1.  How did Marie Tussaud’s experiences during the French Revolution affect the way she conducted business while in England?

2.  How was Marie Tussaud’s lifestyle unusual for her times, in terms of her independence and entrepreneurial spirit?

3.  How do you think waxworks exhibitions of the early 19th century were similar to those of today?  In what ways do you think they were different?

4.  Many French aristocrats fled France during the Revolution for places like Scotland and England.  How would the émigrés’ lives have been impacted by Napoleon’s threatened invasion of Great Britain?

5.  How did Brax’s background as the son of an impoverished aristocrat affect his decisions?

6.  Were Marguerite’s motivations for marrying Philipsthal sound?  What would you have done if faced with her situation?

7.  Is Darden’s sense of duty admirable?  How was his judgment sometimes clouded by this sense of duty?  Was his attitude common or unusual in early 19th-century England?

8.  Were you surprised to learn that there were sometimes women aboard naval ships, and that they sometimes accompanied crews into war?  What do you think were overall attitudes towards women on ships?

9.  During the Napoleonic Wars, alliances between countries shifted depending on the outcomes of battles, the rise of new leaders, and secret negotiations.  How does this compare to the political map of today’s world?

10.  Today Madame Tussaud’s waxworks sits in several permanent locations across the world.  Why do you think the waxworks stopped its traveling format?  What are the advantages and disadvantages of a waxworks being in a permanent location?

11.  Lord Nelson’s affair with Lady Emma Hamilton was considered scandalous during a time when many aristocrats conducted affairs.  What was different about their circumstances that made society aghast over Nelson and Emma?

12. By the end of the novel, Marguerite has married a naval captain.  What challenges might such a marriage have presented to a 19th century woman?  Would any of these challenges still apply today?

13.  Consider Marguerite’s attitudes, feelings, and thoughts.  In what ways is Marguerite a typical woman of her times?  Conversely, how does she chafe against social conventions?