Discussion Questions
We'll add publisher questions if and when they're available; in the meantime, use our LitLovers talking point to help start a discussion for THE RED DRESS IN BLACK & WHITE … then take off on your own:
1. What do you think of Catherine? Is she a sympathetic character? What is her reason for wanting to return to the U.S?
2. Talk about Murat and his business practices. Our initial proclivity is to dislike him for his greed and dishonesty, as well as for a comment such as this: "he loves the idea of [his family] while, at times, he isn't certain if he's capable of actually loving them." Gradually, though, Murat becomes more sympathetic. How does the author humanize him?
3. What role does Kristen play in all of this?
4. Talk about the way state corruption directs the characters and their actions in this novel? Describe, if you can, the intricate, circuitous dealings within the government—and how Catherine, Peter, and Murat are manipulated without their knowledge.
5. How do the protests in Gezi Park propel the plot?
6. The book slips back in time frequently, making the story anything but linear. Did you have trouble following the many flashbacks, feeling perhaps that they overly complicate the plot? Or do you think the flashbacks add context and depth?
7. What is the significance of the photo of the woman in the red dress at Gezi Park—and why the book's title?
(Questions by LitLovers. Please feel free to use them, online and off, with attribution. Thanks.)
Red Dress in Black & White (Ackerman) - Discussion Questions
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