What would it be like to live every day knowing that you or someone you live with and depend upon could be arrested and sent back to their home country without recourse? What would you have to change about the way you live now?

The practical reliance upon religion is pronounced throughout the book. Does the author express any preference for any of these religions or belief systems? Do any of them seem to work better than others to help the characters? What is the difference between superstitious practices and religious rituals?

Talia and Karina are two sisters raised in two separate cultures. Both are smart and resourceful. How are they different? Is one more hopeful than the other? Can you picture Karina pouring oil over the head of the stranger who killed a kitten as Talia did? How is Karina’s cynical self-doubt like or different from Talia’s brooding about her inner darkness?