Sepetys chooses to tell the story of Cristian and his family from Cristian’s point of view. How does the choice of narrator shape the story? Choose two other key characters to discuss how the story would change if told from their perspectives.

The novel references real issues of Time magazine from November 1989. Read these or other news sources (often accessible online via the publication’s archives) to discern what picture they paint of Romania and other then-communist nations. Consider Cristian’s concern that Ceauşescu duped the United States into believing he was a magnanimous figure. Is there evidence of this in the articles you consulted?

By the novel’s Epilogue, readers have learned that both Cici and Cristian’s mother assisted the Securitate. Compare and contrast both women as characterized by Cristian throughout the novel. How do Cristian’s descriptions of them help the reader to understand their choices?