- Why do you think Giovanni couldn’t bring himself to burn Bartolomeo’s journals? On the same note, do you think Bartolomeo actually expected him to burn them? What would you have done if you were Giovanni?
- We learn about Bartolomeo’s love affair with Stella and the great lengths they both went to stay together. What were some of the more surprising aspects to you about this? Why couldn’t they just go run off together and leave everything behind?
- Did you have any suspicion that Bartolomeo was actually Giovanni’s father? Why do you think he never told him the truth? How did that change their dynamic in Giovanni’s perspective or did it? In what ways are Giovanni and Bartolomeo similar and how are they different?
- Let’s talk about the reveal that Valentinio is Giovanni’s brother and Stella of Bartolomeo’s journal is actually their mother Serafina.
- Why was Cesare so resentful of Giovanni?
- Was the comet supposed to represent Bartolomeo’s spirit?
- What did you think about the romance between Isabetta and Giovanni?
- What are some of the highlights for you as far as food descriptions? What about some of the historical content (the Vatican, the popes, etc.)?
- What are some of the central themes of this novel?
- Have you been to Italy or do you want to go someday?
The Chef’s Secret by Crystal King
More discussion at bookclubchat.com. These questions contain major spoilers.
bookclubchat.com/books/book-club-questions-for-the-chefs-secret-by-crystal-king