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Book Jacket

The Winter Soldier

A story of war and medicine, of finding love in the sweeping tides of history, ...

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Discuss The Winter Soldier by Daniel Mason

Do you have any insight as to where Lucius' fascination with medicine had its genesis? Have you ever been absorbed by a career or hobby and if so, do you know where your interest arose?

6

Oct. 01, 2018
by PiperUp

Lucius stuttered as a boy. What did you think of his parents' attempted cures? Do we invoke similarly unproven remedies today for this or other conditions?

6

Oct. 02, 2018
by josephinej

Why do you suppose both Lucius and Margarete lied about their backgrounds to each other?

8

Oct. 06, 2018
by lesleyf

In what ways did you find Lucius’s service the same or different to his father's? Why do you sense his father only started to show him love after he returned from the war?

8

Oct. 06, 2018
by lesleyf

Why do you think the author made the decision to make Feuermann Jewish? Did you find parallels between the two and their families? How about differences?

6

Oct. 07, 2018
by joang

Do you think people can learn to become proficient at small-talk? Did you feel his discomfort when members of society helped or hurt him?

8

Oct. 07, 2018
by vivianh

We generally regard war as an evil, but can it provide opportunities for some? How are wars met today? Do you see similar enthusiasm? Why do you suppose some find the idea of going to war glamorous?

7

Oct. 07, 2018
by vivianh

Why do you think Lucius's mother is so intent that he marry? Why did he agree? Why did she choose Natasza and do you think she anticipated the result?

12

Oct. 07, 2018
by rebeccar

What do you feel drew Lucius to Margarete?

14

Oct. 10, 2018
by rebeccar

What were the ramifications of Horvath’s torture? Was it Lucius’s fault? How did this event impact his relationship with Margarete? Did Horvath’s fate impact how Lucius treated other cases?

10

Oct. 11, 2018
by scgirl

Why do you feel Lucius couldn’t talk to anyone about Horvath?

14

Oct. 11, 2018
by teacher reader

The snow is referred to as the 'soldier’s curse and the soldier's friend.' What did the author mean by this? Why do you think he set much of the in-depth action during the cold weather?

11

Oct. 13, 2018
by lilliantpr

Why do you suppose Lucius was so intrigued by Horvath's condition, in particular? Why were he and the staff so invested in Horvath's recovery?

9

Oct. 14, 2018
by marganna

Why do you think Margarete and Lucius disagree about Horvath's treatment? Whose argument did you back at the time?

16

Oct. 14, 2018
by marganna

What surprised you about the novel? Did you learn anything new from it?

18

Oct. 14, 2018
by marganna

Was anybody else a bit disappointed in the ending?

17

Oct. 14, 2018
by marganna

Why do you think Margarete pretended to be a nun? When did you begin to suspect that she had never taken vows?

19

Oct. 14, 2018
by lilliantpr

Are you familiar with other novels where WWI is portrayed from the point of view of a citizen of the Austro-Hungarian Empire? Does this perspective make the story feel different from those told from the Allied side?

9

Oct. 14, 2018
by lilliantpr

Why was Lucius so reluctant to return to the comforts of Vienna, and why did he reenlist when he didn’t need to?

14

Oct. 17, 2018
by shannonl

Overall, what do you think of The Winter Soldier? (no spoilers in this thread please)

35

Oct. 20, 2018
by millicentg

Why do you think Margarete cried and ran away when Lucius proposed to her?

20

Oct. 23, 2018
by scgirl

What do you know about PTSD? Did the book shed any light on it for you? What do you think of the cures for it that were attempted in the early 20th century? How well do we handle PTSD cases today?

7

Oct. 28, 2018
by lesleyf

Why do you think the author inserts the lengthy side story told by the hospital's orderlies about Zmudowski and the Russian stamps?

9

Oct. 28, 2018
by lesleyf

Do some professions offer greater social status, and do some who enter them do so solely for that purpose?

13

Oct. 29, 2018
by lilliantpr

Did the intensely graphic descriptions of the hospital make it difficult for you to keep reading?

8

Nov. 06, 2018
by scgirl

Why do you think Lucius goes to such unusual lengths to find Margarete? Do you suppose the spell is broken after he finds her?

12

Nov. 06, 2018
by scgirl

Why do you think the women were moved to keep Lucius safe?

6

Nov. 06, 2018
by scgirl

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