1. During the war, Clara had to navigate a path between loyalty to her family and her conscience. Did she succeed in doing justice to both? Is such a thing even possible, given the circumstances?

2. If you had been in Clara’s position during the war, would you have acted differently? What would you have done, and what might have been the consequences?

3. How would you describe the affair between the teenage Elisa and Willy’s father? Is it predatory, based on his power over her? Is there love? How do their later actions illuminate their relationship?

4. What hope do you see for Willy’s future? How do you envision his future relationship with Clara?

5. Clara’s father was the defining influence of her life, and she struggles to break free of him. Why is it so difficult for her? Have you ever had to distance yourself from a loved one, and if so, did you face similar challenges to Clara?

6. Captain Fenshaw is known for his poetic justice, such as when he put Clara in the same kind of locker that some forced laborers had to endure as punishment during the war. Do you think these methods were a necessary element of his investigation, or a personal expression of disgust at Clara’s crimes? Are such acts justified when carried out by someone who is seeking justice?

7. Clara’s mother, Anne, is an Englishwoman, yet she was cooperating with the Nazi government. Following the war, she embraced her British roots during denazification. Is she treacherous, or just resourceful? In what ways does wartime impact one’s loyalty to their heritage and allegiances?

8. How do you think Jakob has adjusted so well to the challenges of life in the ruins, despite his severe war wound? What makes him so resilient, particularly compared to other veterans who had a more difficult time readjusting?

9. At one point, Clara mentions to Jakob that, as a soldier, he had captured some of the people who were transported to Clara’s factories as slave labor. Does that make him an accessory to the crimes committed under Clara’s watch? How responsible is each individual for crimes that are sanctioned by their government? Is it different in a democracy versus a police state? Wartime versus peace?

10. In the end, Clara realizes that she has a debt to pay for the actions she took during the war, and the crimes she allowed to happen. Do you feel that Fenshaw’s ultimate sentencing of her is fair? Is it possible for Clara to repay her debt, and if so, how long would it take? Who decides if and when this debt is repaid?

11. Do you think Clara would be convicted as a war criminal if she were put on trial? How would you weigh her good and bad actions on a scale of her deeds?

12. Did you learn anything that surprised you about life for the Germans under Allied occupation? Has this new knowledge of their situation changed your feelings toward the German people during and after World War II?