The Kitchen Front

How are Gwendoline, Audrey, Nell, and Zelda different? Do they have any traits in common?

Which character did you most relate to and why?

Who did you feel had the most pivotal transformation, and did her shifts feel realistic?

There are many other themes in the novel—second chances, hope, family bonds, overcoming adversity. Which themes resonated with you the most?

How does the time period inform the characters’ interactions and decisions throughout the book?

What role do wealth and status play in the characters’ perspectives on life and on each other?

Discuss how you feel about the ending. Is it satisfying? If so, why? If not, why not . . . and how would you change it? What do you think will happen next to the main characters?

The setting of the WWII England is intrinsic to The Kitchen Front. Discuss the ways in which the setting functions as a character in the novel and how each of the human characters relates to it.

Compare this book to others your group has read. Is it similar to any of them? Did you like it more or less than other books you’ve read? What do you think will be your lasting impression of the book?

What do you think the author’s goal was in writing this book? What ideas was she trying to illustrate? What message was she trying to send?

What scene would you point out as the pivotal moment in the narrative? How did it make you feel?