Compare the four Sorenson sisters. In what ways are they the same and in what ways are they different? Consider how the sisters view these similarities and differences. Which do they seem most aware of? Which do they seem least aware of? Why do you think this is the case?

Analyze the attention Marilyn and David show to each of their children. Which daughters are deemed as getting the most and least attention by the parents and by the children themselves? How accurate are these assessments? What effects does parental attention have on the girls?

Throughout the novel, characters talk about the ways in which hardship can prepare people for the future. Consider the lives of Jonah, Wendy, and Grace, and analyze the way in which hardship does—or does not—prepare them for the future.