Strange Sally Diamond

1. How did your perception of Sally evolve throughout the book? What actions or discoveries changed your view of her?

2. Sally decides to burn her father's body based on his comments. How do you interpret Sally's action? Does it highlight a failure in understanding neurodiversity or something else?

3. How does Angela's support for Sally reflect the importance of standing by marginalized individuals in society?

4. Thomas Diamond's influence on Sally's life is undeniable. The question is, do his actions show real care, or are they more about controlling others under the pretense of therapy?

5. Mark Norton's unwavering quest to uncover the truth regarding his sister Denise's fate significantly affects his relationship with Sally. Is his struggle to move beyond this trauma a vital search for justice, or does it verge on an unhealthy obsession?

6. Peter repeats the pattern of abuse that he encountered during his childhood. Should Peter be viewed as a victim of Conor's manipulation and his situation, or should he be held responsible for failing to break the cycle of abuse and for inflicting harm on others?

7. Christine, Sally's aunt, has a complex relationship with Sally. How do you view Christine's behavior and her hesitance to completely accept Sally? Do you think her later involvement was genuine, or driven by guilt or obligation?

8. The theme of isolation and connection is prominent in the book. How does the book explore the different forms of isolation - physical, emotional, and social?

9. The book raises questions about what "normal" really means and how society responds to people who stand out. How does Sally's character challenge traditional ideas of normal behavior? What different reactions does she get from people around her, and what do these reactions show about society's views on being different?

10. How much of who we are is shaped by nature vs. nurture?

11. Was Sally truly as "strange" as people believed-or was she just reacting to extraordinary circumstances?

12. Can we feel sympathy for Mark despite what he does?

Book Club Talking Points:
Book clubs will find Strange Sally Diamond engaging and perfect for discussion. Sally is a unique protagonist whose literal view of life and troubled past will spark conversations about empathy, social norms, and trauma. The dark themes and surprising twists keep readers intrigued, while Sally's journey to understand herself and connect with others offers many thought-provoking topics.