Friday, March 11, 2016

*Discussion Questions* The Two-Family House by Lynda Cohen Loigman *SPOILERS*

I have spent a few years in a couple of different book clubs now, and I've led my fair share of discussions (so every time it was my turn in the rotation to pick a book basically, although I've been slacking a little in my current book club). I can't tell you how many times I've finished a book that I'd chosen for our meeting, only to realize that I couldn't think of a single question to ask (and I'd forgotten to consider that while reading). In those instances I would run to the interwebs to search for discussion questions, just hoping that someone else had been kind enough to think of questions and share them with the world. I had about a 50% success rate with that. 

Because The Two-Family House by Lynda Cohen Loigman left me with several hypothetical situation questions (and those have always resulted in the best discussions in my book clubs), I figured I'd jot them down and share them with the world. If you have not read the book yet, stop reading now, because the questions absolutely involve spoilers for the story.

Photo Credit: Goodreads
1. Who did you relate to more, Helen or Rose? Were there other characters that you also related to?

2. Do you think you could ever do what Helen and Rose did?

3. Do you think Helen would have made the switch if she'd known how things would turn out?

4. What would you do if you were in Helen's shoes, seeing your biological child being neglected?

5. Do you think Rose would have "broken" if she had actually given birth to Teddy?

6. Do you think Rose would have "broken" if she and Helen hadn't made the switch?

7. Do you think Natalie would have been as vivacious if the switch hadn't been made?

8. Do you think Aunt Faye would have left Rose everything when she died if Rose's family hadn't started going to her apartment for holidays after Teddy's birth?

9. Do you think Rose would have resented Helen's help if they'd never made the switch?

10. When did you know for sure that Helen and Rose had switched babies?

11. Do you think Helen should have told Mort about the switch after she told Natalie?

12. Do you think Natalie and Jane ever figure out that they both know they're biologically sisters?


Those are the questions that I have been pondering, all alone because I don't know anyone else that has read this book yet (that's like the only downfall to receiving ARCs.) If you've read the book are there any other questions you would ask? (And if you share a question, do you mind if I add it to the list?) I hope you will find these questions helpful if you find yourself in a bind before your book club meeting to discuss this wonderful book. - Katie 

3 comments:

  1. Great questions, I have another (two parter)...1) Do you think Johnny and Natalie would have gotten to know each other to the extent that they did without the switch? 2)Do you think that Natalie would have spent so much time with Johnny if Teddy had not died?

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  2. Great questions, I have another (two parter)...1) Do you think Johnny and Natalie would have gotten to know each other to the extent that they did without the switch? 2)Do you think that Natalie would have spent so much time with Johnny if Teddy had not died?

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  3. Excellent blog, Katie. I'll be looking for more questions about other books. Is that what you do in this blog?

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