1. Ellie’s view of her grandmother had been one of shared memories from old photo albums and the limited stories she’d heard of Lady Vi’s life during the Second World War. It is not until the discovery of a lost love—and the unearthing of Vi’s participation in the French Resistance—that Ellie sees her grandmother in a new light. How might Ellie’s memory of her grandmother have been different if Vi hadn’t been able to share pieces of her past before the effects of Alzheimer’s prevented it? What changed once Ellie learned the full story of the castle?
2. Aveline’s interest in politics and her compassion for the peasant class renders her a liability to her family’s wealth and rank, and carries her outside the acceptable roles for women in eighteenth-century France. What decisions does Aveline make that positively affect others yet put her own life and livelihood at risk? When is it important to stand up for our beliefs, even when our own comforts may be negatively impacted?
3. Titus holds a deep affection for the history of the Vivay land, and the belief that wine making is far more a matter of art than one of modern science. This view strongly contrasts with Quinn’s and affects his ability to plant familial roots in a way similar to his grandfather. What keeps Quinn from seeing the world as Titus does? How can past hurts affect our ability to heal and open our hearts to new opportunities and future relationships?
4. Julien’s band of French Resistance fighters at the castle ruins becomes a makeshift family, brought together by their common bond to fight for survival in a time of war. Have you ever developed a bond with a friend or coworker who held a differing world view? How did that relationship affect the way you see the world around you?
5. As the story of the castle unfolds, Ellie has to acknowledge unresolved pain of her past and realizes that unless she confronts it, she won’t find wholeness—or freedom—to love anew. Quinn, too, is practicing avoidance of his pain, choosing to move on instead of planting roots in any spot for too long. How do Ellie and Quinn come together when their barriers to intimacy begin on opposite spectrums? Is it possible to put down roots and still fly at the same time?
6. The visual of crumbling walls is an important image for the legacy of the castle, and the Vivay family through the generations. Aveline wanted to tear down the barrier between the classes, both in Paris and once she reached the Vivay estate. How do we tear down walls of differences with others, whether in our local or global communities?
7. In this story, color is used to convey emotion that spans generations—in the blush-pink blossoms and wild violets lining the road to the castle ruins, the red rust of the fox inhabiting Fox Grove, the rich wine of the land and Ellie’s Loire Valley scarf, and Aveline’s portrait that hangs in both the castle and the estate house across all three story lines. How does color reveal the art of God’s creation in the world around us? In what ways are our other senses impacted by stories?
8. The Sleeping Beauty is more than a lost castle—it serves as an image of God’s faithfulness through the generations and His intimate involvement in our own life stories. How can faith be passed down over generations? How important is our own foundation of faith to leave a legacy for future generations?