1. Many of us love hearing our family stories told over and over. What do family stories teach us? What is it about them that we enjoy?

2. Why does Gloria, Fran's mother, tell Fran the family stories? What is she offering to her daughter? What do the two of them gain from sharing the family stories?

3. Do you think that family "myths" tend to be factually true or not? Of the tales Gloria tells, how much do you think is true? Does it matter whether Gloria is stretching the truth? Why or why not?

4. As a story is retold through the generations, how does it tend to change? How do you think the family stories from Fran's family got changed?

5. Fran goes through a transition during the course of the book. In what ways does she change? What role do the stories play in this transformation?

6. What do you think the house called Brazil represents? Why did the author choose this title? What would you have named the book?

7. Fran and her mother don't have a typical mother/daughter relationship. In what ways is their relationship normal? In what ways is it different? Would you want someone like Gloria as your mother?

8. Why do you think Gloria left Fran alone at such a young age? Do you think Fran would have learned the family stories if her mother hadn't left?

9. How do the family stories change Fran's relationship with her mother?

10. There are several examples of parenting in the book, both in Fran's life and within the tales her mother tells. How good or bad is the parenting in the book? Would you consider any of the parents "ideal"?

11. Of all the relatives, such as Celia and Cessil, who did you like the best? Why? Did some of the characters come to life more than others?

12. At one point Fran admits she isn't revealing everything that happened. Why do you think she is keeping some things hidden from the reader? What do you think she might not be saying? What does this say about the book?

13. What do you think happens after Fran leaves the family farm?