Sweet Tooth

Serena and Haley swap stories about their family members’ tragic pasts. How do these shared stories help to create a bond between them?

Max loves and loathes Serena in equal measure. To what extent are his actions vindictive? To whom does he feel the most loyalty?

Shirley is the working-class representative at MI5. What does her dismissal from the organization say about class politics in British intelligence?

Haley wavers in his commitment to writing fiction. Why does writing academic work seem more appealing to him? Is he correct?

Serena’s love of books dictates the course of her life. How does this hobby become a career and how do books influence her personality?

Tony is the first man Serena loves, but she must reckon with the fact that he is a traitor. Which betrayal hurts her more, the personal betrayal or the betrayal of Tony’s country? Why?

The island of Kumlinge is not depicted or described in the novel in anything other than fleeting terms. What does the island represent to the characters?

Haley turns the tables on Serena and begins to spy on her. How does he spy? Is he more or less effective than Serena in his role as a makeshift spy?