story’s themes?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. The novel ends with Saoirse affirming her decision to remain childless and ending her relationship with Miles. What do you think Saoirse’s life looks like one year later, and how has her encounter with Maura continued to influence her?

2. We see the “Contraceptive Train” protest primarily through the eyes of Maura and Bernie. If you were to write a short scene from the perspective of another character on that day, who would you choose? Perhaps a nervous customs official, a supportive bystander in the crowd, or the photographer who took the iconic picture?

3. Bernie’s scrapbook is full of recipes, photos, and memories. If you were to create a scrapbook page for a pivotal moment in your own life, what “scraps” would you include to tell the story?