Truth Be Told (40 page)

Truth Be Told

1. In the beginning of the novel, Grace and Conner seem like the perfect married couple. But as the story unfolds, it becomes clear that Conner has not been completely truthful with his wife. If Pilar had not brought her son forward, would Conner have ever told Grace about his affair? Knowing the history of Grace and Conner's relationship, what is Conner's bigger betrayal: having the affair or failing to reveal it? Conner has his reasons for not telling Grace about Pilar. Do you think they are valid? Should a married couple be truthful about everything?
   
2. Grace's sister, Starlight, longs for Grace's approval and acceptance. Nevertheless, Grace remains very critical and judgmental of her sister. Discuss the sibling rivalry between Grace and Starlight. How did it begin? Is Grace jealous of Starlight's success? In what ways are Grace and Starlight alike?
   
3. Lily, Grace's mother, chides Grace for not inviting Starlight to her city council win celebration. She stresses that “Family is the most important thing
   ”(page 10). How is the importance of family handled throughout the novel? Discuss how Grace and her family must redefine their notions about family.
   
4. Starlight is a motivational speaker who coaxes women “to rely on our power within”(page 74). Do you believe Starlight's motivations are sincere?
   
5. Lexington, Starlight's business partner, seems to be truly in love with Starlight. At the end of the novel, however, as Starlight's luck takes a turn for the worse, we see Lexington's genuine feelings. Describe the nature of their relationship.
   
6. Religion and Christianity are prominent themes in
   Truth Be Told.
   At one point in the novel, the narrator explains that Grace “wasn't religious, although she'd tell anyone who'd listen that she was a Christian, serious in her love for Jesus”(page 41). Explain the difference between being Christian and being religious.
   
7. One of Grace's primary goals as a city councilwoman is to get a seat on the education committee so that she can lobby for school prayer. She believes this will be a way to return “morals and ethics” to young people. How do you feel about prayer in schools?
   
8. Sara Spears, Grace's nemesis from the Anti-Christian Coalition, remains hot on Grace's trail in search of any dirt. Grace decides that she must go public with the news of Conner's affair and his son, Solomon. Do you think her strategy is wise? How much does the public need to know about a politician's private life? Where should the line be drawn?
   
9. In Chapter 44, Grace tells her sister-in-law, Devry, that she hates “the fact that my husband had sex with a white woman”(page 348). How is the issue of race handled in the book?
   
10. In talking about Pilar's worsening condition, Lily says, “This is God's will”(page 368). What, if anything, does this suggest about Lily's attitude toward illness in general or AIDS in particular? What about the other characters? Does anyone in the novel extend real sympathy to Pilar and her condition?
    
11. Both Grace and her teenage daughter, Jayde, feel betrayed by Conner's hidden relationship with Pilar Cruise and the news of his having a son. How do you think you would have handled the situation? What keeps the family together in the end?
    
12. Betrayal and forgiveness are two themes that resonate throughout the novel. Discuss.