

In what way could she be considered an unreliable narrator? Framboise tells this story as an older woman, remembering her childhood.What do you think of the way in which she deals with this unexpected threat? What does it tell you about her personality? The arrival of the snack wagon threatens Framboise with exposure.In what way does he exploit their vulnerability? Do you think he gives them anything positive in return? Tomas uses the children for his own purposes, and yet he is the closest thing they have to a father figure.Why do you think the author chose to portray a Nazi soldier in this ambiguous way? Tomas is a morally questionable character, and yet he has some likeable qualities.In what way would you say Mirabelle’s recipe book the key to her innermost thoughts? Why do you think she chose to record them in this way?.In what way are the children affected by the loss of their father? What does his death do to Mirabelle?.Do you find this surprising? To what extent is anyone in Les Laveuses really aware of history unfolding? The children seem mostly unaware and unconscious of the events of the war, except when they are directly affected by them.How do you feel about this? Do you feel sympathy for the harshness of her upbringing, or are you more likely to sympathize with Mirabelle? Why? Framboise seems to have no understanding or empathy for her mother’s distress.What do you think made her the way she is? And what are her redeeming features? Framboise can be difficult to like, both for her mother and for the reader.Why? And how do you think she got to be so streetwise? In what way does she differ from her elder siblings, and why? Framboise manipulates her mother very cleverly for a child of her age.Framboise claims to be her mother’s favourite child, and and yet Mirabelle treats her quite harshly.Why do you think Mirabelle named her children as she did? How did this choice affect the way she was seen in the community? Revolutionary France had a history of naming children after garden produce, although nowadays French laws on naming chidren are quite strict.Why do you think the author chose this title for the book?.

Try making your own raspberry liqueur at home using this simple recipe. Here’s some background on the region’s war history.įramboise and her siblings are all named after fruit. The story takes place against the background of World War 2. Learn more about the region here.įramboise’s little restaurant specializes in Breton galettes. The novel is based in a fictional village near Angers, in Brittany. (Note that questions do contain spoilers, so please read the book first if you want to avoid them!) Are you planning to read this book as part of a readers’ discussion group? Here are a few resources and some questions for discussion to help yoiu get started.
