1. Hannah is haunted by the murders and rape that occurred in her neighborhood. Are people more strongly affected by violence that happens close to home than by the news reports of violence in other places in the world? Why?
2. Hannah struggles to remember a traumatic event that occurred when she was five years old. What is your earliest childhood memory? Can people accurately remember events that happened when they were very young? Do our early memories shape and define us?
3. Jodi and Hannah are good friends, but in many ways, they are very different. Do we normallyseek out or avoid friendships with people who are different than we are? Is that old expression “opposites attract” true? What is gained from having a friendship with someone who is not a lot like you?
4. Why was Hannah wary of dating? Why was she ready to date at this point in her life? In your opinion, what complicates a woman’s search for love “the second time around”? Are the challenges widows and divorced womenface when they begin to date again the same or different?
5. Brad explains that in Pennsylvania children and teenagers who commit murders are charged as adults. Does this make sense to you? Are there factors that should be taken into consideration when a young person commits a murder? If so, what are they?
6. Consider Sandra Metzler’s reaction and her family’s reaction to the rape. Is being raped by a family member more or less traumatic than being raped by a stranger.? Do you think women ever fully recover from being raped? Do you agree with Sandra’s decisions?
7. What can be done in families and in the community to help young people avoid turning to drugs and violent behavior? Do troubled teens exhibit reliable warning signs to indicate that they are in trouble and need help? If so, what are they?
8. Was Hannah right or wrong to go along with the dictates of President Daniels? Are there times when it is appropriate to take a stand for intellectual freedom, even if there are severe consequences?
9. Do you think Michael is innocent or guilty? How will Hannah interact with him in the future?
10. Hannah’s father said he was trying to protect his family, but did he? Do you think his actions were justified? Is his confession true? Is he innocent or guilty?
11. What is your opinion of Ethan? Is he a hero or a villain at the end of the novel?
12. What do you think will happen to Hannah in the future?