Book Club Discussion Questions
Q. What makes Little Ash the demon and Uriel the angel good partners? How does their partnership shape the way the story unfolds?
Q. The characters face a number of obstacles on their way to America. What are some of the challenges immigrants faced in getting through Ellis Island? How is the immigration system different, or similar, in the 21st century?
(Note: one book that shows an under-discussed aspect of immigration through Ellis Island is DEFECTIVES IN THE LAND, by Douglas Baynton. This book shows how discrimination against disabled people shaped immigration policy.)
Q. How do the different characters respond to the social roles they’re assigned? How do Uriel, Rose, and Little Ash approach community obligations and expectations?
Q. Rose Cohen’s first name comes from a real-life labor activist, Rose Schneiderman, who became a union leader at a young age and whose closest personal relationships were with other women. Do you know any other historical figures who lived what we’d now think of as LGBTQ+ lives? Why is it important for historical stories to show diversity?
(Note: readers interested in more queer Jewish history should check out the anthology A RAINBOW THREAD, edited by Noam Sienna. Annelise Orleck’s collective biography of women labor leaders, COMMON SENSE AND A LITTLE FIRE, is a great resource for learning about Rose Schneiderman. She wasn’t even the only Jewish lesbian labor leader!)
Q. If you had to spend the day with Rose, Essie, Uriel or Little Ash, which would you choose, and why?
Sacha Lamb 