1. THE BEAUTY OF BROKEN THINGS is set in a small community on the Suffolk coast in England. How important do you think the setting of the novel is? What does it add to the story?

2. The theme of self-isolation is very topical right now. Do you think Orla was right to self-isolate? What effects --- both positive and negative --- do you think this can have on a person?

3. After Luke loses his wife, Helen, he becomes focused on finding Orla. Do you think this was a way for him to avoid his own grief? What do you think of his mission to fulfill Helen’s wishes?

4. The novel looks at the role of social media platforms and how we often show one side of ourselves to the world while hiding another. How true to life do you think this is?

5. Why do you think Orla is so attracted to broken things? What role do they play in her life?

6. Helen and Orla’s friendship develops over their shared love of photography. What does this tell us about their personalities?

7. The Wild Man of Lorford is based on a real legend in Suffolk, England. How do you think his story ties in with that of Orla’s? Can you see any similarities?

8. If you were a villager in Lorford, what would you make of the stranger living alone in the ancient castle? Would you try to befriend her?

9. How important is the role of gardening in the novel? What do you think the allotments and the character of Bill Wilson add to the story?

10. Compare and contrast Orla’s relationship with the village of Lorford at the beginning and the end of the novel. How has Orla changed?

11. What do you think will happen next for Orla and Luke?