ICE Breakers
THE APPRENTICE
BOOK OF THE MOMENT
Did you have empathy with all the characters?
Could you understand how Joyce was drawn back to helping Mel?
Is providing education more valuable than inflicting punishment or can the two go hand in hand?
What did Hollis, the farm hand add to the story?
Do you think people who have been given a second chance themselves are more likely to help others?
Do you think anyone can succeed in life if they are given the right opportunities and support? Or are other factors necessary?
What did your book club make of the ending?
THE FOUNDLING
MISSED OPPORTUNITY
Do you think it was possible to escape the cycle of poverty Bess and her family endured?
Were you surprised at how much Alexandra’s childhood trauma impacted her life? Did you find this believable?
Could you empathise with all the characters?
What did you think of Ned’s actions towards his sister and the circumstances surrounding why he did it?
What did you think of Abe’s behaviour towards Bess?
What does this story tell you about motherhood and what is the most important factors when raising a child?
What role does the lack of social mobility play within this story?
The Foundling Hospital is now a museum – have you visited it?
THE SECRET BARRISTER
The secret barrister explained that they wanted to break down barriers and that the public deserved to be better informed and ask questions? Did you find this book empowering and are you more willing to question the system?
Did you and your group find this an informative read and has it made you more empathetic towards barristers?
How do the case studies shared in this book compare with your own experiences of the court, if any, as a witness, a member of the jury or as an injured party?
Does it matter that we do not know anything about the author?
Do you think the ‘secret’ aspect of this book makes the findings more compelling and did it counter any misconceptions that you might have had?
THE WILD CARD