Reading GuideHow does Sr. Jude’s experience in the convent compare with your expectations of what religious life is like? Were you surprised by any of the stances she took toward the church, other nuns and priests, and changes in culture?
In the novel’s first scene, Sr. Jude prays for a sign. What other signs has she received and what did they signify?
How did Rita and Connie’s childhoods influence their adult choices?
Early in the novel, Rita is described as “a force . . . inflamed with desire for sacrifice and good works. If [Connie] envied Rita anything, it was her passion, not her beauty.”
How does this manifest the many obstacles in her life? How do other characters prove to be resilient in their own ways, and which characters are most successful?
What seems to be the biggest cul
