Book club questions for The Paris Maid
Huge thanks to the readers who have emailed in asking for book club questions for The Paris Maid. Here they are for you!
Did this book affect the way you see Paris? Do you think you will feel differently going there from now on if you travel to France, knowing the history of what the people went through during the Second World War? Did the book inspire any travel plans to Paris for you?
How much did you know about the Nazi occupation of Paris before you picked up the book? Did you know about the Ritz Hotel during the occupation?
Did you agree with Sasha’s decisions? What do you think was her biggest struggle?
How did you feel about Mariah’s attitude towards her mother? Could you understand and see how two members of the family (Nicole and Mariah) could have such completely different feelings about their mother and grandmother? Is this believable?
Did the events in the book spook you? Or get under your skin? What did you find most reprehensible about the way humans treated other during that time in the book?
How did the setting impact the characters’ lives? To what extent were these characters a product of their generation, and how was this shown in the book?
Do you think that Kit and Sasha would have made a good couple? Did this feel right that they came together after the story finished?
How would you describe Louise’s personality?
How did you feel about Arletty? Did her behaviour invoke a strong reaction in you either way? Did you know about the way women who were accused of being Nazi collaborators were treated after the Allied landings in France?
Whose story did you find more emotional? Louise’s, Sasha’s, or Kit’s and the Dressmaker’s? To which character did you most relate or empathise?
Did the journey of the story come full circle?
How did this book compare to other books written by Ella Carey with which you might be familiar?