What do you think about the use of French words and phrases? Do they add to the story or are they a distraction?
The stories are told from different points of view; each character has a distinct voice, but only Odille tells her stories in the first person. What does that tell the reader about her?
How does the author convey the atmosphere of a small French town more than one hundred years ago?
The problematic relationship between Gaston Lemonnier and the priest Père Michel is a central element of the narrative. What does their conflict tell the reader about wider attitudes to religion, love and forgiveness? Are there any changes to these attitudes during the period covered by the stories?
What do you think is the purpose of Part 3, ‘Afterwords’?
Which character engages you the most? How does the author draw you into this character?
Who do you think changes the most?
Can you describe the ways, both good and bad, that war changed the town and its inhabitants?
If there were to be a sequel to ‘Amelie at the Window’, whose story would you like to follow? Why does the future of this person interest you?
Images are a theme that runs through the book. Why do you think the author use this theme and how effective is it in bringing the stories to life?
Some of the central characters, for example Marcel Pichon, Raymond Fischer and Mère Agnès, do not have their own stories. We find out about them through other people. Does this literary device tell the reader enough about the person, or would you prefer them to tell their own story?
Find your copy here
